Rajna Swaminathan

Mrudangam (South Indian percussion) artist and composer Rajna Swaminathan, and her ensemble RAJAS, release her debut record, Of Agency and Abstraction on Biophilia Records.

Rajas is a Sanskrit word referring to the inner energy that compels us toward action, creation, and change. The ensemble embodies this spirit in their exploration of new collective possibilities in the resonances among Indian music, jazz/creative music, and other improvisational traditions.

The Financial Times describes Rajna Swaminathan’s compositions as having, “wedded beauty by courting chaos, with the methods of loose-knit latter-day jazz at the service of a recognizably South-Asian melody and pulse.” Experience a one-of-a-kind performance at this album release concert.

Featured artists:

Rajna Swaminathan — mrudangam

Anjna Swaminathan — violin

María Grand — tenor sax

Miles Okazaki — guitar

Stephan Crump — bass

Ganavya Doraiswamy — vocal

Amir ElSaffar — trumpet

About the Artist

Rajna Swaminathan is an acclaimed mrudangam artist and composer. She is a protegé of mrudangam legend Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman and tours regularly with renowned Indian classical musicians and dancers, most notably vocalist T.M. Krishna. Since 2011, she has been collaborating with eminent musicians in New York’s jazz and creative music scene, experimenting and expanding the horizons of her instrument. Rajna performs extensively in projects led by Vijay Iyer, Amir ElSaffar, María Grand, and Ganavya Doraiswamy, and leads RAJAS, a unique ensemble of improvisers at the nexus of multiple musical perspectives. Rajna is currently pursuing a PhD in Music (Creative Practice & Critical Inquiry) at Harvard University.