Edinburgh music fans can expect a heady blend of British and Indian folk, bluegrass, funk and much more when ground-breaking crossover duo Dan Walsh and Suhail Yusuf Khan get together at the Douglas House on Monday 18 November.
The duo originated in the ‘Folk Nations’ collaboration residency in Kolkata which featured ten musicians from Britain and Asia and culminated in a highly successful gig in the city.
Suhail Yusuf Khan, is one of the most sought after musicians in India and is an eighth generation sarangi player from the Moradabad gharana who is the grandson of the great Ustaad Sabri Khan & nephew of Kamaal Sabri Jee. He began performing at the age of eleven and his greatest quality is his interest in and ability to adapt to musical styles from all kinds of musical cultures and traditions, including an avid interest in electronic music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHF0-PKa5eI (American song)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvPMNSgM1i4 (Indian instrumental)
UK claw-hammer banjo maestro Dan Walsh, is touted as one of the finest banjo players in the UK as well as being a superb singer, songwriter and guitarist, He is described as ‘taking the banjo into the stratosphere’ (Froots) with a unique and eclectic style taking in folk, funk, bluegrass, jazz, rock and even Arabic.
After three years of touring the UK as one half of award nominated duo Walsh and Pound, Dan’s returning to his solo gigs as well as fronting an all-new Dan Walsh band made up of outstanding and award winning musicians including the Shee’s Rachel Newton and drummer Adam Sinclair whose credits range from the New York Dolls to the Unthanks.
He also performs with the legendary Alistair Anderson and has recently appeared on stage and in the studio with Seth Lakeman, the Levellers, Martin Simpson and numerous others. His new album ‘The Same But Different’ is out now gaining fantastic reviews across the music press.
Thankfully Dan was able to take time out from his busy schedule to explain to the Edinburgh Reporter how this unusual concept came to be.
He said: “It is a bit odd! Over the years I’ve had a banjo/harmonica duo, a banjo/concertina duo and now this! It started out in India in February where I was asked to be part of a collaboration of four Brits and six Indians. Suhail was one of the Indian musicians and we really hit it off so wanted to work together. Our attitudes to our instruments are very similar – both are so heavily associated with one type of music but both us just see music as music and an instrument as an instrument.”
Tickets are likely to be in short supply, given the quality of performers, so what can the audience expect on the night? Dan continued: “A lot of surprises I think! I played a bluegrass song out in India and Suhail started to improvise some sarangi and Indian-style vocals and it worked amazingly well! I’ve been working on Indian music on the banjo for years and that surprises people when they hear it. I guess you can expect a whole mix of styles, vocal and instrumental. There’ll be some Indian material, some British or American material and lots in between!”
After the tour Dan has a number of exciting projects on the go, as he explained: “I’m joining the Urban Folk Quartet at the end of the year so I’ve been rehearsing hard with them. I’ve also been writing a lot of stuff with a view to a new record next year which will be nice. More touring basically is the main plan – I have a solo UK tour next spring then UFQ tour and I’m even touring New Zealand in February!”
Mon. 18 November; Douglas House Concert, 42-43 Royal Park Terrace, Edinburgh, EH8 8JA Tel 0131 467 7028 info@douglasinscotland.co.uk
‘Eclectically inspired and consistently brilliant’ – FROOTS
‘If anyone succeeds in making the banjo cool it’ll be Dan Walsh, he can play it all’ – R2
‘Breathtaking’ – SONGLINES
‘The real deal, a demon picker’ – UNCUT
‘Incredible, you must see him’ – JANICE LONG, BBC RADIO 2
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
