Navras

20/07/2024

MOHAMMED RAFI ~ (24 DEC 1924 ~ 31 JULY 1980)

BIRTH CENTENARY ~ EPISODE 7

“Madhuban Mein Radhika Nache Re” ~ Kohinoor

We at Navras Records were very privileged to have become closely acquainted with Naushad Ali (1919 ~ 2006), one of the most remarkable and renowned Hindi film Music Directors who composed some of the legendary singer Mohammed Rafi Saheb’s greatest songs dating back to 1940’s till his passing.

Naushadji had re-recorded with Mohammed Rafi some of those greatest songs in stereo sound around mid to late 1970’s. He also had in his archives some songs which were never released, including film and non-film songs. He very kindly agreed to compile these songs into an album which he called “Naushad Presents The Last Journey of Mohammed Rafi”.

This album was released by Navras Records in 1998 and features five of his most popular and greatest songs along with four other songs from their original master recording which till then had not been released into public domain.

In this episode, we share with you one of his most popular classical film songs from the film Kohinoor (1960), “Madhuban Mein Radhika Nache Re”, based on the Raga Hameer. This Mohammed Rafi Song was written by Shakeel Badayuni Saheb and put to music by Naushad Ali.

MOHAMMED RAFI ~ (24 DEC 1924 ~ 31 JULY 1980) BIRTH CENTENARY ~ EPISODE 7“Madhuban Mein Radhika Nache Re” ~ KohinoorWe at Navras Records were very privileged ...

18/07/2024

Pandit Jasraj-ji ~ Raga Mian ki Malhar

16/07/2024

MOHAMMED RAFI (24 Dec 1924 ~ 31 Jul 1980)

BIRTH CENTENARY EPISODE 6

Man Tarpat Hari Darshan Ko Aaj ~ Baiju Bawra

This year we mark the birth centenary year of Mohammed Rafi, considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. For people of my generation our musical sensibilities and memories were moulded by his songs. It is no exaggeration to say that the like of his voice will be unlikely to be ever repeated. The range of his voice and the versatility of his singing encompassing classical to romantic songs, qawwalis to bhajans, ghazals to rock and roll – there was not a genre he did not bestow his voice to. He died far too young, but his memory will not fade for generations to come.

Today we continue further in our homage series to this giant among musicians who has a massive following and is regularly remembered by the large body of his work.

We at Navras Records were very privileged to have become closely acquainted with Naushad Ali (1919 ~ 2006), one of the most remarkable and renowned Hindi film Music Directors who composed some of Rafi Saheb’s greatest songs dating back to 1940’s till his passing. Naushadji had re-recorded some of those greatest songs in stereo sound around mid to late 1970’s. He also had in his archives some songs which were never released, including film and non-film songs. He very kindly agreed to compile these songs into an album which he called “Naushad Presents The Last Journey of Mohammed Rafi” (NRCD 2001 – now part of Sony Music India Catalogue).

This album was released by Navras Records in 1998 and features five of his most popular and greatest songs along with four other songs from their original master recording which till then had not been released into public domain.

Since the past three weeks leading up to his death anniversary on 31st July, we are presenting each of these songs with introduction to each song recorded by Naushadji himself, reminiscing each recording episode of the original version. It so happens he had also presented five of these hit songs in a live programme on Indian National Television, Doordarshan. For these specific songs I have taken the liberty of dubbing the CD album soundtrack over the TV video archive so that you can enjoy a beautiful quality audio recording of the song while seeing Mohammed Rafi perform them on the screen.

In today’s (Sixth) episode commemorating Rafi Saheb’s Birth Centenary, we share with you one of his most popular film songs, and arguably one of the most beloved Bhajans (Hindu devotional songs) from the film Baiju Bawra (1952), “Man Tarpat Hari Darshan Ko Aaj”. This Mohammed Rafi Song was written by Shakeel Badayuni Saheb and put to music in Raga Malkauns by Naushad Ali.

MOHAMMED RAFI ~ (24 DEC 1924 ~ 31 JULY 1980) BIRTH CENTENARY ~ EPISODE 6“Man Tarpat Hari Darshan Ko Aaj” ~ Baiju BawraWe at Navras Records were very privileg...

16/07/2024

https://youtu.be/z57CjgoKquQ

A recording of Pandit Jasraj in conversation and performing on Doordarshan TV. There was a damaged part at the beginning of the conversation for one minute w...

13/07/2024

NAVRAS NAV~RTANA SERIES – THE GREAT MASTERS

PANDIT KUMAR GANDHARVA

The Navras Catalogue carried a Tribute Series remembering the departed greatest legends of Indian Classical Music from the second half of 20th Century. This Series, titled Navras Nav~Ratna (Nine Gems), comprised of archival recordings acquired externally.

Today we commence with highlights of each such title on the Navras (now Sony Music India) Catalogue. We begin with the iconic master of Hindustani Khayal Music, Pandit Kumar Gandharva, whose imprint for a variety of reasons covered bellow left a lasting legacy.

~~~~~~~~~~~

PANDIT KUMAR GANDHARVA (8 Apr 2024 ~ 12 Jan 1992), originally known as Shivaputra Siddharamayya Komkalimath, was an Indian classical singer, well known for his unique vocal style and for his refusal to be bound by the tradition of any gharana. The name, Kumar Gandharva, is a title given to him when he was a child prodigy; a Gandharva is a musical spirit in Hindu mythology.

Gandharva was born near Belgaum, Karnataka, India in a Kannada-speaking Lingayat family. By the age of five, he had already shown signs of a musical prodigy and first appeared on stage at the age of 10. When he was 11, his father sent him to study music under the well-known classical teacher, B.R. Deodhar. His mastery of technique and musical knowledge was so rapid that Gandharva himself was teaching at the school before he had turned 20. By his early 20’s, Gandharva was seen as a star of music and was praised by critics.

In the late 40’s, he was stricken with tuberculosis and was told by doctors that he would never sing again. He was advised to move to the drier climate of Dewas, Madhya Pradesh for his health. For the next six years, Gandharva endured a period of illness and silence. Doctors told him that trying to sing could be fatal and that there was little hope of recovery. Stories of Gandharva in this period depict a man lying in bed and listening to the sounds of nature around him: birds, the wind, and passing street singers. They also detail how he would hum to himself, almost inaudibly. It has been suggested that this was the beginning of Gandharva's radical new conception of the nirguni bhajan, which celebrates a formless (nirguna) divinity.

In 1952, streptomycin emerged as a treatment for tuberculosis, and Gandharva began to take it. Gradually, helped by excellent medical support and care from wife Bhanumati, he recovered and began singing again. However, his voice and singing style would always bear the scars of his illness: one of his lungs had been rendered useless, so he had to adapt to singing with a single lung.

Singing is all about how much air the lungs can hold. A one-lunged singer is a jet plane flying on just one engine. This imposes huge limitations on the range and the pyrotechnical displays of virtuosity. What Kumar lost out on lung power, he more than made up with the use of phonation, resonance and sudden bursts of amplitude (volume/ loudness) changes.

His first post-recovery concert took place in 1953. The illness greatly affected Gandharva's singing in later years – he was to be known for powerful short phrases and his very high voice.

Gandharva also experimented with other forms of singing such as Nirguni bhajans (devotional songs), folk songs, and with both ragas and presentation, often going from fast to slow compositions in the same raga. He is remembered for his great legacy of innovation, questioning tradition without rejecting it outright, resulting in music in touch with the roots of Indian culture, especially the folk music of Madhya Pradesh. His innovative approach towards music, which was often deemed controversial among his peers, led to the creation of new ragas from combinations of older ragas.

For a man who battled adversity, illness and criticism, his life’s philosophy can be summed up in his creation of a raga called MadhSurja. The raga’s slow-tempo bandish is “Bachale le mori ma” (imagined words of a goat being taken for sacrifice). Once the goat realises there is no escape, the acceptance of fate and rejoicing in the last few moments of life are in the fast-tempo bandish “dholiya bajale (play the drums)”. Kumar, he didn’t want to go gentle into that night. He went out in a blaze of incandescent notes setting the listeners’ imagination on fire.

Kumar Gandharva, an institution within himself, was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1977 and India's second-highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan in 1990.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The accompanying track here is presented from his Navras Records album “Bhairav Ke Prakaar” (variations of the morning Raga Bhairav), in Raga Bhavmat Bhairav. The album is based on a recording at a private “baithak” in August 1978 at the Mumbai residence of the renowned music aficionado R. H. Bengeri.

Notes excerpts: Courtesy of Wikipedia and Shishir Prasad in Economic Times (Kumar Gandharva, the lord of the ragas)

PANDIT KUMAR GANDHARVA ~ Raga Bhavmat Bhairav Pandit Kumar Gandharva (8 Apr 2024 ~ 12 Jan 1992), originally known as Shivaputra Siddharamayya Komkalimath, wa...

11/07/2024

MOHAMMED RAFI (24 Dec 1924 ~ 31 Jul 1980)

BIRTH CENTENARY EPISODE 5

This year we mark the birth centenary year of Mohammed Rafi, considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. For people of my generation our musical sensibilities and memories were moulded by his songs. It is no exaggeration to say that the like of his voice will be unlikely to be ever repeated. The range of his voice and the versatility of his singing encompassing classical to romantic songs, qawwalis to bhajans, ghazals to rock and roll – there was not a genre he did not bestow his voice to. He died far too young, but his memory will not fade for generations to come.

Today we continue further in our homage series to this giant among musicians who has a massive following and is regularly remembered by the large body of his work.

We at Navras Records were very privileged to have become closely acquainted with Naushad Ali (1919 ~ 2006), one of the most remarkable and renowned Hindi film Music Directors who composed some of Rafi Saheb’s greatest songs dating back to 1940’s till his passing. Naushadji had re-recorded some of those greatest songs in stereo sound around mid to late 1970’s. He also had in his archives some songs which were never released, including film and non-film songs. He very kindly agreed to compile these songs into an album which he called “Naushad Presents The Last Journey of Mohammed Rafi” (NRCD 2001 – now part of Sony Music India Catalogue).

This album was released by Navras Records in 1998 and features five of his most popular and greatest songs along with four other songs from their original master recording which till then had not been released into public domain.

Since the past four weeks leading up to his death anniversary on 31st July, we are presenting each of these songs with introduction to each song recorded by Naushadji himself, reminiscing each recording episode of the original version.

In this episode we feature one of those gems which never got released prior to the publication of the Navras album “The Last Journey Of Mohammed Rafi”. The song “Beete Deenon Kee Yaad” written by the poet Shakeel Badayuni Saheb and composed by Naushad Ali was originally meant to be featured in the film “Palki” released in 1967. This song was however not included and Naushadji retained the recording rights for the song.

MOHAMMED RAFI ~ (24 DEC 1924 ~ 31 JULY 1980) BIRTH CENTENARY ~ EPISODE 5We at Navras Records were very privileged to have become closely acquainted with Naus...

04/07/2024

NAVRAS SAGA - PART 5 (Final)

In the last few weeks we have been sharing again our 5-part Navras Saga - the story of how Navras Records came about and how it evolved over the years, featuring some memorable and unique music content.

We share the fifth and final episode here for those who may have missed it the first time round.

Please join us on Naveen RastogiUK and www.YouTube.com/Navrasrecords to continue onward on this musical journey with us! Your patronage and support is greatly appreciated including many new patrons who have joined us in recent weeks and months! 🙏🙏

03/07/2024

MOHAMMED RAFI (24 Dec 1924 ~ 31 Jul 1980)

BIRTH CENTENARY EPISODE 4

This year we mark the birth centenary year of Mohammed Rafi, considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. For people of my generation our musical sensibilities and memories were moulded by his songs. It is no exaggeration to say that the like of his voice will be unlikely to be ever repeated. The range of his voice and the versatility of his singing encompassing classical to romantic songs, qawwalis to bhajans, ghazals to rock and roll – there was not a genre he did not bestow his voice to. He died far too young, but his memory will not fade for generations to come.

Today we continue further in our homage series to this giant among musicians who has a massive following and is regularly remembered by the large body of his work.

We at Navras Records were very privileged to have become closely acquainted with Naushad Ali (1919 ~ 2006), one of the most remarkable and renowned Hindi film Music Directors who composed some of Rafi Saheb’s greatest songs dating back to 1940’s till his passing. Naushadji had re-recorded some of those greatest songs in stereo sound around mid to late 1970’s. He also had in his archives some songs which were never released, including film and non-film songs. He very kindly agreed to compile these songs into an album which he called “Naushad Presents The Last Journey of Mohammed Rafi” (NRCD 2001 – now part of Sony Music India Catalogue).

This album was released by Navras Records in 1998 and features five of his most popular and greatest songs along with four other songs from their original master recording which till then had not been released into public domain.

Since the past three weeks leading up to his death anniversary on 31st July, we are presenting each of these songs with introduction to each song recorded by Naushadji himself, reminiscing each recording episode of the original version. It so happens he had also presented five of these hit songs in a live programme on Indian National Television, Doordarshan. For these specific songs I have taken the liberty of dubbing the CD album soundtrack over the TV video archive so that you can enjoy a beautiful quality audio recording of the song while seeing Mohammed Rafi perform them on the screen.

Then there are further four songs which he re-recorded but were not released before and there is no video footage to accompany the song soundtrack which are also quite remarkable songs. These will also feature in this Birth Centenary series.

Today we share arguably one of Rafi Saheb’s greatest songs which illustrated the awesome range of his singing stretching to unimaginable octaves. In this re-recording presented on the Navras album of the original song he went up further by two octaves. The most moving aspect of Mohammed Rafi’s rendering of songs was not just the quality of his rich baritone voice or his classical music prowess but his ability to bring out the emotion (better described in Hindi as “Bhaav”), so much so that the listener is left in tears just watching him render this outstanding and moving song.

This song, “O Duniya Ke Rakhawale” written by the great lyricist Shakeel Badayuni and composed by Naushad Ali, is from the iconic film “Baiju Bawra” (1952) which featured many outstanding songs still fondly remembered.

MOHAMMED RAFI ~ (24 DEC 1924 ~ 31 JULY 1980) BIRTH CENTENARY ~ EPISODE 4 We at Navras Records were very privileged to have become closely acquainted with Nau...

03/07/2024

KIRIT BAXI (03 Jul 1943 ~ 01 Aug 2014)

A REMEBRANCE

Today we remember our iconic technical wizard and co-founder of Navras Records, Kirit Baxi, on his 81st birth anniversary. As much as he is missed, his presence is constantly amidst us and nowhere more than with the imprint of his work embedded in the Navras Catalogue. His fastidiousness and uncompromising standards in terms of achieving acoustic excellence remains the whole mark of the label's output.

🙏🌹🙏

01/07/2024

PANDIT HARIPRASAD CHAURASIA

The legendary Bansuri (Bamboo Flute) legend Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia turns 86 today. We extend to him our warmest wishes for a long healthy life ahead.

His legacy and contribution to the Indian Classical Music not only in India but globally is virtually unparalleled. He has taken the unpretentious Bamboo Flute from the world of folk music to an exalted classical music instrument status and made it popular in countless countries where he has also collaborated across genres with many renowned foreign musicians as well.

Today we share with you an excerpt from one of his most beloved ragas, Baheshri, from a live concert at the Royal Festival Hall in London in October 1994. He was accompanied by Vidhwan Vikku Vinayakram on the Ghattam and Ustad Sukhwinder Singh Namdhari on the Tabla. This performance was released on the Navras Catalogue (now with Sony Music India) under the title reference NRCD 0043.

A cameo performance in an all-night concert (October 1994) at London's Royal Festival Hall by the renowned Bamboo Flautist, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia rende...

30/06/2024

USTAD RASHID KHAN (1968 ~ 2024) ~ A REMEMBRANCE

Six months back the aficionados of Indian Classical Music lost a musical genius, once a child prodigy, they were not entitled to lose at such a young age.

Ustad Rashid Khan was one of the most outstanding vocalists of his generation of the Hindustani (North Indian) Classical Music system. His amazing free flowing voice with which he touched his audience without resorting to any virtuosity meant that one was able to imbibe the essence of his music and exposition of the Raga without being distracted.

On the occasion of his 56th birth anniversary we share with you some nuggets of his music from a selection of some of his many titles on the Navras Records Catalogue (now with Sony Music India).

Today, 9th Jan 2024, the world of Indian classical music lost one of its finest vocalists at a young age of 55. Ustad Rashid Khan was a child prodigy who del...

30/06/2024

NAVRAS SAGA - PART 4

Recently we shared again the first three parts of our 5-part Navras Saga - the story of how Navras Records came about and how it evolved over the years.

We share the fourth episode here for those who may have missed it the first time round.

28/06/2024

MOHAMMED RAFI (24 Dec 1924 ~ 31 Jul 1980)

BIRTH CENTENARY EPISODE 3

This year we mark the birth centenary year of Mohammed Rafi, considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. For people of my generation our musical sensibilities and memories were moulded by his songs. It is no exaggeration to say that the like of his voice will be unlikely to be ever repeated. The range of his voice and the versatility of his singing encompassing classical to romantic songs, qawwalis to bhajans, ghazals to rock and roll – there was not a genre he did not bestow his voice to. He died far too young, but his memory will not fade for generations to come.

We at Navras Records were very privileged to have become closely acquainted with Naushad Ali (1919 ~ 2006), one of the most remarkable and renowned Hindi film Music Directors who composed some of Rafi Saheb’s greatest songs dating back to 1940’s till his passing. Naushadji had re-recorded some of those greatest songs in stereo sound around mid to late 1970’s. He also had in his archives some songs which were never released, including film and non-film songs. He very kindly agreed to compile these songs into an album which he called “Naushad Presents The Last Journey of Mohammed Rafi” (NRCD 2001 – now part of Sony Music India Catalogue).

This album was released by Navras Records in 1998 and features five of his most popular and greatest songs along with four other songs from their original master recording which till then had not been released into public domain.

Since the past couple of weeks leading to his death anniversary on 31st July, we are presenting each of these songs with introduction to each song recorded by Naushadji himself, reminiscing each recording episode of the original version. It so happens he had also presented five of these hit songs in a live programme on Indian National Television, Doordarshan. For these specific songs I have taken the liberty of dubbing the CD album soundtrack over the TV video archive so that you can enjoy a beautiful quality audio recording of the song while seeing Mohammed Rafi perform them on the screen.

Then there are further four songs which he recorded but were not released before and there is no video footage to accompany the song soundtrack which are also quite remarkable songs. Today we share the first of those four songs which had not been previously released till the Navras album “The Last Journey Of Mohammed Rafi” was released in 1998.

This third episode features a national song written by the poet Khumar Barabankvi-ji and composed by Naushad Ali. This song, “Ae Mere Laadlo Utho, Himmat Se Kaam Lo” was written and recorded in the aftermath of the disastrous Chinese attack in Aksai Chin area of Ladakh in 1962, evoking a sense of national loss and martyrdom of brave Indian soldiers.

MOHAMMED RAFI ~ (24 DEC 1924 ~ 31 JULY 1980)BIRTH CENTENARY ~ EPISODE 3We at Navras Records were very privileged to have become closely acquainted with Naush...

22/06/2024

NAVRAS SAGA - PART 3

Recently we shared again the first two parts of our 5-part Navras Saga - the story of how Navras Records came about and how it evolved over the years.

We share the third episode here for those who may have missed it the first time round.

22/06/2024

MOHAMMED RAFI (24 Dec 1924 ~ 31 Jul 1980)

BIRTH CENTENARY EPISODE 2

This year we mark the birth centenary year of Mohammed Rafi, considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. For people of my generation our musical sensibilities and memories were moulded by his songs. It is no exaggeration to say that the like of his voice will be unlikely to be ever repeated. The range of his voice and the versatility of his singing encompassing classical to romantic songs, qawwalis to bhajans, ghazals to rock and roll – there was not a genre he did not bestow his voice to. He died far too young, but his memory will not fade for generations to come.

We at Navras Records were very privileged to have become closely acquainted with Naushad Ali (1919 ~ 2006), one of the most remarkable and renowned Hindi film Music Directors who composed some of Rafi Saheb’s greatest songs dating back to 1940’s till his passing. Naushadji had re-recorded some of those greatest songs in stereo sound around mid to late 1970’s. He also had in his archives some songs which were never released, including film and non-film songs. He very kindly agreed to compile these songs into an album which he called “Naushad Presents The Last Journey of Mohammed Rafi” (NRCD 2001 – now part of Sony Music India Catalogue).

This album was released by Navras Records in 1998 and features five of his most popular and greatest songs along with four other songs from their original master recording which till then had not been released into public domain.

Over the next few weeks leading to his death anniversary on 31st July we will present each of these songs in their chronological order with introduction to each song recorded by Naushadji himself, reminiscing each recording episode. It so happens he had also presented these songs in a live programme on Indian National Television, Doordarshan featuring these five hit songs. For these specific songs I have taken the liberty of dubbing the CD album soundtrack over the TV video archive so that you can enjoy a beautiful quality audio recording of the song while seeing Mohammed Rafi perform them on the screen, with the orchestra conducted by Naushad Ali himself. Then there are further four songs which he re-recorded but were not released before and there is no video footage to accompany the song soundtrack which are also quite remarkable songs. These will also feature chronologically in this Birth Centenary series.

I hope you will enjoy this heartfelt tribute series to my most favourite popular singer. The second episode features a song from the film Deedar (1951) ~ Meri Kahani Bhulanewale Tera Jahaan Abaad Rahe.

https://youtu.be/9UAppLMu2kI

13/06/2024

NAVRAS SAGA - PART 2

Recently we shared again the first part of our 5-part Navras Saga - the story of how Navras Records came about and how it evolved over the years.

We share the second episode here for those who may have missed it the first time round.

13/06/2024

MOHAMMED RAFI BIRTH CENTENARY YEAR
(24 Dec 1924 ~ 31 Jul 1980)

This year we mark the birth centenary year of Mohammed Rafi, considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. For people of my generation our musical sensibilities and memories were moulded by his songs. It is no exaggeration to say that the like of his voice will be unlikely to be ever repeated. The range of his voice and the versatility of his singing encompassing classical to romantic songs, qawwalis to bhajans, ghazals to rock and roll – there was not a genre he did not bestow his voice to. He died far too young, but his memory will not fade for generations to come.

We at Navras Records were very privileged to have become closely acquainted with Naushad Ali (1919 ~ 2006), one of the most remarkable and renowned Hindi film Music Directors who composed some of Rafi Saheb’s greatest songs dating back to 1940’s till his passing in 1980. Naushadji had re-recorded some of those greatest songs in stereo sound around mid to late 1970’s. He also had in his archives some songs which were never released, including film and non-film songs. He very kindly agreed to compile these songs into an album which he called “Naushad Presents The Last Journey of Mohammed Rafi” (NRCD 2001 – now part of Sony Music India Catalogue).

This album was released by Navras Records in 1998 and features five of his most popular and greatest songs along with four other songs from their original master recording which till then had not been released into public domain.

Over the next few weeks leading to his death anniversary on 31st July we will present each of these songs in their chronological order with introduction to each song by Naushadji himself, reminiscing each recording episode. It so happens he had also presented these songs in a live programme on Indian National Television, Doordarshan featuring these five hit songs. For these specific songs I have taken the liberty of dubbing the CD album soundtrack over the TV video archive so that you can enjoy a beautiful quality audio recording of the song while seeing Mohammed Rafi perform them on the screen, with the orchestra conducted by Naushad Ali himself.

I hope you will enjoy this heartfelt tribute series to my most favourite popular singer. The first episode features a song from the film Dulari (1949) ~ Suhani Raat Dhal Chooki. (Video footage courtesy of Doordarshan TV)

https://youtu.be/xZfOwZxFo5A

11/06/2024

PANDIT RAJEEV TARANATH (17 October 1932 ~ 11 June 2024)

We are sad to record the sad passing of the Sarod virtuoso, Pandit Rajeev Taranath, earlier today at Mysuru, Karnataka in India, aged 91.

Born into a highly creative family from Bengaluru, India, Rajeev Taranath began studying music, song and poetry with his father at a very early age. As a teenager, he attended a concert featuring classical Indian music that would forever change his life and artistic path. Under the tutelage of the great sarod maestro Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Taranath became dedicated to the sarod. Throughout his career, he also received crucial guidance from two other legendary musicians of this musical lineage, Pandit Ravi Shankar and Srimati Annapurna Devi. Rajeev Taranath was considered one of India’s top exponents of the sarod with musicianship that masterfully combined the depth and rigour of traditional Hindustani classical music with an inspired imagination and emotional intensity. For this, he had received wide acclaim, including the Indian government’s prestigious honour for the classical performing arts, the Padma Shri in 2019 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2000. He was respected for the clarity of musical understanding and depth of knowledge which he brought to the unfolding of a raga and the beauty of the tone he evoked from the sarod.

Currently living in Mysore, India, Taranath travelled worldwide, both teaching and performing. His concerts have included performances at major Indian music venues and internationally at universities, conservatories and world music festivals. In India these have included the Tansen Sangeet Samaroh, the Dover Lane Music Conference, Sawai Gandharv Mahatsov, Sangeet Research Academy Sangeet Sammelan and many others.

International performances have included presenters such as Oberlin Conservatory, the Sydney Opera House, The Smithsonian Institution (Freer Sackler Gallery), Theatre De La Ville (Paris), Rubin Museum (NYC) and Tropeninstitut (Netherlands), Asian Art Museum (SF), Asia Society (Hong Kong), Chicago World Music Festival, Denver Art Museum, the Rietberg Museum (Zurich), University of California, Santa Cruz, UCLA and many more. From 1995-2005, Taranath served on the music faculty of the California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles.

Rajeevji was featured on Navras Records Catalogue and his repertoire on our Catalogue represented on three titles was varied, reflective of his creative genius. His album “Over The Moon” featured Raga Chandranandan, album “Manan” featured Ragas Bihag and Bhairavi and his last release was “Swar Kalyan” featuring Ragas Yaman Kalyan, Mishra Kirwani and Sindhu Bhairavi.

As a tribute to his memory we share with you a brief excerpt of the Alap and Jor from his presentation of Raga Yaman Kalyan at Theatre de la Ville in Paris in 2008.

From Pandit Rajeev Taranath's Navras Records album "Swar Kalyan" we share a short excerpt from the Alap ~ Jor part of his rendition of the evening Raga Yaman...