Playlist

Darbar Festival’s artistic director Sandeep Virdee and director Kulbir Natt give us their recommended playlist from artists at the Darbar Festival 2010.

01. Anindo Chatterjee - Pandit Anindo Chatterjee - Live At Darbar Festival (Sense World Music)

Pandit Anindo Chatterjee is a one of the outstanding tabla players of today. The power and speed combined with the total clarity and sweetness of his playing is testament to a lifetime of devotion through years of dedicated practice. His vast knowledge of repertoire and ability to improvise in all styles of tabla playing make him an invaluable asset to Indian music and a reference for its scholars.

Pandit Anindo Chatterjee

02. Shiv Kumar Sharma - Maestro's Choice, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma (Music Today)

Since his first public performance in Bombay in 1955, Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma has single-handedly elevated the Santoor from its regional folk music associations into an established classical music instrument of international acclaim. His contribution to modern Indian music is incalculable, composing music for some of India's most popular films. Over the years, his collaborations with masters like Hariprasad Chaurasia and Zakir Hussain have provided memorable moments for Indian music connoisseurs. Rahul Sharma continues the work of his father and teacher Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma in keeping the ancient santoor tradition alive.

Pt Shiv kumar Sharma & Rahul Sharma - Santoor Duet

03. Veena Sahasrabuddhe - Sawani (Navras)

Veena Sahasrabuddhe is one the most critically acclaimed vocalists from the North Indian Hindustani tradition. Winner of several prestigious awards, Veena’s khayals and bhajans are based on the Gwalior gharana or school of music but she also borrows from elsewhere.

Veena Sahasrabuddhe

04. Dhruba Ghosh - Raga Komal Rishab Asavari/Jogiya (India Archive)

Born into a musical family, Dhruba Ghosh grew up in a home often visited by legendary musicians. They included Ustad Amir Khan (vocal), Pandit Ravi Shankar (sitar), Ustad Ali Akbar Khan (sarod) and Nikhil Banerjee (Sitar), and others of that generation. Steeped in a formal and informal learning environment, his sarangi playing blooms with innovative melodies.

Ghosh Family Jugalbandi - Rageshree

05. Ranjani and Gayatri - Un Thiruvadi Charanam (Rajalakshmi Audio)

Ranjani and Gayatri are foremost among the leading Carnatic musicians of today. They are the rarest of artists who have achieved enduring success in both vocal and violin, with powerful voice control and an uncompromising adherence to tradition and classicism. More than this, it is the sisters' capacity to deeply experience and enjoy what they sing that takes their music to a different plane.

Ranjani-Gayatri - Viruttam

06. Sunil Kant Gupta - Tulsi ke Ram Meera ke Shyam (Times Music)

Sunil Kant Gupta plays this simple bamboo flute with strength, dexterity and serenity. As he has matured, he has innovated and added layers of expression.

Flute Recital by Pandit Sunil Kant Gupta-Raga Maru Bihag Drut Teental

07. Gundecha Brothers - Raga Bageshwari (Sundaram Records)

Dhrupad is India’s oldest surviving style of music. Today, Umakant and Ramakant Gundecha are leading exponents of this ancient style. They are among the most active young performers of Dhrupad in Indian and international circuits. After the Dagar Brothers, it is the Gundecha Brothers who have brought Dhrupad to the forefront on the concert platform.

Gundencha Brothers

08. Soumik Datta - Songs for a global journey (Samay)

Trained by the legendary Sarod maestro Pandit Buddhadev Das Gupta, Soumik Datta plays his Sarod with an elegant, poignant style of his own. He is recognised as a major young British talent within the Indian classical music world. His solo performances and collaborations have won him several awards globally.

Soumik Datta (Sarod) and Gurdain Rayatt (Tabla)

09. Rajhesh Vaidhya - Pancharathana Krithis (Kosmic Music)

Rajhesh Vaidhya is not only a renowned musician in India, his fame and popularity extends worldwide. He plays the traditional veena, which he has adapted with amplified strings, with a rare innovation that moves it beyond the classical realm.

Rajhesh Vaidhya

10. Kushal Das - Raga: Bilaskhani Todi & Sohini (Ocora Radio France)

Kushal Das is one of the most accomplished sitar players of his generation. He plays the instruments with grace and serenity, without big bang effects, to produce a sound that is rooted in Indian classicism.

Sitar performance Kushal Das