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Gargi Shinde

Sitarist Gargi Shindé is a disciple of the renowned Maestro Ustad Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan. Gargi’s quest for a dialogue between the Indian and Western musical traditions began when she heard a recording of her Guru in concert with Dave Brubeck in 1958 while he toured south Asia as part of the American Jazz Ambassadors program. Gargi has performed since the age of 10 winning accolades and gold medals at national music competitions and recitals in Mumbai, India. She is currently based in New York City.

In the U.S, Gargi frequently collaborates with artists from diverse genres including award winning singer songwriter Sean Rowe on his first album End of October, winner of the Prix du Livre de Jazz, pianist Lewis Porter, and Adam Klipple, veteran jazz drummer Mark Johnson and bassist and composer Masataka Odaka. The first to integrate the rhythmic repertoire of Indian classical dance in live performance and improvisation, and has collaborated with Kathak danseuse Aditi Bhagwat as a foot percussionist. On her world music project Conversations in Taal, she has composed exclusively for renowned Flamenco danseuse La Conja exploring similarities between classical Indian and Flamenco rhythms and modes. Gargi’s original compositions use taal (traditional rhythmic time cycles) to bridge Indian classical music and the harmonic tradition of Jazz. These live sessions create a formidable meeting ground for improvisation and innovation within the two distinct traditions of music.

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"The strikingly titled, "Coltrane in Paradise" features alto sax, clarinet and sitar playing a modal theme that is quite Trane-like. There a number of inspired solos on this long work: Sonny on alto, John on piano, Michael on clarinet and Rashaan on contrabass with some sparkling sitar interplay as well...Gargi Shindé's superb sitar is featured on "Lavender" along with some quirky alto sax and clarinet harmonies... Most often, cross-cultural (Indian/American) or cross-genre- based collaborations don't work. This is not the case here since all of the musicians provide a seamless blend of talents

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