Fareed Haque

Biography

Fareed Haque is an American guitarist and composer renowned for his virtuosic command of both classical and jazz traditions and his deep engagement with global musical styles. Born in 1963 in the Chicago area to a Pakistani father and Chilean mother, he spent significant periods of his childhood in Spain, France, Iran, Pakistan, and Chile, experiences that immersed him early in a wide range of musical cultures and helped shape his eclectic voice on the guitar.[1][3][4][6][7] Initially a pianist, he switched to guitar around age 11 at his mother's suggestion, quickly embracing the instrument’s flexibility across classical, jazz, rock, and world music; as a teenager he regularly drove from the suburbs into Chicago to attend late‑night jazz shows, grounding himself in the city’s blues and jazz traditions.[1][2]

Haque received the Jazz Guitar Scholarship at the University of North Texas in 1981 and studied with noted jazz educator Jack Peterson before transferring to Northwestern University to focus on classical guitar with David Buch, John Holmquist, and Anne Waller.[1][2] While still a student he was active on the Chicago scene, and soon after his transfer he joined Howard Levy’s Latin‑fusion group Chevere, which led to a long association with Cuban NEA Jazz Master Paquito D’Rivera and extensive touring and recording on albums such as “Manhattan Burn,” “Celebration,” “Havana Cafe,” “Tico Tico,” “Live at the MCG,” and the award‑winning “Reunion.”[1] Through D’Rivera, Haque came to the attention of Sting, who signed him to the Pangaea label, releasing the critically acclaimed albums “Voices Rising” and “Manresa” and briefly touring with Sting at venues including the Montreux Jazz Festival and NBC’s “Michelob Presents Sunday Night.”[1] He subsequently recorded three leader albums for Blue Note Records (“Sacred Addiction,” “Opaque,” and “Déjà Vu”), performed classical recitals and concerts with ensembles such as the Vermeer Quartet and various symphonies, and became an associate professor of music at Northern Illinois University, balancing performance with a substantial teaching career.[1][2]

In the 2000s Haque expanded further into fusion and jam‑band territory, co‑founding the jam super‑group Garaj Mahal in 2001 with Kai Eckhardt, Eric Levy, and Alan Hertz and touring the United States intensively for nearly a decade, producing multiple live and studio albums including “Mondo Garaj,” “Blueberry Cave,” “w00t,” “More Mr. Nice Guy,” and “Discovery,” which showcased his work with the Moog Guitar.[1] He also joined Joe Zawinul’s Zawinul Syndicate and George Brooks’ group Summit (with Zakir Hussain and Steve Smith), premiered large‑scale works such as the “Lahara Double Concerto for Sitar/Guitar and Tabla” with the Chicago Sinfonietta in 2004 and a “Gamelan Concerto” for Fulcrum Point Ensemble in 2006, and later collaborated with drum legend Billy Cobham’s Crosswinds Ensemble.[1] Haque was voted “Most Valuable Player” at the 2002 High Sierra Music Festival and “Best World Guitarist” in Guitar Player Magazine’s 2009 readers’ poll, while his album “Flat Planet” reached #1 on the World Jazz Radio charts twice, underscoring a legacy built on technical mastery, stylistic openness, and a sustained effort to integrate South Asian, Latin American, and other global influences into contemporary jazz, fusion, and classical guitar contexts.[1][2][3][4][7]

Fun Facts

• Haque originally studied piano for two years before his mother suggested he switch to guitar because it was more portable, a change that set the course for his career.[2]
• As a teenager, he regularly drove from the Chicago suburbs into the city for jazz shows that ran from midnight until 4 a.m., often returning home around 5 a.m. with his parents’ blessing.[2]
• Haque was voted “Most Valuable Player” at the 2002 High Sierra Music Festival, a recognition emerging from the jam‑band scene rather than the traditional jazz world.[1]
• His album “Flat Planet” not only topped the World Jazz Radio charts, it reached #1 twice, highlighting the global appeal of his world‑jazz fusion sound.[1]

Associated Acts

• Garaj Mahal
• The Clinton Administration - guitar
• Kahil El’Zabar’s Experimental Band - guitar
• Juba Collective - sitar
• Juba Collective - guitar

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Jack Peterson - Jazz guitar teacher and mentor when Haque held the Jazz Guitar Scholarship at the University of North Texas (Jazz studies at North Texas (no specific recordings cited)) [circa 1981–1982]
• David Buch - Classical guitar instructor at Northwestern University, guiding Haque’s formal classical training (Undergraduate classical guitar repertoire and recitals at Northwestern) [early–mid 1980s]
• John Holmquist - Classical guitar teacher at Northwestern University (Classical guitar studies and juried performances at Northwestern) [early–mid 1980s]
• Anne Waller - Classical guitar instructor at Northwestern University, part of Haque’s core classical faculty (Classical performance coaching and recitals) [early–mid 1980s]
• Von Freeman - Elder Chicago jazz saxophonist whose jam sessions grounded Haque in Chicago blues and jazz traditions (Repeated participation in Freeman’s Chicago jam sessions) [late 1970s–early 1980s]
• Zakir Hussain - Major stylistic and musical influence from the world‑music and tabla tradition, cited among Haque’s inspirations (Collaboration in the group Summit; Haque’s Lahara Double Concerto is dedicated to Hussain) [2000s]

Key Collaborators

• Howard Levy - Bandleader of Latin‑fusion group Chevere; brought Haque into a key early professional ensemble (Performances and recordings with Chevere (Latin‑fusion projects)) [1980s–1990s]
• Paquito D’Rivera - Long‑term collaborator in Latin and jazz projects following Haque’s introduction via Howard Levy (Albums including “Manhattan Burn,” “Celebration,” “Havana Cafe,” “Tico Tico,” “Live at the MCG,” and “Reunion”) [late 1980s–1990s]
• Sting - Label head (Pangaea) and bandleader; Haque briefly toured and recorded under Sting’s imprint (Albums “Voices Rising” and “Manresa”; appearances at Montreux Jazz Festival and NBC’s “Michelob Presents Sunday Night”) [late 1980s–early 1990s]
• Joe Zawinul - Leader of the Zawinul Syndicate, where Haque played guitar in a high‑profile fusion ensemble (Touring and recordings with the Zawinul Syndicate (specific album titles not cited in sources)) [late 1990s]
• Garaj Mahal (with Kai Eckhardt, Eric Levy, Alan Hertz) - Co‑founder and guitarist in jam‑band super‑group, central to Haque’s 2000s profile (Albums “Mondo Garaj,” “Blueberry Cave,” “w00t,” “More Mr. Nice Guy,” and “Discovery,” plus three live CDs) [2001–circa 2010]
• George Brooks, Zakir Hussain, Steve Smith - Bandmates in Brooks’ group Summit, blending jazz with Indian classical influences (Performances and recordings with Summit (titles not specified in source)) [2000s]
• Chicago Sinfonietta and Ustad Zakir Hussain - Orchestra and tabla soloist for the premiere of Haque’s Lahara Double Concerto (“Lahara Double Concerto for Sitar/Guitar and Tabla” premiere at Symphony Center, Chicago) [2004]
• Fulcrum Point Ensemble - Contemporary music ensemble that commissioned and premiered Haque’s Gamelan Concerto (Classical guitar concerto (“Gamelan Concerto”) premiered at Harris Theater, Millennium Park) [2006]
• Billy Cobham (Crosswinds Ensemble) and Ernie Watts - Touring and recording collaborator in Cobham’s Crosswinds Ensemble, with Watts on saxophones (Touring and recording projects with Crosswinds Ensemble (specific album titles not provided)) [late 2010s]
• Goran Ivanovic - Fellow guitarist in a duo noted for adventurous, globally inflected guitar music (Live duo performances in Chicago and beyond) [2010s]

Artists Influenced

• Students at Northern Illinois University - As an associate professor of music, Haque has mentored numerous guitarists in jazz, classical, and world‑music approaches (Student recitals, ensembles, and coursework influenced by Haque’s hybrid stylistic approach) [1990s–present]
• Chicago jazz and fusion guitar community (collective) - Regional peers and younger players influenced by Haque’s boundary‑crossing work and presence on the Chicago scene (Impact noted through performances in Chicago clubs, festivals, and collaborations) [1980s–present]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #jazz