Derek Gripper & Alam Khan

A pair of master musicians representing the diversity of string instrument traditions, Derek Gripper and Alam Khan unite for a project that dissolves musical borders and reimagines the possibilities of global acoustic music.  

Gripper has earned international acclaim for his groundbreaking adaptations of West African kora music for solo guitar, a feat that led legendary kora master Toumani Diabaté to remark that Gripper had “taken the guitar to a new place.” His work bridges African classical traditions with jazz and contemporary composition, establishing him as one of the world’s most innovative guitarists.  

Alam Khan, the son of the legendary sarod maestro Ali Akbar Khan, carries forward one of India’s most revered musical lineages. A master of the sarod and a gifted composer, Khan blends the rigor of Hindustani classical music with adventurous cross-cultural collaboration, earning respect across both traditional and contemporary music circles.

Together, Gripper and Khan engage in a transcendent musical conversation—an immersive journey through African, Indian, and contemporary sound worlds shaped by improvisation, technical brilliance, and deep cultural exchange.