It began as a friendship between two musicians from two traditions:
Layth Sidiq, an Iraqi-Jordanian violinist
Rohith Jayaraman, an Indian-American vocalist
Sparked by their common interest in the rich musical traditions of India and the Middle East, Layth and Rohith embarked on a collaborative journey that began in 2012 and culminated in the 2019 EP - Hamsa.
The EP was recorded live on a single day and features 3 incredible artists: Tareq Rantisi (Palestine) on percussion, Giri Subramaniam (India) on tabla, and Shubh Saran (India) on guitar. Hamsa has found ardent fan following around the globe and has garnered praise from iconic artists across genres, including jazz guitar legend John McLaughlin.
As individual artists, Layth and Rohith both have GRAMMY® nominations for their work with Danilo Perez and the Berklee Indian Ensemble, respectively. They have shared the stage with icons including Zakir Hussain, John McLaughlin, Simon Shaheen, Tigran Hamasyan, Javier Limon, A.R. Rahman, Shankar Mahadevan, Shreya Ghoshal, and Hariharan.
In the wake of a 2020 10-city US tour being canceled due to COVID-19 lockdowns, Layth and Rohith quickly made the pivot to virtual events. While many online concerts during this time were pre-recorded, Layth and Rohith pushed the envelope, experimenting with live synced performances. Throughout the pandemic, they continued to deliver truly present and improvised music, despite being oceans apart. Post-COVID, Layth and Rohith finally returned to the physical stage, sharing music and joy with audiences around the world, some of whom travel across international borders to see them perform.
In a world of heavily arranged and produced music, Hamsa is an homage to the simplicity and energy of live, improvised, classical-folk music. The music you’ll find in Hamsa is honest, traditional, and maybe a little blasphemous — just the kind of music they love to play.
As Layth and Rohith begin sowing the seeds of their next album, they are excited to be embarking on a mini-USA tour in October 2024, playing audience favorites and premiering new work.
SELECT LIVE SHOWS
Hamsa Live in Abu Dhabi
An exclusive, invite-only live concert for Layth & Rohith’s alma mater, Berklee. Some audience members traveled from other countries in the Middle East to attend!
Hamsa & Friends: Chai for 6
A special fundraiser presentation featuring some of Layth & Rohith’s close friends. Sold out 600 seat venue in Santa Clara, California.
ALBUM CREDITS
Violin: Layth Sidiq
Voice: Rohith Jayaraman
Percussion: Tareq Rantisi
Tabla: Giri Subramaniam
Electric Guitar: Shubh Saran
Gang Vocals (Foag el-Nakhal): Amira Gill, Vasundhara Gupta, Rohith Jayaraman, Annette Philip, Asha Ramesh, Tareq Rantisi, Lydia Renold, Layth Sidiq, Giri Subramaniam, Stephen Webber
Recorded live at Q Division Studios, Somerville, MA, USA
Electric Guitar recorded in Brooklyn, NY, USA
Produced & Arranged by Layth Sidiq & Rohith Jayaraman
Recording Engineer: Kaushlesh “Garry” Purohit
Assistant Recording Engineer: Colin Lester Fleming
Recording Supervisors: Asha Ramesh, Vasundhara Gupta
Intern: Henry Soults
Editing: Inna Dudukina, Vasundhara Gupta
Mixing & Mastering: Anindo Bose (Plug ‘n’ Play Studios, New Delhi)
Executive Kickstarter Producers: Preetha & Mammen Chally, Annette Philip, Vijay & Jayshree Ullal
Kickstarter Producers: Akshaya Ganesh & Andrew Mahabir, Ramasree & Ravi Gutala, Dheepa & Madhu Ramanujam, Bindu Shankar, Radhika & Krishna Shankar
Cover Artwork & Package Design: Dylan Aiello
Kickstarter Campaign Artwork: Lydia Renold
Photography & Video: Sharayu Mahale, Esha Nijhoff Asser
Special Thanks: Ranganayaki Jayaraman, Ranjani & Gayatri, Ed Valauskas
Crowdfunded with Kickstarter
© 2019 HAMSA All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws.