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Children of Sound continues guitarist and composer Xander Naylor’s exploration of the space between contemporary jazz and North Indian Hindustani classical music, drawing on over fifteen years of study with tabla maestro Samir Chatterjee. Written specifically for an ensemble fluent in both traditions, the music blends raga-inspired melodic language, modern jazz improvisation, and dynamic tabla-drumset interplay into a sound that is both expansive and deeply rooted.
Featuring Samir Chatterjee (tabla), Utsav Lal (piano), Raphaël Pannier (drums), and Birsa Chatterjee (tenor saxophone), the album reflects Naylor’s longstanding vision of bringing together musicians capable of moving fluidly between rhythmic complexity, spontaneity, and lyricism. Influenced as much by modern jazz composers such as David Binney as by projects like Zakir Hussain’s Rhythm Experience and Tabla Beat Science, Children of Sound creates an immersive musical world shaped by texture, movement, and discovery.
The project took shape after Naylor received a Vermont Arts Council Creation Grant, allowing him to compose specifically for this ensemble of musicians—artists he knew individually, but had never before brought together as a single group. The result is a collaborative recording rooted in deep listening, trust, and shared musical language.
Released April 21, 2026
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Credits:
Xander Naylor - Guitar, Compositions
Samir Chatterjee - Tabla
Raphaël Pannier - Drums
Utsav Lal - Piano
Birsa Chatterjee - Tenor Saxophone
Recorded and mixed by John Davis at Bunker Studio, Brooklyn, NY
Mastered by Colin Bryson
Art by Julianna Brazill