Jasdeep Singh Degun: live at The Old Church at The Old Church

Jasdeep Singh Degun stands out as one of the most innovative and awarded sitarists of his generation. Born in Leeds, he masterfully blends Indian classical music with contemporary influences, reinventing the horizons of the sitar. Trained under the guidance of Ustad Dharambir Singh MBE, Jasdeep has mastered the gayaki ang technique, a lyrical style that imitates the human voice, giving his playing a unique expressive depth.

In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Degun was awarded the Songlines Best Newcomer Award, an Asian Achievers Award, and made history as the first sitar player and British-Asian musician to win the Royal Philharmonic Society Instrumentalist award.

Signed to Real World Records, Jasdeep’s latest album Jogkauns was his first purely Indian classical album. Recorded with tabla player Harkiret Bahra, Jogkauns offers a deeply immersive listening experience, rooted in the Imdad-Khani gharana — the North Indian classical tradition in which Degun has trained.

The album is structured as a traditional Indian classical concert, presenting the entirety of the music within a single raag — Raag Jogkauns, a relatively modern evening raag that combines the moods of Raag Jog and Raag Malkauns. The result is a performance that unfolds organically, balancing improvisation with careful attention to the arc of melody and rhythm.

Usually seen on the sold-out stages of the Royal Festival Hall, Barbican Centre, and WOMAD Festival, this performance is a rare opportunity to witness Jasdeep’s skill up close - in Stoke Newington’s intimate Old Church.