Classical Indian sitar player Abhik Mukherjee began honing his skills at the age of six, and received formal musical training from Arvind Parikh and Kashinath Mukherjee, who learned from of Vilayat Khan. Khan was a legendary player known for developing a style of play that mimics human vocals, coaxing laughter, chirps, arguments, whispers, and wails from his instrument. Abhik Mukerjee took these teachings and made them his own, exploring a classical sound that feels forever in flux, effortlessly planting emotion, conflict, and meaning beneath the surface. This sound has carried Mukerjee to stages all around the world, including performances at the inauguration of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial and the opening of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
We met up with Mukherjee and recorded his blistering sitar, which we turned into Imdadkhani Sitar with Abhik Mukherjee, a raga-ready sample pack full of of loops you’ll get lost in and one-shots you’ll want to give another.
