Hammer Theatre Center's Summer Sunset Series to Conclude With The Alaya Project in September

Hammer Theatre Center's summer Sunset Series will conclude with an exhilarating live performance by The Alaya Project. Developed in Oakland, California, The Alaya Project merges the intricate Carnatic style of Indian classical music with contemporary jazz and funk. Made up of Rohan Krishnamurthy (Indian percussion/drums), Prasant Radhakrishnan (saxophone), and Colin Hogan (accordion piano), The Alaya Project explores new textures and perspectives built over two decades of friendship, dialogue, and musical immersion across genres and continents.

Earlier this month, The Alaya Project released its debut, self-titled, full-length album - marking the beginning of a profound next chapter for the three musicians. Special guest Roopa Mahadevan (vocals) will also join The Alaya Project for this exclusive Sunset Series performance. The Alaya Projectwill be presented at 8:00pm, Friday, September 23 on the terrace of Hammer Theatre Center, 101 Paseo De San Antonio, San Jose. A bar is available for guests to enjoy drinks while listening to live music on Hammer's intimate terrace as the sun sets. For tickets ($15-$45) or more information, the public may visit hammertheatre.com or call (408) 924-8501.

Indian-American percussionist Dr. Rohan Krishnamurthy began his international music career at the age of nine, and went on to become a celebrated artist and educator. He received a Ph.D. in musicology from the Eastman School of Music in New York and has taught classes everywhere from Harvard University to Kyoto University in Japan. Heralded by The Times of India as the "pride of India," Krishnamurthy is the recipient of many prestigious awards for his cross-genre innovations in music.

Indian-American saxophonist and composer Prasant Radhakrishnan has been applauded by the San Francisco Chronicle for "pioneering trans-cultural terrain." Specializing in Carnatic music, he has blurred the line between deep tradition and innovation over a 23-year career. Radhakrishnan has lectured at many prestigious universities in the U.S., including UC Berkeley.

Pianist Colin Hogan has performed on five continents with many top names in jazz, including James Moody and Maria Schneider. A San Francisco native, he has worked as a music educator at SFJAZZ, Cal State East Bay, and the California Jazz Conservatory. For The Alaya Project, Hogan brings his skills as an accordion pianist to form the harmonic bedrock of their sound.

Based in New York, special guest vocalist Roopa Mahadevan is known for her magnetic stage presence and powerful poignant voice. While she is a classical Indian vocalist, Mahadevan is also very versatile across genres - from world music to jazz, R&B, and soul.

Owned by the City of San Jose and operated by San Jose State University, the Hammer Theatre Center is a state-of-the-art performance venue located in the heart of downtown San Jose at 101 Paseo De San Antonio, between 2nd and 3rd Streets. The theatre has presented an array of offerings including outstanding professional productions, community-based works, SJSU shows, and concerts, as well as dance, music, talks, film screenings-even live aerial performances with dancers suspended outside, scaling the sides of the iconic blue building. From jazz performances to mariachi extravaganzas, National Geographic Live! speaker series to National Theatre Live film screenings, Cinequest film festival presentations, ballet and modern dance shows, kid-friendly performances, live art and more, the Hammer's mission is to serve the community through artistic and educational programming that express the unique characteristics and diverse cultures of Silicon Valley.

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