BRM Weekly: Eric Fraser with Mir Naqibul Islam

$10 Advance | $15 Door | 8pm | BRM Weekly Raga Jam- 10pm The weekly show will feature North Indian classical music, exemplifying the unique old world style of bansuri playing from Kolkata. Eric Fraser is a multi-instrumentalist, educator, composer, and music therapist (MA, MT-BC). Having learned intensively and extensively in Kolkata, India, for over 15 years, Eric is a top student of the legendary bansuri flute artist Pandit Gopal Roy, one of the only masters of the original "gayaki-ang" or vocal style of bansuri flute. Eric's bansuri playing rings with authenticity and pure Indian tone, carrying a distinct and masterful sound quite original in its quality. Bridging his experience as a composer and songwriter, Eric's orientation to Indian classical music serves as an inspiration for melody, and a creative tool for improvisation. Eric received his masters in Music Therapy from NYU in 2009 and provides multi-instrumental and cross-cultural music therapy for children and adults in private practice. He also offers meditation and restorative experiences with live music in his "Sound Nidra" and "Nada Yoga" workshops. Eric is currently a full-time professor of music therapy at SUNY, New Paltz, and 2010 Fulbright senior research scholar music therapy and Indian music. Eric is also a co-founder of the Brooklyn Raga Massive, and has toured, recorded, performed and collaborated with a great list of artists including Pandit Krishna Bhatt, Pandit Ramesh Mishra, Steve Gorn, Arturo O'farrell and Bollywood composer A.R Rahman at Carnegie Hall and many more, including radio performances (NPR morning edition and WKCR New York). Mir Naqibul Islam is a classical music performer in Bangladesh and New York, both as a soloist and an accompanist. Though trained in a purely traditional style, he incorporates many genres and influences into his playing. He is fortunate to have Shri Ashoke Paul as his guru for the past 17 years, learning the technical and aesthetic aspects of tabla playing. Mir has also learned from Janab Syed Hafizur Rahman, Shri Madan Gopal Das, Pandit Gopal Mishra and Padma Shri Pandit Suresh Talwalkar. Mir is currently taking musical instruction from Pandit Anindo Chatterjee. **Special announcement for Musicians!** BRM cordially invites you to join us in the ongoing effort to cultivate a home for intercultural musical dialogue. We are happy to offer FREE ENTRY TO MUSICIANS AFTER 10 PM WHO COME WITH THEIR INSTRUMENTS AND ARE READY TO PLAY! Please come out and engage with one of NYC's most vibrant and diverse communities of improvising musicians hailing from all over the music world!