INDIAN MUSIC FORUM ARCHIVES: Tabla Forum: Anindojee's concert !

Saturday's concert by Anindojee was one of the best performances I have ever been to.The concert was organized by chakardar.com and I have to say, it was a very well planed and orginized event in all aspects. It was a small venue and as we all know, the combination of small venues and Indian music always translate into a more intimate relationship between the musician and the audience. Even Anindojee said that he felt as if he was in calcuta. The atmosphere was electrifying and inspiring. Anindojee played a rupak tal for the first half-he was acompanied by Pt Ramesh Misra on sarangi. In the second half, Anindojee played a tintal piece with a number of great compositions by great masters of the past. He would recite some of the compositions and play them at speeds and clarity which we, aspiring tabla players can only dream of! The concert was a great sucess and I think everyone we was there would agree with me. Also would like to mention the young sikh man who played before Pt Anindo chaterjee. A very promising young man with a lot to look for as a tabla player. Good quality right hand sounds, a very promising bayan and fast dhere dheres showed that this young man will have a bright future as one of top tabla players in the UK.

Next day Anindojee and Bikram Gosh gave a workshop which was attended by a large number of students. The workshop was very informal and it was an amazing oportunity for us mere mortals to meet 'The Man' himself. Anindojee was very friendly and showed why he is considered to be one of the greatest players and masters of our generation. The workshop was so good that it lasted two hours more than it was supposed to last. Everyone was really excited, autographs were given and I even managed to get my picture with Anindojee taken(but I forgot to switch the flash on and just pray that something comes out of those pictures). It ended by Anindojee and Bikram Gosh playing a Peshkar together and believe me, the blissful sensation created by that closenes of both players and students was so great that I have made up my mind that I will not be a mediocre player but will do all I can to become a quality player as I see in all those great ones! . .that probably translates in having to go and live in Idia for at least a year and live a life of pure tabla sometimes withn the next four to five years. .

Well, I can't wait for the next event coming up-be it next year. They say they have plans to bring Pt Kumar Bose which I will be very eager to see and meet. Lets hope it wil happen soon.