Samvaad is a Sanskrit word that means dialogue, or communication, and is the perfect name for this new musical collaboration across genres and countries, with USA-based santoor player Vinay Desai teaming up with two of Australia’s best exponents of North and South Indian Classical music — Jay Dabgar (tabla) and Subramanya “Subu” Sastry (bansuri) — alongside award-winning multi-instrumentalist Josh Bennett (sitar, dilruba, guitar, mandolin).
In the same vein as the ground-breaking album “Call of the Valley” and the band Shakti, Samvaad draws on and respects its members’ traditions while exploring new compositions and new sounds. Rather than fusing genres superficially, the works are built through deep listening, shared rhythmic and melodic exploration, and compositional exchange — respecting raga and tala while engaging with the harmonic and improvisational language of jazz.
It is not about fusion for novelty, but about meaningful musical conversation.
Jay Dabgar hails from a family of traditional tabla makers in India and carries forward the rich legacies of the Benaras and Punjab Gharanas. With over 25 years of experience, he has received several national accolades and performed widely with eminent musicians, including Grammy Award winner Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Grammy Award nominee Ustad Shujaat Khan, National Award winner Pt. Purbayan Chatterjee, Pt. Sugato Nag, among many others, both in India and abroad.
A versatile artist, Jay has also collaborated with musicians across diverse genres and is regarded as one of the first-choice tabla players for touring artists in Australia. He continues his advanced training under the legendary maestro Pt. Yogesh Samsi, while nurturing the next generation of musicians through his institution, the Melbourne School of Indian Music.
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Vinay is a direct disciple of the world renowned Santoor Maestro Padma Vibhusan Pandit Shivkumar Sharmaji. After completing his college in both Pre-pharmaceutical science as well as Pre-Law in Delaware, Vinay sought out to learn Santoor in India. Vinay regularly performs throughout USA, including Hawaii, Argentina, Canada, The Bahamas, Australia, and India, at festivals including Fringe Festival in Adelaide, Mona Foma in Tasmania, Lollapalooza Festival in Argentina, Festival of Tabla in L.A., Jaipur Literature Festival and SwarZankar in Pune, among many others.
Though specializing in Indian Classical Music, Vinay has worked with all genres with shows of Bollywood music, Hollywood music, Theater and drama music, Jazz, and western Classical. He is known for his meditative and dynamic musical phrases, his superlative melodic improvisations and sharp sense of rhythm.
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Subramanya Sastry is a Melbourne-based Indian classical flautist and performer, originally from Bangalore, India. With over fifteen years of experience, he has presented his music across India, Singapore, Malaysia, Mauritius, and Australia in cultural festivals, institutional programs, collaborative projects, and curated performances.
Rooted in Carnatic tradition, Subu’s musical expression blends classical raga aesthetics with contemporary musical dialogue. His artistic journey reflects a deep respect for tradition while embracing cross-cultural exploration through collaborations spanning flamenco, jazz, folk, and classical fusion.
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Josh Bennett is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist, singer, composer, and performer renowned for his passion for global music traditions. Equally accomplished on guitar, sitar, dilruba (bowed sitar), fiddle, mandolin, and bouzouki, Josh stands as one of Australia’s most versatile musicians. His performance career has taken him around the globe, including appearances on guitar at international guitar festivals, mandolin at Bluegrass festivals, and sitar for the legendary Pandit Ravi Shankar at his home in Delhi.
In recognition of his talent, he was named Instrumentalist of the Year in 2024 by Folk Alliance Australia. He has devoted nearly 30 years to the study of Indian Classical music, learning first from Alan Posselt and later at the Saptak School of Music in Ahmedabad under Smt. Manju Mehta, a disciple of Pt. Ravi Shankar.
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