Salar System

An absolute honor to be joining my mentor Maestro Stanley Clarke and this LEGENDARY line up of incredible artists who I’ve admired. 🪘🎸 A benefit for KPFK 90.7 FM.

50 Years of School Days- Stanley Clarke marks 50 years of his landmark album School Days with a one-night concert at the Alex Theatre, featuring special guests.

Confirmed special guests include John Densmore and Robby Krieger of The Doors; tabla master Salar Nader; jazz vocalist Michelle Coltrane; bassist Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake); Danny Carey, drummer of Tool; and the Fernando Pullum Community Arts Center Youth Orchestra. Additional special guests to be announced.

KPFK 90.7 FM presents a one-night-only concert celebrating the 50th anniversary of Stanley Clarke’s landmark album School Days, with Stanley Clarke leading his band and a lineup of special guests.

Released in 1976, School Days changed the role of the bass guitar. Its title track proved the instrument could step out from the rhythm section and lead as a dominant melodic voice, and the record remains one of the most influential fusion albums ever made. Fifty years on, Clarke marks the anniversary with an evening of music and collaborators drawn from across his career.

“School Days is a rite of passage for generations of musicians,” says Maggie LePique, Music and Promotions Director at KPFK. “Bringing Stanley Clarke to the historic Alex Theatre for a 50th-anniversary celebration, as a fundraiser for independent media, is a major moment for Los Angeles culture.”

Join my upcoming interview and conversation with the incredible pianist and radio host Sarah Cahill on 91.7 FM Bay Area tonight at 7:00PM.

I will speak about the Afghan Music Project tour dates and will also be sharing much more about the upcoming Bay Area concert on Friday 9/11 at the The Freight.

Don’t miss it!

Photo credit - T O S H I 　S A K U R A I

It was an absolute honor to meet the legends Ustad Abdul-Sattar Tari Khansaheb and Pandit Anindo Chatterji. Both artists have had a profound influence on my musical journey and are very close to my Ustad.

When Tari Khansaheb and I met, we shared an emotional embrace, marking the first time we reunited since Zakirji’s passing.

Being among these giants is truly a blessing, though I feel my Ustad’s absence even more keenly now. 💔

I am grateful for these guiding lights—walking institutions of Tabla who come around once in a thousand years.

Festival of Tabla

Accompanying Kathak Dance is my absolute FAVORITE!

This evening the incredible Rukhmani Mehta will be presenting a traditional solo at the Festival of Tabla. Come join us!

The Sitar virtuoso Jayanta Banerji will be on Sitar and Dr. Sarah Morelli will be on vocals. Dazzy is doing back up vocals as well.
Jayanta Banerjee Sarah Morelli

More dates to be announced and to learn more about The Afghan Project read below. 🪘🇦🇫🙏🏼 Ticket link in bio.

Afghan tabla virtuoso Salar Nader curates a program of the rich and varied legacy of classical compositions and folk melodies of this ancient Central Asian nation.

At the heart of this musical odyssey lies the enchanting sounds of the rûbab, Afghanistan’s revered 21-stringed lute, renowned for its hauntingly soulful timbre. Accompanied by the tabla’s rhythmic pulse, Salar’s innovative fusion of Afghan and Indian percussion draws out the musical parallels with Hindustani music, exploring the essence of Ragas and the profound connection between two diverse yet harmonious traditions.

Salar Nader, disciple of the legendary Ustad Zakir Hussain, has toured extensively with NEA Jazz Master Stanley Clarke, appeared on Broadway with “The Kite Runner,” and took part in a series of recordings of the music of Afghanistan and Central Asia sponsored by Aga Khan Music Initiative for the Smithsonian Folkways label.

Quraishi Roya is a legendary master and composer of the Rubab, Afghanistan’s national instrument. A self-taught musician originally from Kabul, he is widely celebrated for keeping the rich tradition of classical Afghan court music and regional folk styles alive.
In a time when music has been banned in Afghanistan, the music of these master musicians serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience and importance of preserving cultural heritage.

Honored to be joining my mentor the legendary Maestro Stanley Clarke for this star studded benefit for KPFK

Extremely special to see my face amongst these incredible ICONS.

Stanley Clarke & Friends
Wed, October 28 · 7:30 PM · Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale

School Days came out in October 1976 and turned the electric bass into a lead instrument for a generation of players who heard it. Fifty years on, Stanley Clarke brings the record to Glendale for one night, and he is bringing company.

Confirmed so far: John Densmore and Robby Krieger of The Doors, tabla master Salar Nader, vocalist Michelle Coltrane, bassist Rudy Sarzo, drummer Danny Carey of Tool, and the Fernando Pullum Community Arts Center Youth Orchestra. More guests to be announced.

This one is a benefit for the station. A VIP package is available for 150 guests and includes a year of KPFK membership.

The Afghan project upcoming tour dates are coming up! We are really looking forward to sharing our music with you and seeing you there!

Ticket 🎟️ links in BIO.

9.11 - Berkeley, CA - The Freight
10.9 - Claremont, CA - Pomona College
10.10 - Claremont, CA - Pomona College
3.27 - Montreal, Quebec - Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal