Jewel of Heart - Ustad Habib Khan

Enjoyable relaxed world fusion gathering placed just to the East of centre. Sitar, tabla, ghatam, oud, sax, percussion, acoustic guitar and piano fitly fuse on this accomplished album. -- John McLaughlin Archives

Ustad Habib Khan - Sitar, Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri - Tabla, Pandit Vikku Vinayakram - Ghatam

Special Guests: Ustad Necati Celik - Oud, George Brooks - Sax, Ben Mahorter - Percussion, Mathew Montfort - Guitar, Ira Stein - Piano

A follow up to "Longing", this CD project was created by Ustad Habib Khan bringing the best of Bay Area musicians together. "Jewel of Heart" shows its roots in the music of India with strong compositions by Ustad Habib Khan and contributions from these fine musicians.

ALBUM INSETRS:

1. Folksong 7:24
2. High Tide 9:25
3. Budding Hope 9:58
4. Jewel of Jewels 10:20
5. Meshk 6:52

Total Time 44:19

Item # CD 1016-2

Executive Producers X DOT 25 Music
Produced by Habib Khan for X DOT 25 Music
Mix Produced by Hans Christian
Mastering & Mixing Engineer Hans Christian
Recorded at: Bell Boy Studios
Photo of Habib Khan Shobha Khan
Cover Art Design by Farzaneh Foroughi

Ustad Habib Khan

Ustad Habib Khan is regarded as one of the best sitar players in the world today. He was born into a family of musicians and can trace his lineage back several generations. He began his training at the tender age of five under the strict eye of his accomplished father, Ustad Hameed Jaffar Khan.

Habib Khan has carved out a distinct style of his own which is a blend of his father's traditional techniques and his own imaginative innovations. Habib Khan lives and teaches in the San Francisco Bay Area and performs all over the world.

Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri

At the age of five, his parents initiated his formal musical training and inspired him in the field of tabla. Swapan bases his style on the intensive training he received from his guru, Pandit Santosh Krishna Biswas of Calcutta, the eminent exponent of the Lucknow Gharana.

Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri is an eminent tabla player whose musical accomplishments have earned him world renown. In 1981, Ali Akbar Khan invited him to come to the U.S. from Calcutta and teach at the College.

Swapan holds a Master's degree in Music and has received honors and awards from the Government of India and other institutions. He developed his skill as an accompanist through years of accompanying Ali Akbar Khan. As a soloist and accompanist, he has also traveled throughout the world, accompanying many of the leading musicians of India. Swapan is associated with various American Universities as a visiting professor. He is also a faculty member at the California Institute of the Arts.

Pandit Vikku Vinayakram

Vikku is part of a new generation devoted to expanding ancient Indian traditions. His training came from his father, a master musician. Vikku's instrument of choice is the Ghatam, a large clay pot percussion instrument. Vikku has played in numerous experimental and avant-garde ensembles. He brought ghatam to center stage in international concert halls. Vikku has accompanied the foremost classical musicians and played in Zubin Mehta ensembles. He is best known for his tenure in Shakti. a groundbreaking acoustic Jazz and Indian fusion band with guitarist John McLaughlin, violinist L. Shankar, and Zakir Hussain on tabla. No one who saw Shakti could forget Vikku and Zakir's breathtaking percussion duets. He was co-composer in Mickey Hart's Planet Drum which won a Grammy for Best World Music Album. He divides his time touring and teaching at his school in Chennai Madras.

George Brooks met composer Terry Riley and sitarist Krishna Bhatt in 1979. Improvising with these musicians ignited an interest in Indian music. In 1996, Zakir Hussain's label released Brooks' debut CD and he toured in concerts with Zakir Hossain worldwide. He also performed with many of India's top classical artists including Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Sultan Khan, Aashish Khan and Swapan Chaudhuri.

Ira Stein signed his first recording contract and released his first album on Windham Hill Records before age of 20 in 1982. In 1991, Ira formed a new group and released two albums on Narada Records. Currently Ira has done his new album independently on his own Lost Time Records label.

Matthew Montfort is a pioneer of the scalloped fretboard guitar and the leader of the band Ancient Future. Founded in 1978, Ancient Future is the first and longest running ensemble dedicated to creating world fusion music.