JA Jayanth ‘Flute’

Carnatic Bansuri Flute

JA Jayanth ‘Flute’

3 minute read

JA Jayanth ‘Flute’ has fully earned his nickname. As a child his grandmother VS Sundar gave him a grounding in Carnatic vocal music, and his grandfather TS Sankaran (‘a man above caste, creed, and race, who was always willing to teach the poor’) instructed him in the bamboo flute. He soon became one of the youngest artists to receive an All India Radio ‘A’ grading.

Renowned for his mastery at playing ragam-tanam-pallavi at all variety of speeds, Jayanth cites musical greats of the North and South as influences – Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, N. Balasubramanian, and Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer. Over the years he has developed his own techniques, allowing him to play deep-bass flutes with ease. He won Carnatic Idol in 2007, and is constantly reaching new musical heights.

“Jayanth approached every phrase with the wonder of a child on the threshold of discovery”
The Hindu newspaper

JA Jayanath Flute plays Raga Sindhu Bhairavi in the Mahabalipuram Tiger Cave, Tamil Nadu, in 2017.

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Pandit Rupak Kulkarni & Ojas Adhiya | Raag Jog

Recorded at Darbar Festival on 25 Oct 2018, at London’s Barbican Centre Musicians: - Rupak Kulkarni (bansuri) - Ojas Adhiya (tabla) Raag Jog; Thaat: Kafi; Samay: Night “The bansuri is just a simple piece of bamboo. But it brings many benefits, not only for your ears but for your entire body and soul. To play it is to meditate.” (Rupak Kulkarni) Rupak Kulkarni is one of today’s finest bansuri exponents. Essentially just a tube of bamboo with holes bored through it, it has no moving parts. The sound is thicker, breathier, and more versatile than the Western flute, blending long sustained tones with percussive slaps and swooping microtonal inflections. Rupak was the star disciple of Hariprasad Chaurasia, and has since sought to expand his guru’s pioneering approach. Rupak has created new ragas and even new flutes, including the bass-toned ‘adbhut bansuri’ [flute of wonder], and takes a deep interest in the therapeutic use of Indian music. Ojas Adhiya combines extraordinary technical aptitude with a vast knowledge base, playing with a maturity that belies his years. Born in a small Maharashtra village, he was drawn to the tabla from infancy, experimenting with the instrument at the age of two. He taught himself keherwa taal soon afterwards, shocking his father when he first overheard him. Soon after he was listed in the Limca book of records as India’s youngest tabla artist, having debuted at the age of four. He began to accompany his parents, spiritual gurus, in their ceremonies. Aged five the family moved to Mumbai so he could study classical tabla with Shri Mridangraj of the Ajrada gharana. During his time as a student he also delved into jazz, ghazals, and Carnatic rhythm, and advises young players to play everything they hear. He combines exuberance with restraint, citing the influence of modern stars such as Zakir Hussain, Swapan Chaudhary, Kumar Bose, and Anindo Chatterjee. Today he accompanies top artists and is firmly establishing himself as an exciting solo performer. They are playing Raag Jog, which seeks to conjure a ‘state of enchantment’. It is a popular raga with a finely balanced mix of major and minor phrases, loved among Western listeners due to its almost bluesy tension. Subscribe to the Darbar Player to access the full, uncut performance.