Prashant Samlal (1996) is a Dutch jazz guitarist, composer, and recording artist. With a strong musical personality and artistic vision he continually explores what it means to him to be a ‘Jazz musician’ today. By writing his own music and working with many different artists, Prashant has always been on a path of developing his own distinct personal voice on the guitar in terms of virtuosity and sound.
In 2018 Prashant graduated with honors from the HKU Conservatory in Utrecht, and won the national jazz prize ‘Conservatory Talent Award’. Since then he has been active as both a bandleader and sideman among the ‘new generation’ Contemporary Jazz-scene in the Netherlands. Establishing long-time collaborations and friendships with various artists such as; Thirza Athalja, Linde Tillmanns, Roosmarijn, Jens Meijer’s Ezthetic, Benjamin Herman, Alexander, Géonne Hartman, William Smith Quartet, Murat Ali Cengiz and many more.
Through the years he performed on various renowned stages (national and international) such as Tivoli Vredenburg, So Whats Next Festival, Malta Jazz Festival, Oranjewoud Festival, Jazz in Duketown, Paradox Tilburg. The Prashant Samlal Quartet also got a feature in 2018 on the national tv show ‘VPRO Vrije Geluiden’.
As a bandleader Prashant now has released 2 full-length albums and 1 EP. These records feature music by the Prashant Samlal Quartet, his Solo Guitar Project and other formations. The Quartet is a group that explores Prashant’s personal vision of jazz and modern music through melodic compositions, a harmonically rich band sound and dynamic interplay between the members. This band features Roel Hazendonk (piano/keys), Freek Mulder (bass) and Mees Siderius (drums).
Discography as a bandleader;
Here and Now (2019). Full-length debut album featuring the Prashant Samlal Quartet.
Intertwined EP (2020). A solo guitar EP created during he first corona-pandemic.
Visitors (2022). Prashant’s second Full-length Album featuring the Prashant Samlal Quartet, Solo guitar and guest artists; Fenne Scholte (vocals) and Daniël Clason (trumpet). This album was released on ZenneZ Records.