Thanks to Lars, I am aware that Indrajit will be playing here Friday night. I will have full venue info tomorrow in case anyone (Stephen?) is close enough to make the trip.
Anybody know if Indrajit will be coming to south jersey or the Philadelphia area any time soon? And does he have a web site? What is it?
Jeffrey R King
Jeff;
I don't believe he's heading your way this year. Got a few more concerts in the south and northwest later on, then back to India. I don't think he has his own website (yet), but has his info and schedules on Lar's site.
I atteneded Indrajit's concert in Cincinnati this past Friday night. The concert was free (donation requested) and I was lucky enough to get one of the front row center seats. Being somewhat new to the sitar world, I had not previously heard this man play. I was absolutely blown away! Indrajit and Gouri Sankar (tabla) played for close to three hours. I would have gladly stayed and listened all night. The people sitting around me expressed similar feelings about the music. Little though I am qualified to comment on their playing, I will offer my opinion that it was virtuosic, exciting, uplifting, fresh, occasionally humorous and, of course, wonderfully musical. In addition to having a great evening, I learned that the Hindu Temple of Cincinnati (venue for this concert) will be having an ICM concert each month. Had I not gone Friday evening, I would have been completely unaware that this concert series was going on 20 minutes from where I live. Makes me wonder if there is similarly under-publicized ICM activity where some of you other forumites live. May be worth some detective work on your part! And by the way, many thanks to Lars for letting me know this concert was going to happen!
Yes, I just found out theres a hindu temple about 15 minutes from my house and they also hold concerts. I talked to someone there over the phone and he said they give vocal and dance lessons. I asked about sitar lessons but thats nowhere in the near future :-\
I suppose if I take some vocal lessons that should help me along with my sitar playing.
Jeffrey R King
Glad you enjoyed it Bob. I just don't know how the two of them can keep that high an energy level for 3 straight hours. Now you know why I drive 800 miles in two days just to sit at Indrajit's feet and learn! Makes me wonder why how many virtuosos there are out there that are overshadowed by the "big names". I totally expect Indrajit to be well known one day, and both Lars and I will be active in helping that happen. And Gouri is just a great guy in addition to being a tabla virtuoso himself. Makes it look so effortless! You know, if there isn't much action in a local area, sometimes you have to be the match that starts the fire. Looks like I'll have to be the one in my town as this place appears to be culturally kapoot!
Bob (Sep 01, 2003 12:56 p.m.):
The concert was free (donation requested)
BOB! im not after you here, You just reminded me of something i experiensed earlyer this year. .
My teacher had an exhibition of many of his ICM instruments in my hometown Bergen early this year. He transported 25 very fragile and some extreamly old and rare instruments from Italy to Norway (thats a loong way). The exhibition had a donation based entery fee. After one week he opend the donation box only to find 50-60 USD. Then He had spent allmost full days at this place, beeing there to answer any given question and playing conserts. People atended, came in and got a rear chanse to have visual contact with some really exotic jewls, and to hear many of them beeing played. Then they went on with out dropping a cent in the donation box.
Free is really nice, but if one enjoys then one gives, even if all there is to give is a cent, if there is no cent to give, well than there is nothing else to do but enjoy. .
He will be back next year (i really hope so, i need my lessons), but i dont think he will bring his "friends"
Hey Bob,
Interstate was closed for about 3 hours, right around the time for us to leave for the show, too late to find an alternate route and be on time. This Saturday, Hariprasad Chaurasia at UK in Lexington, KY and on the 19th, Shiv Kumar Sharma in Cincy. Keep me posted of Cincy events.
Hey Jeff,
For Philly/NJ/NY area shows, try this website:
http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~aminer/concerts.html. I'll be living there in a few months, so we'll have to hook up for some of these offerings.
Hey Stephan, I couldnt open the page for some reason, can you e-mail it to me? Check out my profile for the address.
And yeah, lets hook up when you move to my area.
How long you been playing?
Jeffrey R King
Jeff,
If you go to Allyn Miner's page at University of Pennsylvania (She's the one that wrote the Sitar history 18th/19th centuries, good read). There is a link to it all.
Do you ever listen to the ICM show on Saturday mornings out of Trenton?
Stephan,
Yeah I listen usally when I can catch it. Thats "WPRB" 103.3 out of Princeton though not Trenton.
The only thing coming out of Trenton is more taxes. :-\
But lately they seem to be playing only Indian pop music not much ICM for some reason.
Jeffrey R King
Jan - Haven't been to the forum for a few days as I've been out town, but I have to say that I agree with you that it's a good thing to support the musical arts financially if one can. Great music doesn't always generate great money and, as it has been for centurires, generous patronage plays a critical role in the arts. For the record, I did leave some paper bills in the can at the door and also bought Indrajit's CD that was on sale there. (Got the last one!)
Bob, i know. its like people playing on the street, its free if you want it to be, and you can give some coins if you feel like it. Usually i give a little to people playing on the street, or i have my kids give them some. Mostly im just passing them on the street when this happens, and i rearly stop to listen unless its something special. Its different with a consert, if people are comming in and are sitting there for some time enjoying music. .
