Fareed Haque is a modern guitar virtuoso. Steeped in classical and jazz traditions, his unique command of the guitar and different musical styles inspire his musical ventures with tradition and fearless innovation. Fareed maintains his Chicago stage as a guitarist in the forefront and continues to create music that presents the epitome of Cultural Crossroads which fits Eye On India’s mission. Born in 1963 to a Pakistani father and Chilean mother, Fareed’s extensive travels, with especially long stays in Spain, France, Iron, Pakistan, and Chile exposed Haque to different musics from a very early age. This natural eclecticism has become the hallmark of Haque’s music, but it was repeated visits to Von Freeman’s Chicago jam sessions that gave Haque the grounding in the Chicago blues and jazz tradition. The 1981 recipient of North Texas State University’s Jazz Guitar Scholarship, Haque spent a year studying with renowned jazz guitarist and pedagogue Jack Peterson. Fareed’s growing interest in the classical guitar led him to transfer to Northwestern University, where he completed his studies in classical guitar under David Buch, John Holmquist and Anne Waller. Soon after his transfer to NU, Haque came to the attention of multi-instrumentalist Howard Levy and joined his latin-fusion group Chevere. Thru Levy Haque was introduced to Paquito D”Rivera and began a long and fruitful relationship with the Cuban NEA Jazz Master. Numerous world tours and recordings including Manhattan Burn, Celebration, Havana Cafe, Tico Tico, Live at the MCG were to follow. Especially notable is the classic and award winning Reunion featuring Haque along with Arturo Sandoval, Danilo Perez, Giovanni Hidalgo, Mark Walker, and Davd Fink. Thru D’Rivera, Haque was brought to the attention of Sting, who had just begun his record label Pangaea. Sting invited Haque to join the label and he released 2 critically acclaimed recordings Voices Rising and Manresa. Haque toured briefly with Sting, including notable appearances at The Montreux Jazz Festival as well as NBC’s Michelob Presents Sunday Night with David Sanborn, but his own career demands led Haque in other directions. Haque has been featured on WTTW’s ArtBeat and Chicago Tonight, Ben Sidran’s New visions, Michelob Presents Sunday Night with David Sanborn on NBC, his own Lonesome Pines special for PBS, and on BET cable jazz channel. Fareed has twice been selected as Talent Deserving Wider Recognition in Downbeat Magazine. In 1988 Haque also joined the faculty at Northern Illinois University as professor of jazz and classical Guitar. He continues to teach at NIU to this day. Fareed has a lot to his credit in recording and expanding his virtuoso to include musicians from India, Iran, and other places, creating new albums and traveling, spreading the great tunes. There is so much in his resume that one should continue to fareed.com/ about to see more. Voted ‘Best World Guitarist’ by Guitar Player Magazine in 2009, His acclaimed 2009 release Flat Planet was twice #1 on the World Jazz Radio charts. After 10 years of over 200 dates a year with Garaj Mahal, Haque’s interest in electronic music and the Moog Guitar spurred him to leave Garaj Mahal and form his latest group Fareed Haque’s MathGames featuring bassist Alex Austin, drummer Greg Fundis, keyboardist Jesse Clayton and other guests.