Sabrang is a Scandinavian band that combines jazz and Indian ragas. Sabrang is the Sanskrit word for rainbow. The trio includes Sudeshna Bhattacharya, Graig Earle and Jonas Johansen.
Sudeshna Bhattacharya is a master of North Indian classical music. Her instrument is the sarod which she studied under one of the greatest sarod maestros, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan.
Sudeshna had her first European tour in 1999 through Belgium, Switzerland, France, Sweden and Norway. This introduction to the public in Europe led to a ten-year contract with the Ministry of Culture in France. Sudeshna now lives in Norway. She is a University lecturer for master students at the Norwegian Academy of Music, and she continues touring the world.
Graig Earle is a Canadian bassist and composer. He studied music under the tutelage of jazz legend Oscar Peterson and John Gittins at York University in Toronto, and his private studies included bass lessons with Ray Brown, Dave Holland and John Tait, and composition studies with James Tenney, Robert Morris and Anthony Braxton.
Earle has performed and composed music for 2 Danish Music Award-winning albums and toured with a “who’s who” of the Scandinavian jazz scene, including Marius Neset, Niels Lan Doky, Sinne Eeg, Simon Toldam, Jonas Johansen, Stefan Pasborg and Doug Rainey, among many others.
Graig was the Artistic director of the jazz education/performance platform “JazzNord” from 2012-2015. In Canada and the USA, Graig is best known for his long-standing collaborations with Richard Underhill, as well as other jazz luminaries such as Pat Labarbera, David Braid, Lina Allemano and Mike Murley. Recent collaborations have included tours with Gilad Hekselman, Victor Lewis, Nancy Harms, Grant Stewart, Alvin Queen and Chris Speed, while past performances have included concerts with Dave Douglas, Bob Mover, Matt Stevens and Ben Monder.
Jonas Johansen isI a Danish drummer, composer and bandleader. Crazy about music and rhythms from all over the world, i.e. the three Americas, Spain, India, Africa, Turkey, the Balkan and Scandinavia.
Johansen played with Danish Radio Big Band 1990 – 1999, NHØP trio with Ulf Wakenius 1996 – 2005, and stars like Enrico Pieranunzi, Eliane Elias, Marc Johnson, Steve Swallow, Mike Stern, Renee Rosnes, Egberto Gismonti, Toninho Horta, Airto Moreira, John Taylor, McCoy Tyner, John Scofield, Joe Henderson, Vince Mendoza, Tom Harrell, Jon Balke, Niels Lan Doky and Chris Minh Doky.
Johansen is a frequently used big band drummer with experience from a.o. Aarhus Jazz Orchestra, Norbotten Big Band, WDR Big Band (Köln) and HR Big Band (Frankfurt). Jonas is also an active bandleader in groups like MOVE (modern jazz), Blanco y Negro (Cuban jazz), Tin Pan Aliens with Steve Swallow, Divisions Trio feat. Lars Møller and Ronan Guilfoyle, new group CharmCatcher, and a duo with tuba player Kristian Tangvik. He’s played on more than 170 albums, 12 of these under his own name.
More about the ensemble: artistecard.com/sabrang
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
