Fareed Haque

IN 2016, Haque was invited to perform at the Indianapolis Jazz Festival Tribute to Wes Montgomery along with Peter Bernstein, Bobby Broom, Henry Johnson, Will Mathews, Russell Malone, Pat Martino, and Dave Stryker. He was also a visiting scholar at Western Michigan University. Recent projects include artistic directorship of numerous jazz festivals, performances with Tony Monaco, Paquito D’Rivera, Vijay Iyer, pundit Vikku Vinacrayam, long-anticipated reunion concerts with Garaj Mahal, concerts in India, a return to Java Jazz, and concerts and teaching in China. In 2017, Mr. Haque released The Bridge with virtuoso Chilean bassist Christian Galvez and renowned Indian percussionist Selva Ganesh. Haque has also rekindled his duo with Goran Ivanovic. Performances include Canadian Guitar Festival, Winters Jazz Fest NYC, Lotus Music Fest, and many others. Upcoming tours in China and Europe are slated for 2018. Haque has joined drum legend Billy Cobham as a member of his Crosswinds Ensemble featuring Haque on guitars, Randy Brecker on Trumpet, and Paul Hansen on sax and bassoon. Extensive touring and recording are slated for 2019. Haque’s most recent release NEW LATIN AMERICAN MUSIC FOR GUITAR AND STRING QUARTET was picked by Howard Reich of the Chicago Tribune as one of the top releases of 2018. In addition, the release was chosen as Downbeat Magazine Editor’s Pick in 2018. 2019 portends to be a busy year, as Haque has retired from 30 years at Northern Illinois University to accommodate extended tours with Cobham, Goran Ivanovic, and his own groups. Highlights to include The Montreux Jazz Festival with Cobham, and appearances with his own groups at The Bluenote Beijing, Louisville, and Minneapolis Guitar Festivals among others. New recordings with his own group and with Goran Ivanovic are scheduled for 2019, under the legendary Delmark Label.

Born in 1963 to a Pakistani father and Chilean mother, Fareed’s extensive travels and especially long stays in Spain, France, Iran, Pakistan, and Chile exposed Haque to different kinds of music from a very early age. While this natural eclecticism has become a hallmark of Haque’s music, it was repeated visits to Von Freeman’s Chicago jam sessions that gave Haque a grounding in the Chicago blues and jazz traditions. 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 David Fink.