About the Artists

John Ball

Santoor

John has been performing Indian music since 1996 playing the santoor and tabla both as a soloist & accompanist. He began his training on the tabla with Prof. Sudhir Saxena in Baroda Gujarat in 1992. He later went on to study tabla with Ustad Faiyaz Khan of Delhi and with Sri Yogesh Samsi. During this time John also began his study of the santoor, a one hundred stringed instrument that has its origins in the valleys of Kashmir. He has developed into a skilled santoor player and continues his study with Sri Harjinder Pal Singh, a senior disciple of the maestro Pandit Shivkumar Sharma. John regularly travels across the UK to perform and teach. He has composed and performed music for several theatre productions including North Country Theatre's production of “The Man Who Would Be King.” He also recently completed a tour with eclectic world music group Rafiki Jazz, featuring BBC World Music Award Winner Juldeh Camara. John is based in Sheffield where he currently works as Musician in Residence at the University of Sheffield. www.santoortabla.co.uk

Interview with John

Mohamed Assani

Sitar

Mohamed is widely acclaimed for his mastery & creative use of the sitar. His musical background includes training in Indian Classical, Western Classical, jazz & fusion. Mohamed began his sitar training with Sri Dharambir Singh, a senior disciple of Ustad Vilayat Khan. Mohamed plays sitar in the style developed by Ustad Vilayat Khan, which focuses on gayaki – a vocal style in which the sitar is made to emulate the human voice. He plays Indian Classical music as well as his own creative compositions which draw upon musical influences from around the world. Mohamed regularly performs across the UK and in Europe as a soloist and with larger ensembles - including his band Indus, members of London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Black Dyke Brass Band & Grand Union Orchestra. He has also taken his music to the theatre, composing and performing as part of Rani Moorthy's acclaimed "Dancing Within Walls " and North Country Theatre's "The Man Who Would be King." He is currently a visiting lecturer in Indian Music & Ensemble Technique at the University of Huddersfield and teaches sitar at the University of Leeds. www.mohamedassani.com

Interview with Mohamed

Henrik Linnemann

Flute

Henrik is renowned as one of the most versatile flute players in the UK. Since he graduated from Manchester’s Royal Northern College of Music, he has worked in film, radio and theatre as well as pop sessions in and around the north of England. He also fronts the quartet ‘LJQ’ with which he has recorded two albums of his own jazz originals. Their latest album, ‘Dancing Peak to Peak’ has been widely acclaimed. In 2003, Henrik started exploring Indian Classical & Euro fusion music and this work now forms a major element in his playing career. From his home in Sheffield, he continues to teach and perform and is much in demand not only for his knowledge of the classical flute repertoire, but also for his ability to comfortably improvise in a variety of musical genres. www.linnemanntunes.co.uk

Interview with Henrik

Shahbaz Hussain

Tabla

Shahbaz is fast emerging as one of the most promising tabla virtuosos of his generation. He has received numerous accolades for his captivating performances, including recently receiving the prestigious “Son of Lahore” Award from the Pakistan Arts Council. He is much sought after for his accompaniment skills by many of the great masters musicians of India & Pakistan (including Ustad Shahid Parvez, Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia and ghazal legend Ghulam Ali to name a few). Shahbaz has performed in many prestigious venues around the world, including the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C., Lincoln Center in New York and London's Royal Albert & Queen Elizabeth Halls. He began his grooming in the art of tabla at age five with his father, the late Ustad Mumtaz Hussain – a prominent vocalist. He later went on to study with tabla legends Ustad Faiyaz Khan from the Delhi Gharana (school), the late Ustad Shaukat Hussain Khan from the Punjab Gharana and finally the late Ustad Allah Rakha Khan. Shahbaz is based in Rochdale, England.

www.shahbazhussain.co.uk

Interview with Shahbaz

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