I am excited to bring my latest project, Awaz Trio, to my Colorado community. The conception for Nocturne began nine years ago during my undergrad at CU Boulder. I was inspired by the Indian concept of rasa, the literal evocation of emotion through music and dance, and time theory, the idea that certain ragas communicate specific times of day or night. I knew then that I didn’t have the skills or knowledge to even begin such a project. I predicted that I wouldn’t start until I was at least thirty.

Right now I am twenty nine so I guess the prediction was accurate. My recent year long fellowship in India gave me the opportunity to have an authentic experience with Hindustani raga music and the space to explore this idea for the first time. This is also my first project to incorporate traditional Indian percussion in creative improvised and composed music. In many ways I feel I am only just beginning to sculpt this idea into sound.

The musicians I am collaborating with have cultivated their own original voices stemming from a diversity of traditions. Matt Fuller is a Brooklyn based guitarist whose sound emanates the western slope and jazz language. Rajna Swaminathanalso hails from New York City and is doing ground breaking work creating a space for the south Indian hand drum, called Mridungam, in improvised music.

Please join us for a night of creative music. The sounds of West Bengal will collide with Carnatic ragas and New York City beats to create music that is at once steeped in tradition and distinctly modern.

Aakash Mittal

Awaz Trio
Colorado Premiere of Nocturne by Aakash Mittal
When: Saturday, September 6th
Where: Dazzle Restaurant and Lounge
Time: 7 and 9pm sets
Price: $20 General Admission/$15 Students with ID