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Transpacific Sound Paradise
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Indian slide guitar visionary Debashish Bhattacharya + Chhandayan - Indian music in NYC

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Slide guitar has been a part of Indian music since the 1930s when Hawaiian player Tau Moe took the country by storm (although contrary to some of our on-air comments, the very first exposure of the instrument in India may have come a few years earlier). But North Indian classical slide guitarist extraordinaire Debashish Bhattacharya, considered one of the country's foremost instrumentalists of any kind, has taken the music to new levels. He has invented his own instruments - what he calls the "Guitar Trinity" - to realize his musical visions: The Chaturangui, a 22-string hollow neck guitar, the 14-string Gandharvi, and the Anandi, a 4-string slide ukulele. He's extended the musical language by collaborating with a range of fellow global guitar renegades from Okinawa to Hawaii. And he shares the love: He's written the first-ever guide to Indian classical guitar technique and runs a music school in Calcutta, his home town.

Debashish and his accompanist / brother Subhashis (tabla) stopped by on their way 
to join several other Indian classical luminaries at New York's annual Chhandayan NYC All Night Concert of Indian Classical Music which took place May 10-11 at Synod Hall at the Cathedral of 
St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan.

Debashish also has a brilliant new cd, Calcutta Chronicles on Riverboat Records; he'll introduce a few of the tracks tonight.

This page has information about, plus an image of the instrument Debashish played on this show, the 22 string Chaturangui, largest of his "Trinity of Guitars", from the manufacturer's site:

http://www.tridebinternationalguitar.com/productrange.htm

Also joining us earlier in the show: Samir Chatterjee of Chhandayan (http://www.tabla.org), producer of, and participant in the all-night concert. Samir is a major booster of Indian classical music in the New York metro area and elsewhere in North America. And he'll soon embark on a new mission to teach and support South Asian classical music in Afghanistan.

Special Thanks:

Glenn Luttman, our illustrious engineer, of Fly Ashtray fame.

Jake Aron, our spry young assistant engineer still in the early stages of his own very promising musical career.

Steve Krinsky, venerable FMU DJ and sometime fill-in for Rob, catalyst for this show.

Ken Wessel our transportation angel. Kenny is himself a wonderful guitarist, leading his own projects and playing with Adam Rudolph’s multi-culti ensemble Moving Pictures among others. In fact he’ll be performing with Rudolph’s group at Drom, 85 Avenue A in Manhattan on Friday, June 13. Check out Ken’s site for gig and cd info: http://www.kenwessel.com.

This Week's Playlist:

(* = new)

Debashish Bhattacharya and Bob Brozman: Konkani Memories / Mahima / Riverboat

Samir Chatterjee: Interview

Pandit Jasraj: Raga Adana "Mata Kalika" / The Spiritual Journey / Times Music India

Debashish Bhattacharya and Bob Brozman: Digi Digi Dom Dom / Mahima / Riverboat
Sutapha Bhattacharya, vocals

Debashish Bhattacharya: Sufi Bhakti / Calcutta Chronicles: Indian Slide Guitar Odyssey / Riverboat / *

Debashish Bhattacharya: Gypsy Anandi / Calcutta Chronicles: Indian Slide Guitar Odyssey / Riverboat / *

Debashish Bhattacharya: Live at WFMU - demonstration

Debashish Bhattacharya: Live at WFMU
With Subhashis Bhattacharya, tabla

Debashish Bhattacharya: Ganga Kinare / Calcutta Chronicles: Indian Slide Guitar Odyssey / Riverboat / *

Debashish Bhattacharya: Maya / Calcutta Chronicles: Indian Slide Guitar Odyssey / Riverboat / *

Debashish Bhattacharya: Live at WFMU
With Subhashis Bhattacharya, tabla

Debashish Bhattacharya: Live at WFMU
With Subhashis Bhattacharya, tabla. From a Ravi Shankar composition.

Debashish Bhattacharya: Amrit Anand / Calcutta Chronicles: Indian Slide Guitar Odyssey / Riverboat / *

Sunil Ganguly: Ajhoon Na Aye / Various Artists: Bollywood Steel Guitar / Sublime Frequencies / *

Kazi Aniruddha: Piya Tu Ab To Aja / Various Artists: Bollywood Steel Guitar / Sublime Frequencies / *

Kazi Aniruddha: Mafe Karo / Various Artists: Bollywood Steel Guitar / Sublime Frequencies / *

P.M.: Kack Toi Mor / Various Artists: Shadow Music of Thailand / Sublime Frequencies / *
Pong Lang xylophone is prominent

Bongos Ikwue and the Groovies: You've Gotta Help Yourself / Various Artists: Nigeria DIsco Funk Special / Soundway / *

Orchestre Regional De Kayes: Terena / The Best of the First Biennale of Arts and Culture for the Young / Barenreiter / *
New reissue

Les Amazones de Guinee: Kania / Wamato / Sterns / *

Eddie Palmieri: Que Suene La Orquesta / Mozambique / Fania / *
New reissue

Ray Barretto: Little Ting / The Other Road / Fania / *
New reissue

Pistolera: Algo Pa Que Te Olvides / Live on WFMU
From the band's performance on Transpacific Sound Paradise, December 16, 2006.

Ngqoko Women's Ensemble: Nondel' Ekhaya (1) / South Africa Xhosa Women's Songs / Gallo

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