Suphala, photo by Farrel Duncan.

The traditions of Indian classical music stretch back, literally, thousands of years. But over the past decade or so, there has been a steady stream of South Asian musicians looking to incorporate these ancient musical conventions into the 21st century. Artists such as Anoushka Shankar, the MIDIval Punditz, Karsh Kale, Cheb-i-Sabbah and DJ Rekha are just a few of the artists that have brought this hybrid sound into clubs and concert halls. Another name to add to this list is Suphala, a talented young tabla player, producer and composer who has started making waves in New York’s music scene.

Raised by Indian parents in the Minneapolis area, Suphala was drawn to the arts, and music in particular, from a very young age. At four, like so many young children, she began piano lessons. During this time, her parents also exposed her to Indian classical music. By the time Suphala was a teenager, she was drawn to the improvisational elements of Indian classical music and decided to focus her efforts on the tabla, one of the most nuanced and versatile percussion instruments in the world. She began making regular trips to India to study music, and gained the notice of Alla Rakha and Zakir Hussain. This father/son pair are the acknowledged masters of the instrument and are credited with creating much of its modern vocabulary. The two took on Suphala as their protégé, and her path was set.

In the past decade, Suphala has established her reputation as a well-respected artist. She made history in 2005, when she performed in Kabul, Afghanistan as the first musician to play in public since the fall of the Taliban. Her three albums — Instru Mental (2000), The Now (2005) and Blueprint (2007) — combine her percussive skills with a strong electronic component. Her experience also includes collaborations with a host of world class musicians including Norah Jones, Perry Farrell, Edie Brickell, Vernon Reid, Timbaland, Sean Lennon, Yoko Ono and Vijay Iyer. Currently, she is more focused on an acoustic sound, performing with a percussion trio and a quintet.

Suphala will be making two appearances in the District in coming months. The first takes place on Thursday, where she will perform along with DJ Rekha at the 10th Anniversary Celebration for South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), a national organization aimed at leadership development and strengthening ties within South Asian communities in the United States. She will lead a percussion trio featuring John Hadfield and Matt Kilmer. Suphala will then return to the area in March, when she performs at the Kennedy Center as part of its maximum INDIA festival. The same trio will appear here as well, but with the addition of trumpeter Amir ElSaffar and clarinetist Kinan Azmeh.

Suphala took time out of her busy schedule to speak with DCist about her career and her upcoming performances.