PRESS KIT
ABOUT
Shubh Saran is a New York-based guitarist and composer who has toured and performed with his band in the United States, India, Canada, Bangladesh, and Mexico. Having grown up in six different countries, his career has been shaped by a mixture of influences. Shubh’s intricate compositions fuse sounds from modern jazz, neo-soul, and rock with classical and contemporary Indian music. On February 10th 2020, he released his latest EP Becoming.
BAND MEMBERS
ANGELO SPAMPINATO
drums
A Berklee alumni, Angelo has performed with musicians like Frank Martin, Benny Green, Mike Clark (Headhunters), and Mic Gillette. He has also played at some of the most famous music festivals including Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, SXSW, and Canadian Music Week.
JOSH BAILEY
drums & percussion
Performer and producer, Josh can be heard on many popular recordings including Stephen Sondheim's The Flag Song as well as the Netflix series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Josh is currently an adjunct faculty member at The New York University Steinhardt Jazz Studies Program.
CHRISTIAN LI
piano & keys
Alumnus and faculty member at the Berklee College of Music, Christian has played with artists like Joe Lovano, Dayna Stephens, and Dave Liebman. He has performed at major international jazz festivals in Newport, Panama, Comminges, Monterey, and Campeche.
tenor saxophone
BRIAN PLAUTZ
alto saxophone
Founder of the indie-rock brass band Aberdeen, Brian is a collaborating member of the viral youtube series Apartment Sessions as well as acclaimed concert series Broadway Sings. He is an alumnus of the Berklee College of Music and a prominent session musician in New York City.
MARK MINOOGIAN
JARED YEE
bass
Multi-instrumentalist and producer, Mark plays bass guitar in various projects in New York. He has produced and performed with artists including Nir Felder and Cory Henry. An alumnus of the Berklee College of Music, he graduated with degrees in Professional Music and Latin Music Studies.
Brooklyn based saxophonist and composer Jared has played alongside musicians like Kenny Loggins, Ernie Isley, Bob Mintzer, and Easy Star All Stars. He has performed at major music festivals including Hardly Strictly Bluegrass and South by South West.
LATEST RELEASES
Shubh’s third record, Becoming is the marriage between modern jazz and late 90s punk rock. Featuring five new songs including one vocal duet, the EP embraces early musical influences the band decided to revisit. Each song will be paired with a live in the studio music video available on YouTube.
Rockwood Music Hall, New York August 7
PRESS
"Parts guitar-laden spy theme and swanky brass-led swagger, It Was You shows the impressive power and atmosphere Shubh produces in his songwriting, culminating in an excellent second-half where the brass and guitar work combine for a melodically riveting listen."
"It’s the kind of sleek, thrilling progressive jazz with plenty of hooks and groove to it....Hmayra is a confident and striking full-length debut for the young guitarist, one that should put him on the radar for fans of proggy modern jazz."
"Saran is a first-rate composer and a tasteful guitarist who makes a very impressive showing on [his debut] album."
"[Hmayra] features rich climaxes as well as intermittent valleys and peaks, with Saran’s solos veering in and out like a pedestrian weaving through a packed sidewalk in Bangalore."
"There's a simple, straightforward goodness to these songs that are a pleasure to hear. His intermingling of his Indian heritage with modern jazz sounds show great skill without insisting upon itself."
"[Saran's] exposure to Western music helped him come up with a unique style that is a mix of classical and contemporary Indian music, modern jazz, neo-soul, and rock."
"In each video Saran and his band create new, fusion-fueled versions of the artists’ original tracks and perform it with them in a bid to celebrate cultural diversity."
"The New York-based, Indian guitarist and composer is a firm believer in making inclusive music given the fact that he grew up in six different countries and thus, has a musical career that is tuned by a range of influences and styles."
VIDEOS
SLIP Live in Boston | Shubh Saran
SLIP Live in Boston | Shubh Saran
HAZE Live in Norfolk | Shubh Saran
