SPOTLIGHT

ABHANG GOES GLOBAL

National Award-winning vocalist Mahesh Kale’s international tour with Abhangwari is a celebration of abhangs, soul-stirring devotional songs dedicated to Lord Vitthal from Maharashtra, India.

Mahesh Kale, the San Francisco-based National Award-winning vocalist, has been a driving force in bringing Indian classical and devotional music to the global stage.

Despite holding a double master’s degree in engineering and securing a lucrative job in the heart of Silicon Valley, he made the bold decision to leave his career behind and fully dedicate himself to his passion of spreading Indian classical music worldwide.

This year, Kale embarks on an exciting international tour with Abhangwari, a celebration of abhangs (soul-stirring devotional songs dedicated to Lord Vitthal from Maharashtra, India).

The journey began in Europe on March 22, 2025, with performances in Berlin, Munich, Zurich, Amsterdam, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, and Stockholm. In May and June, he brings Abhangwari to North America, with shows in the United States – Houston, San Antonio, New Jersey, Atlanta, Chicago, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Los Angeles – and Edmonton (May 10), Toronto (May 11), Victoria (May 22), Calgary (May 24), and Vancouver May 25) in Canada. The tour continues in India through June and July, with concerts in Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Indore, Baroda, Surat, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.

Kale won the 63rd National Film Award in India for Best Playback Singer for the song Aruni Kirani in the Marathi film Katyar Kaljat Ghusli. He also received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the India Independence Day parade and celebrations at San Jose, California, from Sikar Reddy, the Consul General of India.

He has been a prominent figure at the Stanford Jazz Festival. Along with ace saxophonist George Brooks, he has curated the Indian Jazz Journey – a captivating fusion of Indian classical music and jazz that has become one of the highlights of the festival.

Trained under the Gurukul system, under the legendary Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki, Kale is renowned for his mastery of various forms of Indian music, including Hindustani classical, semi-classical, devotional music, and Natya Sangeet. With the aim of preserving and promoting Indian classical music, he has also started the Mahesh Kale School of Music in San Francisco, which serves students across 15 countries.

Kale has collaborated with a wide range of artistes, including Zakir Hussain, Stanley Jordan, Aruna Sairam, and Trilok Gurtu, et al.

Details of the shows and tickets, etc., at https://www.abhangwari.com/usa-canada.html