Born in Lahore and raised in Bangladesh, Prashant moved to Canada at the age of 19. His compositions, while influenced by the musics of the Indian sub-continent, combine the influences and instrumentation of a variety of genres and world cultures. A vernacular musician – his ears being his teacher, Prashant has also later studied theory and rhythm in Karnatic music (South Indian), North and South Indian flutes, African Fula flute, Jazz guitar and the Baul music of Bengal with Master musicians and teachers worldwide.

Prashant has received nominations and awards for his cross-cultural compositions in the American and Canadian Independent Music Awards, International Songwriting Competition and in the Canadian Folk Music Awards with his two bands Tandava and Lehera.
His Debut Album Tandava  was

CBC radio’s Roots & Wings 10 Best Albums Of 2006 (Internationally); #2 in the National Canadian Campus Radio ‘International’ charts in March 2006 and  #1 at various Canadian  stations for weeks including Calgary’s CJSW.

Some Selected past performances included Vancouver’s Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, Vancouver Island Music Festival, Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre, Ottawa Jazz Festival, Ottawa Bluesfest, Vancouver Jazz Festival, London’s Sunfest, Nova Scotia Multicultural Festival, North Country Fair (Alberta), Detroit Institute of Arts, Harrison Festival of the Arts. UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples NY.

Prashant uses ethnic flutes and acoustic and electric guitars, voice and percussion instruments – music without borders – an original and natural blending of genres and musical cultures sometimes using simple live looping and/or bed tracks.

“…the music is authentic yet unbounded by tradition.”  – Alex Varty, Georgia Straight

Prashant M. John audio performance sample below:

This concert is the final concert in a series of five World Music Concerts 2016 generously sponsored by: