Alam Khan & Derek Gripper

In a rare and remarkable collaboration, GRAMMY®-nominated sarodist Alam Khan — son of the legendary Ali Akbar Khan — joins forces with one of South Africa’s most innovative guitarists, Derek Gripper. Together, Alam and Derek explore the heights of spontaneous creation, re-imagining great African songs and Indian melodies in a virtuosic meeting of plucked strings within Grace Farms’ light-filled and fully glass-enclosed performance hall within the River building. The two first met in 2025 over a cup of tea, a meeting that led to a spontaneous trio recording with South African guitarist Guy Buttery. Alam went on to join Derek in concerts with Derek’s long-time collaborator, the great Malian kora virtuoso Ballaké Sissoko, and then in an intimate duo recording session in the hills of Berkeley, California. Alam and Derek focus on their respective immersions in deep classical traditions: Alam brings a long apprenticeship under his father, mastering the infinite art of raga improvisation within the Indian classical tradition, Derek, originally trained in European classical and early string music, has spent years translating the complex language of the West African kora to the guitar. Through this long study of the 21-string harp, he developed a unique language of cyclical improvisation, breaking out of the bounds of composed music and using the polyrhythmic possibilities of classical guitar technique to re-imagine the beginnings of sound in string music, from harps and bows of the African continent. Khalifa of the Seni Maihar Gharana and son of the late legendary maestro of the Sarod, Swara Samrat Ustad Ali Akbar Khansahib, Alam Khan has been touching the hearts of audiences worldwide for over 20 years. Since his initial training into the Maihar Seni Gharana at the age of seven, Alam was blessed to learn and live in the traditional style of Guru and student. Ali Akbar Khan’s careful crafting and guidance shows in each note as well as in Alam’s imaginative way of expres…