Karsh Kale

Karsh Kale, an accomplished musician, composer and producer is considered one of the pioneers of the Asian Underground movement.

Having grown up in Queens, New York, Karsh knew at an early age what it means to stand out. Being one of two Indian students in high school, Karsh channelled both his Indian and Western identities into his music. By his own admission, percussion came naturally to him, easily switching between tablas and drum kits.

For many South Asian origin musicians, the burst of the Asian Underground brought the sounds of a new culture to the world stage. For Karsh, this led to some of best collaborations between Indian and Western artists such as Ustad Zakir Hussein, Ustad Sultan Khan, Anoushka Shankar, Sting, and Paul Simon among many others. Eventually Karsh was less of a traditionalist and was developing his own unique style. His sound is often described as a blend of electronica, drum and bass with Indian classical music.

• Back