Joel Veena: Ragas & Sagas featuring Yousuf Kerai

On Saturday November 29 at 7:30pm at Local Access to Valley Arts (LAVA) at 324 Main Street in Greenfield, MA, local record label Root Cellar Sound will be presenting a concert of Hindustani slide guitarist, Joel Veena, titled ‘Ragas & Sagas’. Joel will be accompanied on the tabla by Yousuf Kerai and the concert will feature traditional north Indian ragas and original compositions alongside fascinating tales from the lore of North Indian classical music. The music will be performed on the 20-stringed Indian slide guitar, modified slide guitar, electric guitar and tabla with two songs included from Joel’s electric live-looping set. There will also be a pop-up Indian craft bazaar by Vidhiism and masala chai and samosas available for snacking. Advance tickets are discounted and available now online from JoelVeena.com/tickets .

Since 2007, Joel ‘Veena’ Eisenkramer has been traveling between his native Vermont, USA and India to study and perform Hindustani classical music on the 20-stringed Indian slide guitar. Today he is one of the leading exponent’s of this instrument in the world. In 2023, the government of India publicly acknowledged Joel for his efforts in the publication ‘Bharatasya Sangeet Vishwanubandh Yatra,’ writing “[Joel’s] unwavering dedication and enthusiasm have paved the way for a deeper appreciation of this art form. [His] commitment to preserving and promoting Indian classical music inspires us all.” With more than 10 albums independently released, Joel is one of the most prolific artists in the Indian classical genre.

Accompanying Joel on the tabla is Yousuf Kerai, a versatile musician and academic hailing from Karachi, Pakistan. Yousuf plays in the Ajrada style of tabla-playing and learned from the late Ustad Khursheed Hussain of Karachi. He has performed widely for the last 25 years in both USA and Pakistan. In Pakistan, Yousuf led an ensemble of master musicians by the name of Tarz Group, releasing an album of instrumental music, ‘The Essence of South Asia’, with the ensemble in 2015. He later served as the Founding Director of the Center for South Asian Music at Habib University in Karachi. He recently moved to the United States and is currently teaching mathematics at the Northfield Mount Hermon School.

“This concert represents a new chapter for my music and concert style and I’m really excited to share it with my audience. My traditional training is finding new expression through the stories I’ve learned from other musicians and musicologists and combining this with my background in popular musical styles like reggae and rock music offers a fresh and contemporary sound. I don’t think you’ve heard anything quite like it before.” Says Joel about the upcoming concert.

The November 29th performance will also feature a staple of Indian hospitality: masala chai brewed by Joel especially for the concert, and samosas. For tickets and more information on the concert, plus links to Joel Veena’s music, visit: JoelVeena.com/tickets