Composer, producer and multi instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily, who holds a masters degree in biochemistry from Arizona State University, but decided to delve into sound alchemy as a path instead. A largely self-taught musician, he has come to master the electric and double bass, guitar, banjo, accordion, flute, drums, various percussion instruments and various analog synthesizers and drum machines. Ismaily has also recorded or performed with such legendary artists as Laurie Anderson and Lou Reed, Tom Waits, Raz Mesinai (Badawi), Mark Ribot (Ceramic Dog) and many others. He has also composed regularly for dance and theater, including for Min Tanaka, the Frankfurt Ballet and the East River Commedia. Recently he composed the score for the critically acclaimed movie Frozen River, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. He was also an Artist in Residence at the Headlands Center for the Arts in San Francisco, CA in 2008. Currently based in New York , Ismaily has studied music extensively in Pakistan, India, Turkey, Mexico, Santiago, Japan, Indonesia, Morocco and Iceland. He is also the owner of the Figure8 Studios in Brooklyn, NY.

Shahzad Ismaily – New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/27/arts/music/shahzad-ismaily.html

Shahzad Ismaily and Raz Mesinai performing at UPA HQ