Photo credit: Ira Landgarten
Persian and Indian Improvisations
The spellbinding Ghazal Ensemble continues its highly influential and original Persian and Indian collaboration with a rare performance. Iran’s kamancheh (spiked fiddle) master Kayhan Kalhor and India’s sitar (stringed lute) virtuoso Shujaat Husain Khan have toured the world over to critical acclaim for creating this intoxicating, delicate fusion. They will be joined by the superb tabla player Sandeep Das.
This highly influential group has toured the world over to critical acclaim and is lauded for creating an original, delicate Indo-Persian fusion blending their two distinctive classical music traditions: the Persian dastgah and North Indian raga. Intertwined historically, geographically and culturally for centuries, these musical styles share some formal elements and modes which allow for exquisite and harmonious dialogue between the two traditions.
Shujaat Husain Khan, one of today’s greatest North Indian artists, represents the seventh generation of illustrious musicians in the Imdad Khan gharana (musical lineage) which includes his father the great sitarist Ustad Vilayat Khan. Kayhan Kalhor, a creative force in today’s international music scene, is considered the preeminent ambassador of Persian music. He is known for stirring improvisations, exquisite compositions, and extensive collaborations with artists including Yo-Yo Ma, Brooklyn Rider, Kronos Quartet and Osvaldo Golijov.
“an irresistible expression of creative musical passion.” LA Times
2015 Tour Schedule
Ghazal: Live at Society for Ethical Culture, NYC March 9, 2002 from Live Sounds on Vimeo.