Rhythm Riders Music - India

Music Monday with a Maestro 7: Rela by Pt Swapan Chaudhuri

Rhythm Riders Music Productions — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 12:32:00 +0000

We have heard tabla in all of the Music Mondays, but not as the main instrument. Today’s Music Monday faetures tabla as main instrument rather than the accompanying instrument.

This video is of one the best tabla players in the world today – Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, who is fondly knwon as Swapanda. When I saw this rela, all I could say was Kya Baat!

I hope this is an inspiration to tabla players out there.

Music Monday with a Maestro #6: Pt Arjun Mishra

Rhythm Riders Music Productions — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 12:11:27 +0000

In hindi, the word sangeet encompasses both music and dance. When the term shastriya sangeet is translated to Indian classical music, the translation is not 100% correct.

The Music Monday series has a focus on shastriya sangeet so I am considering the Indian meaning of the term and sharing a classical dance video today.

This video is of Pandit Arjun Mishra. When I first saw this video, I was thoroughly impressed with his power and control. His chakars are outstanding and his footwork controlled and precise. There are many stories of his dedication to Kathak and how he would practice through the night to master compositions given to him that day. You can see his mastery in this video.

Music Monday with a Maestro #5: Rare Sarod Duet

Rhythm Riders Music Productions — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 06:44:07 +0000

Today’s music monday features a rare duet performance by Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Ustad Dyanesh Khan. Khansaheb has left behind a wonderful legacy and was a great ambassador of Indian classical music to the world. Countless artists discovered the beauty of Indian classical music through his music, work and school. This video is beautiful duet performance that I think you will all enjoy. Raga is Chandranandan.

The video features a young Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri on tabla.

Music Mondays with a Maestro 3: Kaushiki Desikan

Rhythm Riders Music Productions — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 14:22:53 +0000

I move from the legends of Indian classical music to one of the most powerful vocalists of the new generation of India today – Kaushiki [Chakrabarty] Desikan, the daughter of Pt. Ajoy Chakrabarty.

Kaushiki has made her music her own. Armed with a rigourous taalim and immense talent, she has carved her own niche and style, creating her own identity as a musician. She sings effortlessly, which only adds beauty to her music. In this video, she has rendered a song that was made iconic by Shreemati Shobha Gurtu. She has re-interpreted the bandish, given some beautiful taans and sung it in her own style, which in itself is praise worthy considering how closely it is associated with Shobha Gurtu.

She is a vocalist that I would recommend everyone hear live when the opportunity presents itself.

Enjoy!

Pandit Divyang Vakil

Talavya taking Surat by Storm

Rhythm Riders Music Productions — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 03:54:38 +0000

From January 28 to 30th, Suratis saw the first edition of its classical music festival called Surotsav. It featured a stellar line-up including Ustad Rashid Khan, Ustad Zakir Hussain and more. The only Gujarati artists featured was our very own Talavya (formerly known as Tabla Ecstasy) composed by Pandit Divyang Vakil. The group performed before Pandit Birju Maharaj and his group. Given the news that shook the classical music community only days earlier, the festival was in honour of late Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and it was a wonderful way for Rhythm Riders to pay tribute to this legend.

Talavya (comprised of Rushi Vakil, Kaumil Shah, Sahil Patel and Rahul Shrimali with accompaniment on saarangi by Ilyas Khan) could not have asked for a better reception. The audience of over 2000 showered them with love and affection during and at the conclusion of the performance. A highlight of the night was when Pandit Birju Maharaj personally met with the artists to express his appreciation for the composition and talent of the artists.

Thank you Surat for a great night and we hope to see you soon!

Talavya (formerly Tabla Ecstasy) in Surat at Surotsav

Music Monday in honor of Pt. Bhimsen Joshi

Rhythm Riders Music Productions — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 16:05:47 +0000

Today, the legendary Pt. Bhimsen Joshi passed away and it goes without saying that our Music Monday with a Maestro would be in his honour.

In the words of Pandit Divyang Vakil:

Pandit Bhimsen Joshi was my hero. I have heard some of the most divine singing from him, especially his Todi, Darbari, Bhairavi, Maru Bihag. Only his physical body has left, he and his music are immortal. He is one of the greatest illustrations of what a Indian classical musician should be. Great performer, true human and real Pandit. Rest in Peace.

Here is a kya baat performance by him.

Music Mondays with a Maestro #1

Rhythm Riders Music Productions — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 16:19:35 +0000

We promised lots of new activities in 2011 and are excited to share our first new endeavour: Music Mondays with a Maestro.

Every Monday, Rhythm Riders’ director Tabla Guru Pandit Divyang Vakil will be sharing an audio/video link that he particularly enjoys. Its a great way for listeners (new and old) of Indian music to hear music curated by a maestro.

We begin the series with the legendary late Pt. Nikhil Bannerjee. The youtube video is an old recording of the maestro playing Raag Jogiya with accompaniment by a young Pt. Anindo Chatterjee on tabla.

We’d love to hear your thoughts and have a musical Monday!

Introducing Tālavya (formerly Tabla Ecstasy)

Rhythm Riders Music Productions — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 06:49:19 +0000

Tālavya

Sanskrit word meaning taal (metre) and laya (tempo)
Pandit Divyang Vakil’s contemporary classical tabla ensemble

What began as an experiment has bloomed over ten years. Created with the intention of expanding the audience for classical tabla and sharing the joys of an instrument often sidelined, Pandit Divyang Vakil’s contemporary classical tabla work has been embraced by audiences around the world.

For the last decade, he has been carefully composing group tabla works that carry the nuances and richness of classical tabla, while being accessible to an untrained ear. Each composition has its own identity; each created with consideration of the artists’ strengths and personality, each with a different feel, but essence being the same.

Today Pandit Divyang Vakil’s contemporary classical group tabla works come together under one name – Tālavya.

Currently, Talavya is comprised of Rushi Vakil, Kaumil Shah, Sahil Patel and Rahul Shrimali. Tālavya is touring India and the world with Pandit Divyang Vakil’s acclaimed composition Tabla Ecstasy and has recently released a CD of the tabla duo composition Power of Tabla.

Tālavya (formerly Tabla Ecstasy) back in India!

Rhythm Riders Music Productions — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 20:03:23 +0000

It was a whirlwind trip. We couldn’t update the rest of our tour as it was pack, travel, perform for the next three days in the Maritimes after our Chester show. We’ll be posting retroactively now that we have our feet firmly back in India. But give us a few days to recover (and take in the statewide Navratri celebrations – we are back for the last few days). In the meantime, happy navratri!

Tālavya (formerly Tabla Ecstasy) – Atlantic Debut – Chester, NS

Rhythm Riders Music Productions — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 19:53:24 +0000

We (Talavya) had our Atlantic debut in the sweet little town of Chester, Nova Scotia. The Chester Playhouse is a sweet and intimate space and the audience filled it with love and appreciation. We were asked by many how we ended up performing in Chester, to which we say it was meant to be. We’ve been having a lovely time. We’re staying in a place overlooking the water, had rehearsal in a room that had three huge windowed walls to look out onto the ocean and have been eating fresh food from farms. Incredible people + incredible nature –> the perfect recipe for a great show.

So while people may wonder how we ended up in the little village of Chester, we say it was meant to be and are looking forward to coming back.