“My gurus...were all liberal thinkers and avid collectors of knowledge. They believed in learning from as many sources as possible and I think it is their eclecticism that influenced me as well as their other students.” (Shubha Mudgal)
Shubha Mudgal sings a distinct brand of of khayal. Born in Allahabad to two Professors of English Literature, her versatile style is the result of study with a wide range of gurus - notably Ramashreya Jha ‘Ramrang’, Vinaya Chandra Maudgalya, Vasant Thakar, Jitendra Abhisheki, Kumar Gandharva, and Naina Devi. Her markedly individual style fuses ideas from across North India, with long sustained notes balancing acrobatic melodising. She is known for her detailed lyrical study too, regularly singing poems by Sufi saints and medieval mystics, and has made brief but successful forays into pop music.
Renowned for a strong social conscience, Shubha is one of the most prominent advocates for improving the treatment of women in Indian classical music. She has supported various radical movements who push for a more equitable distribution of power and resources in Indian society. She has also served on various national education committees, and runs Underscore Records with her tabla-playing husband Aneesh Pradhan, aiming to give Indian artists control of their own catalogue.
An impromptu sitting of Debasmita Bhattacharya is accompanied by two of India's finest percussionist, Patri Satish Kumar and Ghatam Udupa. In their first sitting together, Debasmita performs Raag Jog from the Kafi thaat which is usually performed between 9pm and 12 midnight.
Debasmita Bhattacha...
He plays two beautiful compositions, the first one is a dhun in Mishra Piloo set to a serene, madhyalay 7-beat cycle in Rupak taal and the second, a famous drut gat in Raag Piloo spread over a 16-beat cycle.
Khan forays amply into the interiors of this hybrid raga with expansive vistaar and tau...
Raag Marwa, Thaat: Marwa, Samay: sunset
Raag Basant (seasonal raga), Thaat: Poorvi, Samay: anytime during spring
A section of the Darbar Festival in 2011 had honoured the guru-shishya parampara as a tradition. This Director’s Cut features one of those recitals where a young and promising vocalis...
