Purbayan Chatterjee and Mark Lettieri Unite for ‘Feathered Creatures’, a Genre-Defying Musical Journey

Indian sitar maestro Purbayan Chatterjee has teamed up with five-time Grammy-winning guitarist Mark Lettieri to release Feathered Creatures, a nine-track collaborative album that bridges Indian classical traditions with jazz-funk, rock, Americana and contemporary electronic soundscapes. Released via GroundUP Records, the album marks an ambitious cross-cultural partnership that reimagines the possibilities of global music-making.

Produced and arranged by Nakul Chugh, the record brings together Chatterjee’s deep-rooted command of raga and Carnatic rhythmic structures with Lettieri’s signature groove-driven guitar work and atmospheric textures. The result is a collection of compositions that move seamlessly between musical worlds while retaining the distinct identities of both artists.

The collaboration was sparked by Michael League, founder of Snarky Puppy, who introduced the two musicians after recognising a natural creative synergy between them during Chatterjee’s stint as a guest performer with the band. What began as an experimental recording session soon evolved into a fully realised artistic partnership.

Speaking about the project, Purbayan Chatterjee said, “This album comes from a desire to transcend the boundaries of our respective traditions. Rather than leaving those traditions behind, we sought to elevate them and discover how they could speak to contemporary audiences in new ways.”

Mark Lettieri added, “Working with Purbayan has opened up an entirely new creative direction for me. The album reflects both our musical backgrounds while creating a sound that feels fresh and unexpected.”

Across its nine tracks, Feathered Creatures explores themes of connection, spirituality, movement and transformation. Chatterjee’s sitar melodies, steeped in classical Indian traditions, intertwine with Lettieri’s richly layered guitar lines, creating a sonic landscape where geographical and stylistic boundaries disappear. The album also pays tribute to the late tabla legend Ustad Zakir Hussain through a pair of compositions that honour his enduring influence on musicians around the world.

The opening track, Rise Enshrined, draws inspiration from Raga Basant Mukhari, unfolding from a meditative ambience into a powerful groove-driven composition. Shallow Water Blackout, influenced by Raga Miyan ki Todi, captures a trance-like state of complete immersion and is accompanied by a visually striking music video that blends Indian mysticism with anime-inspired storytelling.

Elsewhere, Bridges reflects the album’s central theme of cultural exchange by bringing together Indian folk melodies and American roots music traditions, while 9000 Miles transforms the physical distance between Mumbai and Texas into an energetic jazz-funk dialogue. Tracks such as Sarod 7s, featuring guest sarod player Pratik Srivastava, and Soar further showcase the duo’s willingness to experiment with rhythm, improvisation and genre.

The title track, Feathered Creatures, serves as the album’s emotional and artistic centrepiece, bringing together the record’s recurring themes of freedom, collaboration and transcendence. Closing track ZH offers a powerful homage to Ustad Zakir Hussain, combining the emotive depth of Raga Bhairavi with driving jazz-funk and rock influences.

With Feathered Creatures, Chatterjee and Lettieri demonstrate how musical traditions from different corners of the world can converge to create something entirely new. The album is now available on major streaming platforms worldwide.