Aayushi Karnik the 28-year-old guitar genius from Surat has yet another reason and opportunity to be part of the big limelight. She is all set to appear as a special guest in a concert program based on the Grammy-winning record.
Karnik who is a self-taught guitarist was still a teenager when she got awarded the coveted Fender endorsement, being singled out by one of world’s best guitar manufacturers as the most talented Indian female blues musician of her generation. Winning a national music contest at the Mahindra Blues Festival led to Karnik becoming the first Indian female guitarist to being offered a full scholarship to study at The Julliard School in New York. Studying at and graduating with honors from the most famous music school in the world all while in a few short years establishing herself as one of the biggest stars on the competitive New York jazz/blues scene would seem impossible for most people, but undaunted Karnik simply talks about hard work and credits her parents for instilling in her a good work ethic. Still, work ethic or not, her level of musicianship seems to be unmatched by her American peers.
Karnik’s own folk music ensemble, called “Summer Children” made a splash at the Bronx Botanical Garden concert series curated by Jazz at Lincoln Center, while their critically acclaimed 2021 debut album became a foundation for a highly popular concert program which Karnik is scheduled to repeat this Summer at the historical New York City Howland Cultural Center as part of its Celebrating 150 Years concerts series.
Praised by Wynton Marsalis himself, Karnik has effectively redefined Indian blues as evidenced in her playing for renowned American pianist Geoffrey Keezer’s Playdate album and its now internationally acclaimed and Grammy-winning Refuge composition. In addition to the recording, Karnik appeared as a featured guest in the album star-studded release concert and is set to play in several more high-profile concerts with the same program, including at New York City’s premier jazz venue – Dizzy’s Jazz Club at Lincoln Center.
When contacted, Aayushi Karnik told IWMBuzz.com, “I started as just a bedroom musician. I was an architecture major in India. After that, I took a break for a year when I realized that I wanted to pursue music. I took part in some guitar competitions in India. This resulted in participation and winning in the Mahindra Blues Festival. After a few years, I got a scholarship to study in The Julliard School in New York. I am currently working on my folk album, the band which is called Summer Children. Now we are in the process of decoding our debut album. I am really excited to be playing for the Mahindra Blues Festival on the 15th of July. We have our album release also in August. So quite a lot of things lined up for which we are excited.”
