IMSOM Concert: Pandit Kushal Das on Sitar

Pandit Kushal Das

Kushal Das, was born to a highly enriched musical family of Kolkata. His grandfather Late Shri Bimal Ch. Das was a renowned Esraj player and his father and uncle are both sitarists of high repute. His father Shri Sailen Das is a disciple of Pt. Lakshman Bhattacharya. Later he became a disciple of Pt. Ravi Shankar. His uncle Shri Santanu Das is a disciple of Late Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.

Kushal started his talim from the age of five under the guidance of his uncle and father. Later He received intensive and rigorous training in advanced sitar techniques and the art of creating music under the affectionate guidance of Prof. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay, a renowned sitar maestro and academician. Kushal is also proud for having the privilege of learning from great musicians like Late Pt. Ajoy Sinha Roy, Vocal lessons from Pt. Manas Chakraborty (Kotali Gharana) and Late Pt. Ramkrishna Basu.

With a profound knowledge of music and raga improvisation Kushal is now considered to be one of the foremost torchbearers of the tradition of Indian Classical Instrumental Music. The critics and connoisseurs have acknowledged him as a worthy successor of his idol, the legendary maestro Late Pt. Nikhil Banerjee. His concerts are always marked for their aesthetic appeal and insight with a fine command of technical expertise. With maturity as his forte Kushal has the predominant virtues of Indian heritage and music. An “A” grade musician of All India Radio and Television, he is a recipient of Sangeet Visharad from Pracheen Kala Kendra of Chandigarh and Suramani from Sur Singar Samsad of Mumbai.

Kushal has participated in most of the major concert festivals in India. His tours abroad since 1987 which included United States of America, Canada, England, Scotland, Germany, France, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland and Bangladesh were marked with outstanding success and audience appreciation.

Youtube links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt_8Al1A9Dc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb4GwgGomao
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEdjxPs8mUo

Pandit Kumar Bose

A personality of international repute, Pandit Kumar Bose was born in a God-gifted musical family of Calcutta (West Bengal). While his father Pandit Biswanath Bose was a distinguished tabla "Nawaz" of Benaras Gharana that he mastered under the stewardship of its legendary exponent Pandit Kanthe Maharaj, his mother Srimati Bharati Bose is the disciple of great Ustad Dabir Khan (Bincar) & Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. Pandit Kumar Bose was initiated in tabla by his father. After his father's untimely demise, he came under the tutelage of Pandit Kishen Maharaj, the living legend of Benaras Gharana. The superiority of Pandit Bose's genius is his ability to evolve a distinctive style of his own without diluting the purity of tradition in which psyche the audience becomes captive. This is most evident in his negotiations with the "Bnaya" (Bass Drum). His performance, as it is told is as pleasing as a 'raga' or melodious song. He is as much facile in accompaniment with music (vocal & instrumental) & dances as in Solos - which is why he is sought after, both at home and abroad, by the entire community of Top Grade celebrity artists.

This successful and keen Tabla Mæstro has the rare distinction of highly appreciated performance with Zubin Mehta's Philharmonic orchestra besides several symphony orchestras conducted by Pt. Ravi Shankar, Yehudi Menhuin, Arnovich in England, Italy, China etc. Dynamically he performs in different kinds of Music of the world like Jazz, Pop, Rock etc. His duet with Prof. Semurani (Thumba player) of Iran was a big hit in the International Seminar, 1974 at Holland. It's also remarkable that inspite of a part of an orchestra he got a lot of unbounded fountain-love from the distinguished audience like India Festival Moscow (1988) and many others.

The respected Drum-specialist can drum Sri-khole, Pakhwaj, Dholak, Nal, Banga-Kanga etc. He was the Asstt. Music Director of Mrinal Sen's globally acclaimed film "GENESIS" with the music director Pt. Ravi Shankar.