Marin and Kurfirst’s music has grown out of a decade-plus friendship and collaboration rooted in a shared interest in music as a spiritual vehicle. Their exploration reached new heights in 2016 as they were invited to perform in Calcutta and Goa, India with the American Sufi Project an ensemble which demonstrates the potential of interfaith and cross cultural relationships through reinterpreting traditional sufi music in a modern context
Join us for an evening of exploratory music originating from Central Asia, Turkey, Iran and the Middle East, as interpreted in New York City. The first set will showcase explorations of this music on traditional acoustic instruments . The second set will utilize these traditional melodies of the Islamic world as fertile ground for group improvisations, allowing for a unique blend of Eastern modes and Jazz sensibilities. Gabriel’s use of the fretless electric guitar will serve as the nexus where East meets West, a truly one of a kind instrument where the possibilities for cultural syncretism are endless.
They will be joined by many special guests throughout the evening.
Dan Kurfirst is an NYC based percussionist, composer and improviser. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, his music is a product of his good fortune to have been brought up amongst people of all different cultures and master practitioners of all styles of music.
He has performed extensively in the New York City world music and improvised music scenes for years and has performed with various groups throughout Europe, India and the Middle East. Some of his most frequent collaborators include Gabriel Marin, Abraham Mennen, Matt Darriau, Tomchess, Brian Prunka, Kane Mathis, Daro Behroozi, Brandon Terzic and Fima Chupakhin.
Dan currently serves as creative director of the American Sufi Project, an ensemble which demonstrates the potential of interfaith and cross cultural relationships through reinterpreting traditional sufi music in a modern context. In 2016 he co founded Ensemble Fanaa, a trio that explores the past and future of global musical exchange.
He recently worked as Musical Director with the Children’s Museum of Manhattan to develop a touchscreen app for Children to explore music of the Islamic world.
Multi-instrumentalist Gabriel Marin “boasts insane chops, impeccable time, mastery of diverse traditional scales, rare fretless guitar fluency, and a gift for manipulating effects-” Premier Guitar Magazine. Called “the guiding light for his generation of six-stringers”-Buffalo Times, And “A fretless guitar virtuoso whose microtonal adventures rival those of many eastern musicians, and a talent for rhythm and nuttines- Bass Musician Magazine
Gabriel has studied and performed music from North and South India, Iran, The Balkans, Turkey and Central Asia as well as western classical music and avant-garde jazz. As one of the few players to explore the fretless guitar, he has found a truly unique and expressive voice. He is a founding member of internationally renowned fusion band Consider the Source. In addition to Guitar, Gabriel is versed in Dutar, Dombra, Tanbour, Balti Saz, and Kamancha.