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Robert and Helene Browning celebrate 48 years of presenting world music & dance. "Their work set into motion nothing less than a seismic shift in the cultural terrain of New York City and beyond. " - The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage |
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2024/25 SEASON
Robert Browning Associates, Lotus Music & Dance, and Roulette in partnership
with Flamenco Festival present
Antonio “El Turry"
Flamenco Festival
Friday, March 7, 2025 at 8:00pm
Antonio “El Turry,” acclaimed for his commanding and soulful renditions of flamenco, is one of the leading vocalists of the new generation from Granada. A rising star, he makes his solo New York debut with The Search for Duende, which delves into the heart of flamenco's most elusive and mystical element: el duende. With his powerful, soul-stirring voice, he takes the audience on a journey through the depths of this ancient art form. MORE INFO...
Kory Williams
Robert Browning Associates, Lotus Music & Dance, and Roulette present
Nibal Malshi
Songs of the Arab World
Saturday, March 15, 2025 at 8:00pm
This captivating program of Middle Eastern songs features the return visit of the exquisite Palestinian singer Nibal Malshi, who has been noted for her evocative vocals. She graduated from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, performed alongside master musicians, and recently performed at the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center. In recognition of her outstanding contributions, she was honored as an "Arab America Foundation 40 Under 40" award recipient in 2023. MORE INFO...
Nibal Malshi
Songs of the Arab World
Saturday, March 15, 2025 at 8:00pm
This captivating program of Middle Eastern songs features the return visit of the exquisite Palestinian singer Nibal Malshi, who has been noted for her evocative vocals. She graduated from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, performed alongside master musicians, and recently performed at the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center. In recognition of her outstanding contributions, she was honored as an "Arab America Foundation 40 Under 40" award recipient in 2023. MORE INFO...
Brandon Kwae
Robert Browning Associates, Lotus Music & Dance, and Roulette present
Guillermina Quiroga
Tango Argentina
Friday, March 28, 2025 at 8:00pm
Famed Argentine dancer/choreographer Guillermina Quiroga, one of the world’s leading tango dancers, will be joined by her longtime partner, Mariano Logiudice and ensemble to be announced in a brilliant program that brings to life the passion, soul and beauty of Argentine tango. Called the “Queen of Tango,” Guillermina is a celebrated tango dancer, choreographer and master teacher who is known for her appearances in tango shows on Broadway and at international festivals. MORE INFO...
Guillermina Quiroga
Tango Argentina
Friday, March 28, 2025 at 8:00pm
Famed Argentine dancer/choreographer Guillermina Quiroga, one of the world’s leading tango dancers, will be joined by her longtime partner, Mariano Logiudice and ensemble to be announced in a brilliant program that brings to life the passion, soul and beauty of Argentine tango. Called the “Queen of Tango,” Guillermina is a celebrated tango dancer, choreographer and master teacher who is known for her appearances in tango shows on Broadway and at international festivals. MORE INFO...
Robert Browning Associates, Lotus Music & Dance, and Roulette present
Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan and Shakir Khan
with Yashwant Vaisnav
Indian Masters: "The Storm"
Father-Son Jugalbandi (duet)
Friday, April 4, 2025 at 8:00pm
The legendary Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan, maestro of the sitar, and his son Shakir Khan, a dynamic young classical sitarist, unite on stage for the first time in New York, joined by Yashwant Vaishnav, a rising star in the tabla (drums) world. Their program, entitled “The Storm,” marks the passing of the torch from one generation of musical greatness to the next.
Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan belongs to an illustrious musical family and has achieved success in not only preserving the tradition, but in pushing its boundaries to greater heights. He is one of the leading exponents of the Etawah gharana (tradition), which was popularized by Ustad Vilayat Khan, and belongs to the seventh generation of this musical lineage. Trained by his father and guru Ustad Aziz Khan, he was recognized as a child prodigy and started performing in public by the time he was eight years old. He is the recipient of numerous honors, including the Government of India's Padma Shri and the Sangeet Natak Ackdemi Award. Shakir Khan follows in the footsteps of his father and guru. From his first public performance at the age of 11, to tours with his father and appearances at India’s important music festivals, he has proved himself a worthy heir to one of the world’s oldest classical traditions. MORE INFO...
Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan and Shakir Khan
with Yashwant Vaisnav
Indian Masters: "The Storm"
Father-Son Jugalbandi (duet)
Friday, April 4, 2025 at 8:00pm
The legendary Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan, maestro of the sitar, and his son Shakir Khan, a dynamic young classical sitarist, unite on stage for the first time in New York, joined by Yashwant Vaishnav, a rising star in the tabla (drums) world. Their program, entitled “The Storm,” marks the passing of the torch from one generation of musical greatness to the next.
Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan belongs to an illustrious musical family and has achieved success in not only preserving the tradition, but in pushing its boundaries to greater heights. He is one of the leading exponents of the Etawah gharana (tradition), which was popularized by Ustad Vilayat Khan, and belongs to the seventh generation of this musical lineage. Trained by his father and guru Ustad Aziz Khan, he was recognized as a child prodigy and started performing in public by the time he was eight years old. He is the recipient of numerous honors, including the Government of India's Padma Shri and the Sangeet Natak Ackdemi Award. Shakir Khan follows in the footsteps of his father and guru. From his first public performance at the age of 11, to tours with his father and appearances at India’s important music festivals, he has proved himself a worthy heir to one of the world’s oldest classical traditions. MORE INFO...
Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi
Robert Browning Associates, Lotus Music & Dance, and Roulette present
Hamza Akram Qawwal & Brothers
Sufi Songs of Pakistan
Friday, April 11, 2025 at 8:00pm
Pakistan’s Hamza Akram Qawwal & Brothers, grandsons of the revered Munshi Raziuddin, return to Roulette after their mesmerizing performances in 2019 and March of 2024.They have been acclaimed for their riveting interpretations of qawwali, the ecstatic improvisational Sufi vocal tradition made famous in the West by the late Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. This award-winning ensemble represents the 26th generation of the seven centuries-old Qawwal Bachon ka Gharana of Delhi founded by Saamat bin Ibrahim, the first qawwal of the subcontinent and principal student of mystic Amir Khusrau. MORE INFO...
Hamza Akram Qawwal & Brothers
Sufi Songs of Pakistan
Friday, April 11, 2025 at 8:00pm
Pakistan’s Hamza Akram Qawwal & Brothers, grandsons of the revered Munshi Raziuddin, return to Roulette after their mesmerizing performances in 2019 and March of 2024.They have been acclaimed for their riveting interpretations of qawwali, the ecstatic improvisational Sufi vocal tradition made famous in the West by the late Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. This award-winning ensemble represents the 26th generation of the seven centuries-old Qawwal Bachon ka Gharana of Delhi founded by Saamat bin Ibrahim, the first qawwal of the subcontinent and principal student of mystic Amir Khusrau. MORE INFO...
Robert Browning Associates, Lotus Music & Dance, and Roulette present
Oghlan Bakhshi & Zyyada Jumayeva
Turkmen Music from the Steppes of Iran and Central Asia
Friday, April 25, 2025 at 8:00pm
This special concert features Oghlan Bakhshi and Zyyada Jumayeva in an entrancing program of Turkmen music – music that is rarely performed in the US. Oghlan Bakhshi, a virtuoso dutar (2-stringed lute) player and bard, trained under acclaimed masters and is the first indigenous Turkmen musician to present the rich Turkmen traditional arts to Western audiences. MORE INFO...
Oghlan Bakhshi & Zyyada Jumayeva
Turkmen Music from the Steppes of Iran and Central Asia
Friday, April 25, 2025 at 8:00pm
This special concert features Oghlan Bakhshi and Zyyada Jumayeva in an entrancing program of Turkmen music – music that is rarely performed in the US. Oghlan Bakhshi, a virtuoso dutar (2-stringed lute) player and bard, trained under acclaimed masters and is the first indigenous Turkmen musician to present the rich Turkmen traditional arts to Western audiences. MORE INFO...
©Jack Vartoogian/Front Row Photos
Robert Browning Associates, Lotus Music & Dance, and Roulette present
Simon Shaheen
Music of the Arab World
Saturday, April 26, 2025 at 8:00pm
Simon Shaheen is one of the world’s greatest players of the ‘ud (short-necked fretted lute that is the ancestor of the European lute) and one of the most influential Arab musicians, performers and composers of his generation. Born in the village of Tarshiha in the Galilee into a Palestinian family, MORE INFO...
Simon Shaheen
Music of the Arab World
Saturday, April 26, 2025 at 8:00pm
Simon Shaheen is one of the world’s greatest players of the ‘ud (short-necked fretted lute that is the ancestor of the European lute) and one of the most influential Arab musicians, performers and composers of his generation. Born in the village of Tarshiha in the Galilee into a Palestinian family, MORE INFO...
PAST 2024/25 CONCERTS
©Jack Vartoogian/Front Row Photos
Robert Browning Associates and Hamad S. Haider present
Fareed Ayaz & Abu Muhammad Qawwals
Sufi Music of South Asia
Saturday, November 2, 2024 at 7:30pm
Fareed Ayaz and Abu Muhammad Qawwals, one of Pakistan’s most popular qawwali ensembles, are masters of the ecstatic improvisational Sufi vocal tradition that aims to transport the musicians and audience closer to the divine. Qawwali songs, similar to gospel in their use of call-and-response and spiritual fervor, are accompanied by percussive handclapping, harmonium, tabla (drums), and a chorus. MORE INFO...
Fareed Ayaz & Abu Muhammad Qawwals
Sufi Music of South Asia
Saturday, November 2, 2024 at 7:30pm
Fareed Ayaz and Abu Muhammad Qawwals, one of Pakistan’s most popular qawwali ensembles, are masters of the ecstatic improvisational Sufi vocal tradition that aims to transport the musicians and audience closer to the divine. Qawwali songs, similar to gospel in their use of call-and-response and spiritual fervor, are accompanied by percussive handclapping, harmonium, tabla (drums), and a chorus. MORE INFO...
Robert Browning Associates, Lotus Music & Dance, and Roulette present
Ali Akbar Moradi & Pejman Hadadi
Sacred Music of Kurdistan
Saturday, November 23, 2024 at 8:00pm
This concert features a rare NY appearance of Ali Akbar Moradi and Pejman Hadadi, two of Iran’s most renowned musicians. Moradi is the greatest living master of the tanbur, an ancient 2-stringed long-necked fretted lute traditionally used in religious ceremonies. Hadadi is the innovative percussionist (tombak, daf) who has been a member of the Dastan Ensemble for over 25 years and collaborated with countless master musicians in Persian and world traditions. MORE INFO...
Ali Akbar Moradi & Pejman Hadadi
Sacred Music of Kurdistan
Saturday, November 23, 2024 at 8:00pm
This concert features a rare NY appearance of Ali Akbar Moradi and Pejman Hadadi, two of Iran’s most renowned musicians. Moradi is the greatest living master of the tanbur, an ancient 2-stringed long-necked fretted lute traditionally used in religious ceremonies. Hadadi is the innovative percussionist (tombak, daf) who has been a member of the Dastan Ensemble for over 25 years and collaborated with countless master musicians in Persian and world traditions. MORE INFO...
Lotus Music & Dance in partnership with Robert Browning Associates presents
WORLD DANCE FESTIVAL:
Dancing Across Cultural Borders
Amanjeet Kaur and Tommy Wasiuta of Kathak Ensemble & Friends / Yloy Ybarra, Julia Kulakova & Urvashie Kissoon/Nadanam Collective
Sunday, December 1, 2024 at 4:00 PM
This exciting dance festival, now in its ninth edition, features a Kathak (North Indian dance) and American tap collaboration with Amanjeet Kaur and Tommy Wasiuta of Kathak Ensemble & Friends that brings together new creative energies in a vibrant cross-cultural exchange with choreography and artistic direction by Janaki Patrik; Along the Caravan Route that highlights the connections between flamenco, Kathak and Middle Eastern (Persian) dance with Danza Espana’s artistic director Yloy Ybarra (flamenco), Bahar Dance Ensemble’s Julia Kulakova (Persian), and Urvashie Kissoon (Kathak); and South India's Bharata Natyam, one of the most complex dance forms in the world, with the Nadanam Collective featuring Jeeno Joseph and Meena Jayakrishnan Nair. Live musical accompaniment. MORE INFO...
WORLD DANCE FESTIVAL:
Dancing Across Cultural Borders
Amanjeet Kaur and Tommy Wasiuta of Kathak Ensemble & Friends / Yloy Ybarra, Julia Kulakova & Urvashie Kissoon/Nadanam Collective
Sunday, December 1, 2024 at 4:00 PM
This exciting dance festival, now in its ninth edition, features a Kathak (North Indian dance) and American tap collaboration with Amanjeet Kaur and Tommy Wasiuta of Kathak Ensemble & Friends that brings together new creative energies in a vibrant cross-cultural exchange with choreography and artistic direction by Janaki Patrik; Along the Caravan Route that highlights the connections between flamenco, Kathak and Middle Eastern (Persian) dance with Danza Espana’s artistic director Yloy Ybarra (flamenco), Bahar Dance Ensemble’s Julia Kulakova (Persian), and Urvashie Kissoon (Kathak); and South India's Bharata Natyam, one of the most complex dance forms in the world, with the Nadanam Collective featuring Jeeno Joseph and Meena Jayakrishnan Nair. Live musical accompaniment. MORE INFO...
2023/24 CONCERT VIDEOS
SPRING 2024
All our Winter/Spring 2024 concerts are now viewable on Youtube:
Hamza Akram Qawwal and Brothers Sufi Chants
Antonia Jimenez Inma La Carbonera A Gaya - Flamenco Festival 2024
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba – Blues from Mali – return performance -by popular demand!
Ara Dinkjian, Arsen Petrosyan and String Quartet: Music of Armenia
Firas Zreik & Ensemble: New Journeys in Arabic Music
Shahid Parvez Indian Masters
Alam Khan - Indian Masters
Hamza Akram Qawwal and Brothers Sufi Chants
Antonia Jimenez Inma La Carbonera A Gaya - Flamenco Festival 2024
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba – Blues from Mali – return performance -by popular demand!
Ara Dinkjian, Arsen Petrosyan and String Quartet: Music of Armenia
Firas Zreik & Ensemble: New Journeys in Arabic Music
Shahid Parvez Indian Masters
Alam Khan - Indian Masters
SPRING 2023
Five of the spring concerts are now viewable on Youtube:
Nibal Malshi
Rafael Riqueni
gamin
Bassekou Kouyate
Sahba Motallebi
Nibal Malshi
Rafael Riqueni
gamin
Bassekou Kouyate
Sahba Motallebi
IN MEMORIAM
Aashish Khan
December 5, 1939 - November 14, 2024
Aashish Khan was a virtuoso of the sarod, a lute known for its lyrical beauty and rhythmic intensity, and was acclaimed as one of the great masters of classical Indian music. From one of India's most prominent musical families, he studied with his grandfather, the legendary Ustad Allauddin Khan, and his father, sarod maestro Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, and his aunt Annapurna Devi. In addition to popularizing his instrument throughout the world, he was a pioneer in cross-cultural music; he collaborated with such notable artists as George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton and Alice Coltrane, and formed the Indo-jazz band Shanti with Zakir Hussain. He performed on the soundtracks of Gandhi and A Passage to India, and composed music for various films. A beloved guru, he founded the Aashish Khan School of World Music in Kolkata and taught at many universities and institutions, including the Ali Akbar College of Music in California. In 2004, he received the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for his contribution to Indian music.
We presented him several times under the auspices of World Music Institute, including one event that was co-presented with the Society for Asian Music at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. His commanding and soulful performances with Zakir Hussain and Swapan Chaudhuri transfixed his listeners.
"Aashish Khan's contribution to Hindustani music is immeasurable." - Sangeet Natak Akademi
December 5, 1939 - November 14, 2024
Aashish Khan was a virtuoso of the sarod, a lute known for its lyrical beauty and rhythmic intensity, and was acclaimed as one of the great masters of classical Indian music. From one of India's most prominent musical families, he studied with his grandfather, the legendary Ustad Allauddin Khan, and his father, sarod maestro Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, and his aunt Annapurna Devi. In addition to popularizing his instrument throughout the world, he was a pioneer in cross-cultural music; he collaborated with such notable artists as George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton and Alice Coltrane, and formed the Indo-jazz band Shanti with Zakir Hussain. He performed on the soundtracks of Gandhi and A Passage to India, and composed music for various films. A beloved guru, he founded the Aashish Khan School of World Music in Kolkata and taught at many universities and institutions, including the Ali Akbar College of Music in California. In 2004, he received the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for his contribution to Indian music.
We presented him several times under the auspices of World Music Institute, including one event that was co-presented with the Society for Asian Music at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. His commanding and soulful performances with Zakir Hussain and Swapan Chaudhuri transfixed his listeners.
"Aashish Khan's contribution to Hindustani music is immeasurable." - Sangeet Natak Akademi
© JackVartoogian/FrontRowPhotos
Ram Narayan
December 25, 1927 – November 9, 2024
The legendary Ram Narayan was India’s foremost performer of the sarangi, an ancient bowed lute that was known as “the voice of a hundred singing colors.” He was a pioneer in developing the sarangi, which traditionally had been a major accompanying instrument for vocalists, into a solo instrument in classical Hindustani (North Indian) music. Born in Udaipur in Rajasthan in northwest India, he began to study the sarangi at the age of seven and began his career at 14. He was celebrated for bringing the sarangi to center stage, helping to popularize the sarangi internationally and saving it from near extinction. His modifications and bowing and finger techniques are now regarded as standard practice. For his contribution to Indian music, he received many honors, including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, and the titles Padmi Sri, Padma Bhusan, and Padma Vibhusan.
We presented him in October 1983 under the auspices of the Alternative Museum in association with Carnegie Hall, and later in November 2003 under the auspices of World Music Institute. A giant in Indian music, he was a humble man whose performances drew the audience into the realm of the sublime.
"I cannot separate the sarangi from Ram Narayan. So thoroughly fused are they, not only in my memory, but in the fact of this sublime dedication of a great musician to an instrument which is no longer archaic because of the matchless way in which he has made it speak." Yehudi Menuhin
December 25, 1927 – November 9, 2024
The legendary Ram Narayan was India’s foremost performer of the sarangi, an ancient bowed lute that was known as “the voice of a hundred singing colors.” He was a pioneer in developing the sarangi, which traditionally had been a major accompanying instrument for vocalists, into a solo instrument in classical Hindustani (North Indian) music. Born in Udaipur in Rajasthan in northwest India, he began to study the sarangi at the age of seven and began his career at 14. He was celebrated for bringing the sarangi to center stage, helping to popularize the sarangi internationally and saving it from near extinction. His modifications and bowing and finger techniques are now regarded as standard practice. For his contribution to Indian music, he received many honors, including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, and the titles Padmi Sri, Padma Bhusan, and Padma Vibhusan.
We presented him in October 1983 under the auspices of the Alternative Museum in association with Carnegie Hall, and later in November 2003 under the auspices of World Music Institute. A giant in Indian music, he was a humble man whose performances drew the audience into the realm of the sublime.
"I cannot separate the sarangi from Ram Narayan. So thoroughly fused are they, not only in my memory, but in the fact of this sublime dedication of a great musician to an instrument which is no longer archaic because of the matchless way in which he has made it speak." Yehudi Menuhin
© JackVartoogian/FrontRowPhotos
Toumani Diabate
August 10, 1965 - July 19, 2024
Malian musician Toumani Diabate was one of Africa's greatest masters of the kora (21-stringed harp-lute) and a key figure in African music. He was instrumental in developing the kora, which was traditionally used as an accompaniment to song, into a solo concert instrument. From a long line of griots (oral historians and praise singers), he was a self-taught musician who began playing at the age of five and made his debut at 13. In 1988, he recorded Kaira, the first solo kora album. Acclaimed for his innovative interpretations of traditional music and groundbreaking improvisations, he was noted for his solo performances, as well as for his work with a wide array of artists, including Kandia Kouyate, Ballake Sissoko, Taj Mahal, Ali Farka Toure, Salif Keita, Roswell Rudd, Bela Fleck, Kayhan Kalhor, the London Symphony Orchestra, the flamenco group Ketama, and his own Symmetric Orchestra.
We presented him several times under the auspices of World Music Institute, where he gave deeply meditative and hypnotic performances. He opened for the legendary 'ud master Hamza El Din in 1989 and 1990, and, in 2008, he presented The Mande Variations, his masterpiece for solo kora.
New York Times obituary by Giovanni Russonello
The Guardian obituary by Robin Denselow
August 10, 1965 - July 19, 2024
Malian musician Toumani Diabate was one of Africa's greatest masters of the kora (21-stringed harp-lute) and a key figure in African music. He was instrumental in developing the kora, which was traditionally used as an accompaniment to song, into a solo concert instrument. From a long line of griots (oral historians and praise singers), he was a self-taught musician who began playing at the age of five and made his debut at 13. In 1988, he recorded Kaira, the first solo kora album. Acclaimed for his innovative interpretations of traditional music and groundbreaking improvisations, he was noted for his solo performances, as well as for his work with a wide array of artists, including Kandia Kouyate, Ballake Sissoko, Taj Mahal, Ali Farka Toure, Salif Keita, Roswell Rudd, Bela Fleck, Kayhan Kalhor, the London Symphony Orchestra, the flamenco group Ketama, and his own Symmetric Orchestra.
We presented him several times under the auspices of World Music Institute, where he gave deeply meditative and hypnotic performances. He opened for the legendary 'ud master Hamza El Din in 1989 and 1990, and, in 2008, he presented The Mande Variations, his masterpiece for solo kora.
New York Times obituary by Giovanni Russonello
The Guardian obituary by Robin Denselow
© JackVartoogian/FrontRowPhotos
Phil Wiggins
May 8, 1954 - May 7, 2024
A master of the blues harmonica, Phil Wiggins was one of the leading exponents of the Piedmont or country blues. He is best known for his 32-year partnership with guitarist/singer John Cephas, a duo that was likened to that of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee in their heyday. Cephas & Wiggins toured the world; performed at Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall and the Sydney Opera House; recorded 12 albums; won 11 W.C. Handy Awards; and appeared at the White House with B.B. King. In 2017, Wiggins received the National Heritage Fellowship, this nation's highest honor in the traditional arts, and became the third harmonica player (along with Sonny Terry and Elder Roma Wilson) to receive this prestigious award.
From 1983 to 2008, we presented him a total of 11 times under the auspices of the Alternative Museum and World Music Institute. He was one of our most popular performers, developing a strong following for his harmonica wizardry.
New York Times obituary by Clay Risen
May 8, 1954 - May 7, 2024
A master of the blues harmonica, Phil Wiggins was one of the leading exponents of the Piedmont or country blues. He is best known for his 32-year partnership with guitarist/singer John Cephas, a duo that was likened to that of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee in their heyday. Cephas & Wiggins toured the world; performed at Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall and the Sydney Opera House; recorded 12 albums; won 11 W.C. Handy Awards; and appeared at the White House with B.B. King. In 2017, Wiggins received the National Heritage Fellowship, this nation's highest honor in the traditional arts, and became the third harmonica player (along with Sonny Terry and Elder Roma Wilson) to receive this prestigious award.
From 1983 to 2008, we presented him a total of 11 times under the auspices of the Alternative Museum and World Music Institute. He was one of our most popular performers, developing a strong following for his harmonica wizardry.
New York Times obituary by Clay Risen