The Jazz Ghazal Project is an exploration of love, loss, and longing that bridges the mid-20th century musical traditions from across two continents. In one-of-a-kind arrangements, vocalist Kaushik and pianist Sharik Hasan put compositions from the Great American Songbook, made famous by great jazz vocalists like Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra, in conversation with Urdu poetry from India and Pakistan, set to music by voices like Mehdi Hasan, Farida Khanum, and Begum Akhtar.
Kaushik (rhymes with “caustic”) brings a special interpretation to the jazz canon while following in the tradition of great baritone voices like Johnny Hartman and Mel Tormé. The Harlem-based jazz vocalist draws on his roots in Indian music and the dynamic intensity from his time leading a rock fusion band. A fixture of the NYC jazz vocal scene for the last decade, Kaushik has been featured at the John Coltrane Jazz Festival, The National Jazz Museum in Harlem, the Jazz WaHi vocal series, Brvsh Culture, and many more.
Sharik Hasan is one of the leading pianists and composers of his generation to emerge from India. Based in New York City, he has garnered a reputation for his exceptional virtuosity and versatility, making him the top-call pianist for many well-known bands and venues. He tours much of the year internationally with the worldfamous Postmodern Jukebox as well as his own band MND FLO. In 2021 he joined the faculty as professor at the Berklee College of Music.
Kaushik - jazz vocalist 