PROSAD:
Canadian musician Prosad is an eclectic and talented one man show. Best know for his sitar playing, he is also an masterful guitar player and soulful songwriter. Additionally, Prosad plays didgeridoo, percussion and Indian flute (often playing 2 or more instruments at one time). Performances include live looping, sitar, an upbeat fusion of world music with reggae overtones, as well as intimate acoustic songs that tell stories and carry political, environmental and spiritual messages. His unique style blends elements of acoustic/folk, reggae, roots and world music. You can hear many influences in his playing, ranging from Ravi Shankar and George Harrison to Harry Manx and Xavier Rudd.
Prosad has toured Canada, Europe, New Zealand and Australia performing in a music festivals (Prana, Luminate, Mariposa and others), concert halls, churches, and even a castle (Didjin’OZ festival in Italy). Prosad has played sitar for Prince Edward of the United Kingdom and been the featured soloist in an orchestral concerto. In 2011, he recorded with Australian artist Xavier Rudd on his new album, Spirit Bird. Prosad has also composed two songs for Hollywood films. One song (Byron Bay) was used in the blockbuster movie, “The Love Guru” with Mike Myers.
Prosad’s first sitar teacher was Shambhu Das; Ravi Shankar’s senior disciple and George Harrison’s sitar teacher. Since then Prosad has studied sitar in Toronto and India and is currently studying Indian music with Alam Khan, son of the legendary Ali Akbar Khan Sahib.
Prosad has recorded four albums of original music and is currently working on a fifth which is a blend of styles mixing dub/reggae with sitar and guitar based songs. He divides his time between Canada and traveling the world performing.
For bookings, please email: info@prosad.net
AUDIO SAMPLES:
VIDEO SAMPLES: ORGANIC SET
VIDEO SAMPLES: ELECTRONIC SET
VIDEO SAMPLES: WORLD FUSION SET
Featuring: Jon Sanders
Featuring: Jeremy Cloake and Mat Ledgar
FULL BIOGRAPHY:
Prosad is an international musician, composer and well-known sitar player. He has toured Canada, Europe, New Zealand and Australia performing on a variety of instruments, including sitar, guitar, Indian flute and didgeridoo. Prosad is trained in Western music, having studied both jazz and classical guitar in Canada, yet over time he has gravitated toward the eastern traditions and has studied classical Indian sitar under the guidance of Indian music gurus. Prosad has added to his traditional studies by traveling extensively and integrating world instruments like bansuri and didgeridoo into his music.
Prosad writes and performs in a variety of styles ranging from acoustic/roots/reggae, to world fusion, to classical Indian ragas on sitar. He is constantly pushing the boundaries of his musical expression. Beyond live performance he also produces electronic music and mixes it with organic world instruments – his most notable achievement being “Trance Sitar,” an album of down-tempo beats mixed with soulful and lyrical sitar playing. A versatile musician, Prosad builds bridges between East and West and between classical and mainstream traditions. He finds inspiration in ancient music and re-imagines it for modern times. His music is accessible to all, yet still calls the audience to reach for a higher spiritual ideal. His work on the sitar touches the transcendental and his playing evokes a feeling of peace, serenity, and an elevated state of being.
Prosad has had a wide ranging career with many highlights. He has played sitar for Prince Edward of the United Kingdom and been the featured soloist in the North American debut of “Legend of Sangeet,” a concerto for sitar and orchestra. He has composed songs for two Hollywood films (including The Love Guru) and has also recorded with Australian artist Xavier Rudd on his new album, Spirit Bird. Recently, he has spent most of his time touring and performing in Australasia, especially in New Zealand, performing and collaborating with many great New Zealand artists including: Irish folk great Jon Sanders, Yidaki Master Jeremy Cloake and reggae greats Newtown Rocksteady.
Prosad’s first learned sitar from Shambhu Das. Shambhu-ji was Ravi Shankar’s senior disciple and also taught sitar to George Harrison when the Beatles were in India. Since then, Prosad has studied sitar in Toronto and India and is currently studying Indian music with Alam Khan, son of the legendary Ali Akbar Khan Sahib. Prosad has recorded four albums of original music, mixing western and eastern instruments. He divides his time between Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
