ANUPAM SHOBHAKAR INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC COMPOSER |GUITARIST RAGA MUSIC
Anupam Shobhakar
Guitarist & Composer
New Album: Liquid Reality
Anupam Shobhakar breaks new ground again with the release of Liquid Reality.
The album’s compositions reflect a stunning range of influences, from mystic Sufi ghazals to progressive jazz-rock, Indian classical music and features a musical lineup of global masters including pianists Utsav Lal and Santiago Liebson, kanjeera player Swami Selva Ganesh, vocalists Ona Kirei and Ben Parag, and percussionists Satoshi Takeishi, Chris Savarino and Gumbi Ortiz.
Guitarist John McLaughlin and Shakti have been a constant musical inspiration for Anupam, and Liquid Reality pays tribute to those guiding lights with “La Dance de Bonheur”, a breathtaking reinvention of the Shakti classic.
Also featured on the album is “Anjaneya”, a heroic rock fusion piece honoring the Hindu deity Hanuman that features the album’s most challenging Indian rhythmic concepts; and “Formless”, a duo piece for guitar and kanjeera (South Indian frame drum).
With his latest release, Anupam Shobhakar not only expands the realm of electric guitar with the invention of his custom double neck guitar but also expands the musical dialogue between East and West. Liquid Reality is essential listening for fans of adventurous jazz, rock and world music and for guitarists everywhere
Tribute to Shakti – La Danse du Bonheur by Anupam Shobhakar & Liquid Reality
About Anupam Shobhakar
Starting his musical journey at age 10 in Bombay, India, Anupam Shobhakar began as a guitarist in rock and metal bands. As his musical curiosity evolved, he gravitated toward the sarod—a 25-string fretless instrument central to North Indian classical music. He became a disciple of Ustad Aashish Khan of the Maihar Gharana, and immersed himself in the rich, intricate world of Indian classical music tradition, studying under several master musicians and performing at major venues around the world. His move to New York City marked a turning point. Surrounded by a dynamic Western cultural landscape, Anupam was inspired to re-engage with jazz, classical, and experimental music. This multicultural blend demanded a new sonic vocabulary—one that no existing instrument could fully express. So he envisioned and created a custom double neck guitar, uniquely combining fretted and fretless necks. This hybrid instrument enabled him to merge the melodic depth and techniques of the sarod with the harmonic range and articulation of the guitar—bridging East and West in thrilling new ways.In New York, Anupam developed lasting collaborations with renowned jazz musicians such as Joel Harrison and Dan Weiss, exploring intersections between jazz improvisation and Indian raga. His innovative voice was spotlighted on the acclaimed AGS Records album The Middle of Everywhere (2024), where he appeared alongside jazz guitar luminaries including Kurt Rosenwinkel, Nels Cline, and others.Anupam’s music today stands as a bold and fluid conversation between traditions—rooted in Indian classical discipline yet constantly seeking new terrain through improvisation, fusion, and invention.
Today, Anupam’s music transcends genres—his double neck guitar becomes a bridge across continents, carving out a bold, boundary‑less soundscape. Indian classical music
