East Meets West: Saxophone and Sitar Harmony

American saxophonist George Brooks and sitarist Krishna Bhatt recently united diverse musical traditions at the Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahotsav. Their performance of raga Charukeshi exemplified a profound musical dialogue, characterized by mutual listening and support between the artists.

Brooks' lifelong passion for Indian music began at age 19, fundamentally altering his approach to jazz. His journey led him to study under Pandit Pran Nath, deepening his understanding of classical Indian musical structures and practices over 45 years ago.

This artistic convergence with Bhatt, whom he met around the same time, has resulted in a magical synthesis of sounds. Brooks continues to explore this dual musical path, cherishing collaborations with esteemed artists like Zakir Hussain and Hariprasad Chaurasia.