Indian Classical Raga Music

Emerging as one of the first Westerners to perform Northern Indian Classical music on the saxophone, Andrew has been travelling to Kolkata, India to learn under the respected vocalist and Guru Pandit Shantanu Bhattacharyya. Andrew is focusing on the application, development and performance of both vocal and instrumental Raga music on the Alto Saxophone. This study has led Andrew to develop extended techniques specifically designed to perform the subtle shrutis (microtones) of Indian Raga music. Living and learning in the traditional Guru Shishya Parampara learning system in Kolkata for the past 7 years has been a key aspect to Andrew’s Raga development. Performing throughout India alongside his brother, Andrew has taken the stage at prodigious festivals such as: Nagpur Arts Festival 2016, Ballygunge Maitreye Music Conference 2015, Aspiration 2014, All Bengal Conference 2013, Salt Lake Music Conference 2012, All India Festival Kolkata 2012, as well as many feature concerts in Kolkata, New Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad. Andrew has performed alongside some of India’s most respected artists, including Shantanu Bhattacharyya, Bickram Ghosh, Tejendra Majumdar, Dhruba Ghosh, Subhankar Banerjee, Ronu Majumdar and Rashid Khan. To learn more and hear Andrew perform Indian Classical Music please visit the sites of these projects: The Saxophone Brothers, Monsoon Trio, Dada & Babu.

Himalayan Singing Bowls

During his time living and travelling around India, Andrew found a magical connection to the singing bowls. Starting with just a few, his vision to create a unified set of bowls in order to express his musicality, a new synthesis of East and West, the ancient and the yet-to-be, led him to pioneer a unique collection of over 40 bowls. His exploration into the mysticism of the vibration of these bowls led him to explore the various modalities in which he could use them in healing and therapeutic settings. This spiritual undertaking has guided him into the world of Sound Healing, where Andrew now offers a variety of unique experiences from group Sound Baths to individual healing sessions. For more information please visit the Sound Healing Page.

Indo-Jazz & World Music

Through his love and admiration for India’s music and culture, Andrew co-created the Canadian Indo-Jazz group Monsoon; a collective dedicated to composing and performing an innovative synthesis of music from the East and the West. Monsoon’s album Mandala was nominated for two Canadian Folk Music Awards as well as a Juno Award. 

Another group that Andrew has been extensively working on is the group Kayos Theory, co-led with his brother Jonathan Kay. The experimental Indo-Jazz ensemble explores the relationship between consciousness and collectivity, using music as a vehicle to convey and transmit universal concepts. The group is preparing to release the album The Experiments of Truth in 2017.

While learning and performing around the globe, Andrew has had the great opportunity to work with some of the world’s finest artists, including: Dave Douglas, Ingrid Jensen, David Liebman, Kurt Elling, Dave Grusin, Mike Stern, Pat Labarbera, Mike Murley.

Monsoon-Music

Created alongside Monsoon, is the organization Monsoon-Music which hosts and organises the annual Toronto Indo-Jazz Festival, together with the Monsoon-Music Scholarship; a charity dedicated to supporting talented young children in India who are pursuing the study of music. 

Teaching

Having great enthusiasm to share his musical experience with children and adults, Andrew has been teaching students privately, as well as in schools and clinics, for the past 10 years. His approach to teaching comes from a balanced perspective of structure, methodology, and discipline combined with improvisation, exploration, and fun!! To learn more about studying with Andrew, please visit his page on teaching, or contact him to get started!