Aaron Shragge + Roshni Samlal

Spiral Music presents acoustic music every Wednesday evening at the base of the Museum’s spiral staircase. This week Aaron Shragge and Roshni Samlal are invited to forge a connection between their music and the art in the galleries.

About the Musicians

Aaron Shragge is active in New York’s improvised and international music scenes, having shared the stage with artists such as Daniel Carter, Ben Monder, Dave Douglas, and William Parker at venues including Symphony Space, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, and The Blue Note. Aaron’s unique instrument, the dragon mouth trumpet, was designed to expand the trumpet’s melodic capacity and is the result of over a decade of studying both the shakuhachi (Japanese flute) and North Indian vocals. Aaron’s current projects include a duo with Ben Monder, a jazz quintet that plays the music of Tom Waits, and solo works for dragon mouth trumpet and shakuhachi.

Roshni Samlal is a New York”“based tabla player who hails from the West Indies, where she was initiated into the tradition of Indian classical music by her vocalist father. She has continued her tutelage in the Benares style of tabla playing under Shri Tapan Modak and is currently a student of the epic Farukhbad exponent, Pt. Anindo Chatterjee. While her passion is Indian classical tabla, she has also played folk, jazz, and other genres. Samlal has performed at notable local venues such as the Knitting Factory, Pianos, and the Bitter End.