Tags:
Journalism of Courage
One of the earliest Indian classical music albums I was exposed to was Darbari Kanada by legendary sitarist Ustad Vilayat Khan. My father,Pandit Shankar Ghosh,was on the tabla. I still have the same LP record in my collection but had to buy a CD version since I no longer have a turntable that works. There are many reasons why this album is one of the greatest classics. First,this is quintessentially Vilayat Khan sahab crystal clear sound and the famous lightning-speed taans that Khan sahab was known for. The sense is of a kings durbar and you can easily shut your eyes and move to a time hundreds of years back.
The more important aspect,for me,was my father on the tabla. Rarely does one hear such a crisp hand,such clarity of bol and such sensitivity of accompaniment. The uthaan or opening piece on the tabla is a tukra a short pre-composed piece which is almost never performed at the beginning; my father started this trend. Then the tabla settles into this marvellous sitarkhani theka which even today is one of the grooviest pieces of tabla I have heard.
As a child,I was unable to fully analyse the depth of this piece,but I was attracted to it instinctively. Today,I realise I had every reason to be so enamoured. I am grateful to the two masters for inspiring me thus towards a lifetime in music.
