northindianclassicalmusic

Indian Classical Music; Its Evolution and Influence on Music Today

This month on Sonosphere we hear from Ken Zuckerman, co-founder of the Ali Akbar College in Basel, Switzerland and sarod aficionado.  Peter Lavezzoli, author, percussionist and vocalist also joins us as we discuss how Indian Classical Music has influenced modern rock, pop and ambient music today.

Ali_Akbar_Khan_2014_stampsheet_of_India_cr.jpgA significant figure in North Indian Classical Music is musician, composer and teacher Ali Akbar Khan.

With the opening of his Ali Akbar College in San Rafael California in 1967 Khan opened up an extraordinary interest from Western students and more mainstream musicians like George Harrison of the Beatles, Mickey Hart from the Grateful Dead, and cellist and avant-garde dance music composer, Arthur Russell. Kahn has taught over 10,000 students.Ali_Akbar_College_of_Music,_San_Rafael_2

While we only scratch the surface of Indian Classical Music, you’ll find how one man in particular took America and popular music by storm through his teachings that span across the world and across musical genres.

Enjoy this month’s episode on Indian Classical Music.

 

Underscore: Ami Dang

Ami-DangWelcome to this episode of Sonosphere where we underscore  Ami Dang, South Asian-American vocalist, sitarist, composer and producer from Baltimore Maryland.

I sat down with Ami in a cafe in Baltimore. We discussed how her cultural heritage rooted in the Sikh religion informs and influences her work today, and how she approaches the sitar while utilizing modern noise, ambient, and electronic sounds in her music. partedplains_amidang

We also discuss the making of her latest album Parted Plains, which came out earlier this year on Leaving Records. She spoke of how ancient folklore from the east is filtered through the west, and what it’s like to be an American in India and Indian in America. Identity and culture are highlighted in her latest effort. Check out Parted Plains here and take a listen to our conversation below. Enjoy.