With more than 50 musical releases and a Grammy nomination, Shujaat Husain Khan is perhaps the greatest North Indian classical musician of his generation. He belongs to the Imdad Khan gharana (tradition) of the sitar (lute) and is the seventh in the unbroken line from his family that has produced many musical masters. His style known as the gayaki ang, is imitative of the subtleties of the human voice.
Shujaat Khans’ openness to collaborating with artists of all genres of music has produced some enormously successful works. The Grammy nominated album Rain by the indo-Persian Ghazal Ensemble featuring Kayhan Kalhor is only one such example.
Katayoun Goudarzi started reading and writing poetry at the age of seven in her native Tehran. Her distinctive melodic style of recitation blends an emotive rendition of the poetry with meticulous attention to the linguistic and lyrical integrity of the piece. Her accurate style is the result of decades of study and the fruits of this labor are evident in her writings and albums. Her albums include “Delbar” with the master of Indian Sitar Ustad Shujaat Husain Khan and Abhiman Kaushal , “Shams” with Ustad Shujaat Husain Khan, Imamyar Hasanov and Abhiman Kaushal , “Hayran” with Imamyar Hasanov and, “Rooz O Shab, Poetry of Rumi” with Reza Derakhshani. Katayoun has also collaborated and recorded with saxophonist and composer, Tim Ries [of the Rolling Stones], Jazz Pianist and composer, Kevin Hays, and percussionist and arranger, Satoshi Takeishi. In 2006 she published her first book, "Eshgh o Vahdat" an annotated selection of Rumi's ghazals. Katayoun currently resides in New Jersey where she continues her work.
Abhiman Kaushal is an outstanding tabla artist who is much sought after for his sensitive accompaniment and intense solo playing. Kaushal has numerous recordings including "Ravi Shankar in Venice," "Farewell My Friend" (with Ravi Shankar), and "Passages" (with Ravi Shankar and Philip Glass). National Geographic has recorded his tabla for the soundtrack to their documentary “Man Eaters of North India.” He has also recorded for various world music compilations, Zoolander the movie and has performed live for MTV's Aerosmith icon show.
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