Across Cultures: Universal Language of Music

Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash Cultural and musical traditions gives life and purpose to the work they bring to the stage. By asking audiences to listen from the heart, Sarod virtuosos Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash breakthrough the troublesome polarities of continuity and change, tradition and innovation. In their sound we encounter technical assuredness bolstered by elegant lyricism and joy-filled dynamism. It is music forged from a unique artistic vision that rests upon a legacy seven generations deep and includes their revered father and grandfather, Amjad Ali Khan and Haafiz Ali Khan. Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash represent the 7th generation of a musical lineage, as sons and disciples of the sarod icon, Amjad Ali Khan. With him they have performed across the globe, including Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Smithsonian, and WOMAD festivals in many continents. They have also collaborated with guitarist Derek Trucks, of the Allman Brothers Band, Guitarist Sharon Isbin, Chicago Philharmonic orchestra, Avignon symphony orchestra among others, and established themselves as a duo, carrying forward their musical legacy in sync with both tradition and contemporary times. They performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert 2014 in Oslo and recently won the Gold Medal at the Global Music Awards in LA for their new album Peace Worshippers. More recently, the performed their father’s Concerto Samaagam with New Jersey Symphony Orchestra with Conductor Xian Zhang, Moscow State Philharmonic Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Bronx Arts Ensemble. The UNDay Concert 2018 featured Sarod virtuoso Amjad Ali Khan, Amaan Ali Bangash, Ayaan Ali Bangash and the Refugee Orchestra Project conducted by Lidiya Yankovskaya, Conductor themed on “Traditions of Peace and Non-violence” in the presence of António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations. In 2020, STRINGS FOR PEACE: Premieres for Guitar & Sarod released on Zoho Music. Steeped in the tradition Indian classical music with Sarod master Amjad Ali Khan, his virtuoso sons Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash, and guitarist Sharon Isbin.  The recording debuted at number 3 on the Amazon Hot New Releases/World Music bestseller list and rose to number 2 in its first week. Amaan Ali Bangash & Ayaan Ali Bangash joined Gwen Stefani, Jon Bon Jovi for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee and multi-GRAMMY Award winning musician Joe Walsh’s Vetsaid Charity Concert in December 2020. Amaan and Ayaan joined together father Amjad Ali Khan with Joe Walsh for a 3 song EP named ‘Prayers’ as a tribute to doctors, frontline workers and for everyone who is going through these trying times. They are joined by several iconic Los Angeles-based musicians; drummers Stewart Copeland (of the Police) and Jim Keltner, bassists Nathan East, Leland Sklar and Abe Laboriel Sr., keyboardist Ed Roth, guitarists Davey Johnstone (Elton John’s longtime lead guitarist) and multi-instrumentalist Joe Vitale.

Acclaimed as “the pre-eminent guitarist of our time,” multiple Grammy winner Sharon Isbin has been a soloist with over 200 orchestras, made 35 recordings, and given sold-out performances in the world’s finest halls. Winner of the Toronto, Madrid and Munich ARD Competitions, Germany’s Echo Klassik, Guitar Player’s Best Classical Guitarist awards, and Musical America’s 2020 Instrumentalist of the Year, she performed in Scorsese’s Oscar-winning-The Departed, the White House by invitation of President Obama, and as the only classical artist in the 2010 Grammy Awards. Strings for Peace with Amjad Ali Khan and Affinity were named Best Albums of 2020, and the award-winning documentary Sharon Isbin: Troubadour has been seen by millions. Her Grammy-winning Journey to the New World with Joan Baez spent 63 weeks on top Billboard charts, and her disc with the New York Philharmonic received a Latin Grammy nomination. She has premiered over 80 works written for her, and is the founding director of guitar departments at The Juilliard School and Aspen Music Festival. www.sharonisbin.com

Amit Gurbaxani is a music journalist who specialises in writing about business trends in the Indian music industry and the workings of its independent scene. Over the last two decades, his work has been published in a variety of Indian and international publications such as Billboard, Firstpost, India Today, Music Ally, Scroll and The Guardian.