I can be heard as voice, guitar, piano, didjeridoo, tabla, harmonica, doumbek, cajon, dhol, and various other hand percussion and MIDI sampled sounds.
My ongoing projects include solo written songs as well as collaborative improvisational jams with Plantasy.
Influences
The Notwist, Rush, White Sage, Joni Mitchell, Sting, fire, Farah Kidwai, Keane, Krishna, Radiohead, Counting Crows, Mia Doi Todd, early Coldplay, Simon and Garfunkel, Tool, Leonard Cohen, Serge Gainsbourg, early Pearl Jam, Beck, Oasis, REM, Pink Floyd, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rufus Wainwright, The Shins, U2, Nina Simone, Eric Clapton, the weather, The Flaming Lips, Zakir Hussain, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, The Cranberries, Aretha Franklin, Dave Matthews, Arthur H, The Beatles, and my generous and respected teachers Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, Brad Van Cleave, Frank Cepeda and Pandit Vithal Rao.
Hi, I'm Arif. I was sad and uncertain for many years, bound to duties that weren't helpful, ignorant of my surroundings, and growing increasingly bitter and dejected. Lately I have been graced with good fortune in the form of time and community. Both have allowed me to appreciate that through my most bleak moments, the fortitude of my own senses and the stories they could understand enabled me to escape, to hope, to wonder, and to carry on. So much of our culture and environment has become devoid of its innate richness, softness, and delicate order. In its place is empty distraction.
With kind intentions and a solid footing, I now hope to return the grace afforded me to the places where it will help. And so I make music and things, mostly with my hands. I like plants, yeast, Hindustani classical music, paint, non-Hindustani classical music, coffee, thoughtful lighting, and fluffy pancakes with thin crispy crusts. I also like people, particulary ones who listen and notice, say what they mean, and mean to help. I'm building a brand called Brewnote, which supports the effort I just described.
I am deeply grateful to my teachers at the Ali Akbar College of Music and elsewhere for their dedication to learn what is important and the compassion to share it with others. And also to the gracious and supportive strangers who occupy the majority of my friend space.
i will be at UC Davis for a conference, kinda in your neck of the woods, this week, from the 10th-15th. perhaps we can convene at some point during my visit?
