Royal Albert Hall - Album Launch 13/04/2021

Together In Love And Separation - East & West Folk Fusion Album

This year one of my dreams came true - that of performing at the Royal Albert Hall in London. I thought it would take me a few more years to get there but thanks to this new collaboration, I was able to fulfil that dream sooner than I had anticipated!

At the end of 2021 I was thrilled to be approached to collaborate with Chandra Chakraborty, one of the finest interpreters of Kirana Gharana and a National Scholar, on a new Arts Council supported album "Together In Love And Separation." This project was a true labor of love, as we wove together the rich traditions of Hindustani/Bengali folk, Indian Classical, and Western folk and country music to explore themes of love and loss found in both cultures.
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Chandra has had a remarkable career, performing all around the world and even leading a unique performance at the House of Commons for the Queen of England. She founded Kalakar Arts UK and co-founded the Saudha Society of poetry and Indian music, conducting many experimental and revolutionary music initiatives that intertwine Indian classical music with other global art forms.

As for me, I had been performing at folk clubs, theatres, and festivals worldwide and recently landed a transatlantic record deal. During the pandemic, I founded a global age positive movement within the music industry called "Talent Is Timeless" and continued to focus on deepening my craft as a composer within the Western tradition.

Our album launch concert at the Royal Albert Hall on April 13th featured a full band performance of the new works and was an exciting and engaging night of celebration. We were honored to have Jocelyn Lightfoot, MD of the London Chamber Orchestra, as our guest of honor and giving the opening speech for the concert.

I was so grateful for the support of the Arts Council and iKure in bringing this project to life and couldn't wait for everyone to hear the results of our collaboration. "Together In Love And Separation" represented the sacred traditions in each of our cultures and artfully fused our themes and compositions into new works that were recognisable on both sides of the ocean.