Phil Scarff

Phil Scarff is a pioneering soprano saxophonist who has established the instrument within the framework of North Indian classical music. His Hindustani training began in Pune under Pt. Shreeram Devasthali, Pt. Suryakant Khaladkar, and shehnai maestro Pt. Shyamrao Lonkar, and continued in the United States under sitarist Peter Row and vocalists Kalpana Mazumdar and Warren Senders. This grounding allowed him to adapt raga, ornamentation, and phrasing to the saxophone in an authentic classical voice.

In India, Phil has performed at Nehru Centre, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Dadar–Matunga Cultural Centre in Mumbai, Saptak School of Music in Ahmedabad, Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture in Kolkata, ICCR Theatre and India Habitat Centre in Delhi, Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur, and the Pt. Chatur Lal Festival. His performance at the Tansen Sangeet Samaroh in Gwalior with Saskia Rao de Haas was widely acclaimed.

Internationally, he has appeared at LearnQuest Festival in Boston, Raaga in the USA, Dhvani in Ohio, Sangeet Mahotsav in New York, Rocky Mountain Thyagaraja Utsav, and many other platforms. Phil has collaborated with leading Indian musicians, including Ronu Majumdar, Shashank, Kadri Gopalnath, Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman, Trichy Sankaran, and Chitravina Ravikiran.

Alongside classical work, Phil is a master jazz saxophonist, leading ensembles such as Natraj and the Lewis Porter–Phil Scarff Group, and performing at events like JazzYatra in India, PANAFEST in Ghana, and the Boston Globe Jazz Festival. He appears on over forty-five recordings and has received awards from cultural institutions in India and the United States.

Phil Scarff’s career represents a sustained dialogue between Indian classical music and global improvisation, placing the soprano saxophone within the raga tradition while maintaining its own identity.