In Indian Skies, the moods, rhythms, and master musicians of the vibrant Indian musical tradition meet the playful, delicate, and powerful expression of the Copenhagen Jazz Orchestra.
Indian Skies represents the latest culmination of composer and saxophonist Lars Møller’s decades of work incorporating the emotional depths of melodic Indian “ragas” and refined rhythms into contemporary jazz and orchestral music.
The project features soloists such as Ashwani Shankar, India’s leading performer on the oboe-like Shehnai. More than any other instrument, the Shehnai expresses the Indian voice within a tradition that his family has carried for more than ten generations. Ashwani Shankar has performed worldwide, including collaborations with Ravi Shankar. On the refined tabla drums, the project features the rising star Zuheb Ahmed Khan, whose swinging grooves and creative musicianship carry on the tradition of the late Zakir Hussain.
Copenhagen Jazz Orchestra (formerly “The Orchestra”) has for years been a leading big band in Denmark, known for its flexible, chamber-like, and warm ensemble sound. With the joy of intimate interplay at its heart, the band invites the audience into a colorful world of orchestral music and improvisation, often in collaboration with master musicians like Egberto Gismonti and Florian Weber.
Indian Skies is part of Copenhagen Jazz Orchestra’s ongoing exploration of how we can collaborate with and learn from other musical cultures. The project is also part of an extensive cultural exchange initiative featuring concerts and educational activities across India, the Nordic countries, and the Baltics, organized in collaboration with the Danish Cultural Institute.