|
 Sitar master Ashwin Batish comes from a family of musicians. His father, well known inIndia as a multi-instrumentalist and popular singer, performed in over 100 movies andrecorded over 300 albums. His sister is also a successful singer. Ashwin learned the sitarat age 12, and continued playing after the family moved to Santa Cruz, CA.
Starting out as a strict traditionalist, the younger Batish played only Indian classicalmusic for years. Then he started listening more to the pop and rock music around him.He began to seek out fusion between these forms and his traditional raga melodies.
|
Ashwin Batish
The album "Sitar Power" was a culmination of many influences. It plays like a high-energydance album, with the sitar weaving in and out of slick electronic beats. Songs like"Bombay Boogie," "Raga Rock" and "Casbah Shuffle" are fresh and wild. Not since RaviShankar played with The Beatles has a sitar player splashed so deep into the meltingpot. Now with "Sitar Power II" out, Ashwin Batish continues to spread his family'sinfluence and find new ways to pick at the strings.
Artist Biography courtesy of Mara Weiss