The Indian folk & classical fusion ensemble

1. The Indian folk & classical fusion ensemble www.pulsatingfingerprints.com

2. Rishabh Dhar’s Fingerprints As unique as a fingerprint and as indelible, Fingerprints creates its own genre of sound Using a unique ensemble of instruments and an equally diverse influence of music from across the world, Fingerprints has travelled across the globe playing their exotic music Often described as a world music fusion ensemble, Fingerprints fuses – with much elan – the royal pakhwaj and the classical tabla, the dhak and dhol and African drums to Latino rhythms and then creates music based on Western Classical,Rock, Blues, Latin, Folk and Indian classical music

3. Rishabh Dhar : Pakhawaj & other Percussions Playing since the age of three, son of Dhrupad exponent Smt. Ashoka Dhar Nandy, the first female Dhrupadia in India, Rishabh specializes in playing the pakhawaj, the oldest North Indian classical percussion. He has honed his skills playing alongside great names - Ustad Nasir Aminuddin Dagar Sahab, Pt Uday Bhawalkar, Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar, Ustad Bahauddin Dagar, Pt Ajoy Chackraborty, Pt Tanmoy Bose, Ustad Taufiq Quereshi, Pt Trilok Gurtu While the pakhwaj remains his first love, Rishabh is now working with world percussion while working as the visiting lecturer at the School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London) and Venlo (Holland)

4. Gopal Das: Dhak, BanglaDhol,Saxophone & Clarionet • Son of Legendary Dhak Player Gokul Das from Bengal. His father Pt.Gokul Das has accompanied the likes of Ustad Zakir Hussain,Remember Shakti,Tanmoy Bose & Many more. • Shared the same stage with none other than Ustad Zakir Hussain,Ustad Taufiq Quereshi,John Mc Laughlin,Selva Ganesh & Shivamani & many other distinguished musicians from India & Abroad.

5. Indradeep Ghosh : Violin • From the year 1991, he is under the tutelage of Prof. Smt. Sisirkana Dhar Chowdhury. He has received talim from other maestros of Indian Classical Music like Pt. V.G.Jog and Pt. Kumar Bose. He has received his western lessons from Late Sri Samir Sil. • He has participated in several music festivals of India like – Biswa Banga Sammelan, Baba Allauddin Memorial Festival, Salt Lake Music Festival, Prativa Utsav organised by EZCC, Dover Lane Music Festival, Kal Ke Kalakar Sangeet Sammelan Mumbai, Kala Prakash Varanasi, Cultural Exchange Programme organised by Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan in Chennai, IIT Delhi, Delhi Cant.etc and has also performed in several European Countries like Germany, France, Austria, Luxemburg, Spain, Denmark, Netherland etc.

6. Arnab Majumdar : Tabla • One of the senior most desciples of Pt.Tanmoy Bose • Has been playing in Taaltantra formerly known as TaalYagna of Tanmoy Bose since late 90s • Have played with the likes of Taufiq Quereshi • Have been part of many a projects of Mamata Shankar & Tanushree Shankar • Currently plays for Fingerprints across all their major performances in festivals & concerts

7. Sunil Bhakta: Baul/Sufi Folk singer from India • Mystic minstrels from Bengal who are syncretic religious sect and a musical tradition • Consists of Vaishnava hindus & sufi muslims • In 2005 it was included in the lit of “Masterpieces of the oral & intangible heritage of humanity” by UNESCO • A type of folk song influenced by hindu bhakti movements and sufi • The instruments used by bauls are Ektara(plucked drum), Dotara(long necked fretless lute),Dugi(earthen drum),prcussions like dhol & khol,cymbals called khartal & manjira, bamboo flute. • Sunila bhakta is desciple of lt.Gosto Gopal Das the legendary baul performer from Bengal.

8. Rishabh Dhar’s Fingerprints Past Work - India • With Grammy Award Winner Pandit Tanmoy Bose and Bikram Ghosh in their project with World Percussion in 2002 and 2003 • Spic Macay National convention in IIM Joka in the year 1996 with Ustad Nasir Aminuddin Dagar and SriUday Bhawalkar and in 2001 • 5th Baba Beharam Khan Dagar Dhrupad Samaroah in Jaipur in the year 1999 with Srimati Ashoka Dhar, Dhrupad Mela in Varanasi in 1999 • Auroville, Performed at the Auroville in pondicherry in 2000 with Srimati Ashoka Dhar • Performed at the International Music Festival in Varanasi in 2001 • With Sri Mallar Ghosh son of the legendary Gyan Prakash Ghosh in the Drums of India • Played with Pandit Tanmoy Bose and Ustad Taufiq Qureshi in December 2003 at Calcutta and January 2004

9. Rishabh Dhar’sFingerprints Past Work - World Tours • Performed in Holland, Germany and Belgium with Smt Ashoka Dhar (Dhrupad) and Fingerprints in September and October 2009 • The prestigious India Festival (In the Sporen Van India) at the Koninklijke Schouwburg in Den Haag September 2009 • Austria,Germany & Switzerland with Fingerprints in February 2010 • As part of the North Sea Jazz Festival with his own group – then christended “TAALMANTRA” in January 2007 in Theater Zwembad De regents (Den Haag), Sociëteit De Burcht (Leiden), Theater Holendrecht (Amsterdam) e.a. • With Gianni Ricchizzi in Roma (Italy) at the prestigeous Teatro San Genesio festival in April 2007. • Performed in Germany, France, Holland, UK and Italy with Srimati Ashoka Dhar through the years at many music festivals

10. Rishabh Dhar’sFingerprinting Past Work - World Tours (contd) • Performed with John Wubbenhorst, Facing East Productions, Sarbari Gangopadhyay (Dhrupad Vocalist), Nancy Kulkarni(Cello) & Steve Zerlin,Victor Wooten in (USA) New York City, Baltimore, Maryland, Virginia, Ashburn, Rhode Island & Washington DC. With memorable performance at the Smitsonian Institution (Fleer & Sackler Gallery) in May 2008 • Germany with the invitation from Duetsch Indische Gessel Schraft and Indo-German Soceity in Kassel, Koln, Bonn and Meckenheim August 1999 • Various venues in USA including UCLA, UCSC and EWCC • The Millenium Summit in Singapore in December 1999 • Various venues in the UK with the ICCR in October 2000, October / November 2000 in Paris • Toured UK,Germany and Holland. Conducted workshops at the School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London) • Three day Rhythm Workshop in Venlo(Holland). • Performed with DIG Mainz in October and November 2001 with Srimati Ashoka Dhar

11. Rishabh Dhar’sFingerprints Past Work - World Tours (contd) • Performed in Germany, Switzerland & Spain with various World Music projects in September/October 2004. • Performed in Holland, Germany & UK with invitation from AMC & Nehru Center London in October & November 2005 with Smt.Ashoka Dhar. • Performed in UK,Holland,Germany & Austria with invitation from ICCR & University of Vienna in March & April 2006 with Smt.Ashoka Dhar. • Performed in Fiji Islands & Australia with the invitation from ADIDAM (Adi Da Samrajashram,Naitauba)in June & July 2006 with Smt.Ashoka Dhar • Performed on invitation from Adidam,Aurobindo Ashram (Auroville international Meet),Asian Music Circuit of London & Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan, London in September,October & November 2006.

12. Rishabh Dhar’sFingerprints Past Work - Some videos • http://www.washingtonbanglaradio.com/content/42322011-interview-steve-zerlin-bassist-and-rishabh-dhar-pakhwaj-player-fingerprints-fusion- • http://www.kolkatathisweek.com/2011/04/musical-ballads-fingerprints-performed.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnFIlkoxFSk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsxZJqOIgsQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZwL6SXqQ2I http://www.youtube.com/watch?y=LaG4FyVGpUM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tgfe8xERhds

13. Contact us KaushikChowdhury / SamratMitra / RishabhDhar 552, Diamond Harbour Road Kolkata 700034, West Bengal, India Mobile:  +91 9830049639 / +91 9051066633 / +91 9748124990 Email: kaushik@pr20.net www.pulsatingfingerprints.com