Altaf Hussain Tafu Khan (1945 â 26 October 2024), better known as Ustad Tafu or simply Tafoo, was a Pakistani musician from Lahore, known as a 'master tabla player'. Ustad Tafu was also associated with Coke Studio Pakistan.
Tafu was the father of musicians Tariq Tafu, Tanveer Tafu, and Sajjad Tafu.
Ustad Tafu was born in Lahore, now in Pakistan, to a musician's family, "a part of a musical legacy that spans seven generations." Tafu started his career in 1970 when his first film song, as music director, sung by Noor Jehan was featured in the Punjabi movie Anwara (1970). In 1971, one of his hit chartbusters-- Mahi Keh Gaya Milan Ga Main Fer Aa Ke Te Dass Ke Tareekh Na Gaya, was released in the movie Sajawal. Another film song was in the film Sohra Te Jawai (1980), sung by Noor Jehan, lyrics by Khawaja Pervez "Rab jane sahnoon te tu maar suttia". Ustad Tafu composed music for over 100 films and has worked with music artists such as Noor Jehan, Shaukat Ali, Inayat Hussain Bhatti, Naheed Akhtar and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
Ustad Tafu showcased his tabla playing skills at the Coke Studio Pakistan (season 7) (2014) along with musicians Bilal Maqsood and the Pakistani pop rock music group Strings.
In 2017, Ustad Tafu claimed in an interview that he first introduced Naseebo Lal as a playback singer in the Pakistani film industry. He also comes from an extended family of film score composers – Master Inayat Hussain being his maternal cousin.
In 2018, Ustad Tafu also appeared on Adil Omar's album Transcendence as an arranger, percussionist and playing harmonium for "We Need to Talk About Adil."
Tafu died after a long illness in Lahore, on 26 October 2024, at the age of 79.