ENTERTAINMENT
ISSUE# 31.49
May 17– May 24, 2017 Editor : Mandy Nolan Editorial/gigs : gigs@echo.net.au Copy deadline: 5pm each Friday Advertising : adcopy@echo.net.au P : 02 6684 1777 W : echo.net.au/entertainment
ALL YOUR NORTH COAST ENTERTAINMENT
LIVE MUSIC...P31 | CULTURE...P33 | CINEMA...P35
SHIVAM RATH & SOUL SANGEET
SHIVAM RATH BEGAN TRAINING IN INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC IN VARANASI, INDIA, WITH TABLA MASTER PT CHHOTE LAL MISRA. Alongside Indian slide guitarist Dr Shibbanath Bhattacharya over 2010–2013 before his tabla teacher died and he shifted from Varanasi to Kolkata in order to perform more extensively on the Indian slide guitar with world-renowned guitarist Pt Debashish Bhattacharya. Shivam has adopted the traditional veena method of using a crystal ball as his slide and aims for crystal clarity in tone and meend (glide).
just an added expression and means to do this in my life through the power of sound. When I began to visit local concerts in India and saw/felt the skill and quality over lifetimes/ generations of dedication to the arts. I felt a reverence and respect towards music I had never seen from the West.
its territory such as the harmonium, violin, cello and now guitar, and in this way it borrows the tones, textures and styles of where those instruments originated from. Since I have chosen the Indian slide guitar as my main instrumental medium, I naturally blend both styles of guitar and sitar into my performance and expression.
How did you find your way to Indian classical music?
As a guitarist/singer/songwriter I was interested in melodic Indian instruments too, however, which brought me to the sitar-guitar fusion instrument most commonly known as the mohan veena. What was the attraction for you; how or when did you know this was going to be your musical pathway? Since I could see the benefit of meditating and practising yoga every day; music became
Tell me about the other players. Headlining our next event is a world-class sitar maestro Pt Sugato Nag and his daughter Ku Sohini Nag presenting a short traditional Bharat Natyam dance. Coordinating this tour and accompanying us on the rhythmical tabla is Shen Flendell, who is a major benefactor in bringing world-class Indian classical music to Australia and conducts annually the Sangeeta Mela in Brisbane. Supporting also on the night will be myself on the crystal slide aka Indian slide guitar with my own adopted method of using an Himalayan crystal ball for clearer tonal quality and sustain.
He has travelled extensively around India and the world, studying and sharing his practices and performance as a yogic discipline. He is part of the Soul Sangeet Vol 5 concert and workshop this weekend.
I began my journey into Indian classical music through both my father, who taught me Indian singing – thus naming me shivam from birth, and later through my study of yoga, which inspired me to travel to India where I met my father’s tabla teacher from 30 years before: recently deceased master Sri Chota Lal Misra from Varanassi. While living in the ancient city and practising my daily yoga as a serious life path I naturally adopted the Indian classical music as just another yogic or spiritual practice. After studying tabla, my teacher taught me that music was no different from chanting mantra or meditating toward one point awareness in order to learn the rhythms and master them without mental effort or requirement.
our human spirit or our ‘soul’ and are reflective of its evolution. This title is simply to recognise and acknowledge that regardless of whether it is Indian classical, jazz, flamenco or world music (actually our last Soul Sangeeta session combined one amazing jazz/flamenco guitarist Bart Stenhouse).
What can people expect from the Byron event?
The Indian culture is not only using music as a means for entertainment but as a spiritual platform of connection and service somewhere from the natural universe back to its natural source. The philosophy of raga (Indian scales) can explain this more fully and the improvisational base of its music, which blends the act of freedom in solid form; starting meditatively slow, subtly and simply and then progressing to fast, loud rhythmical and highly complex movements How do you blend the ancient with the new? Indian music itself is always evolving and playing with new instruments that come into
I was born in the West and didn’t always listen to Indian classical music, so naturally I enjoy other styles of music too and enjoy bringing them into my world of music. What is the vision of Soul Sangeet? What does it mean? A new-style concert marking this as event #5. It is based on Indian classical and world music. Sangeet is sound or music in Sanksrit and follows a deep belief of spirit in sound; hence Soul Sangeet. The term NadaBrahma, a famous Sanskrit proverb, underlines the ancient and now modern belief that the world/universe is created, sustained and made from sound. I believe all forms of music are expressions of
Firstly it’s going to be held in an exciting new venue known as Studio 93 in the Byron industrial estate with professional catering of Indian food and chai also available. The venue will be used for further performances and workshops with a variety of musicians and teachers from sita, tabla, vocals, guitar etc and combined with group yoga, meditation, dance classes and of course a venue for hire. I will also begin teaching music based on Indian classical and doing regular live music meditations and yoga as my experiences have taught me. I also highly recommend the raga workshop with our coming senior sitar master Sugato Nag for any interested in understanding the structural dynamics of this highly evolved artform. The concert itself promises to be an evening of world-class music event in a small intimate setting, so bookings are highly recommended! Soul Sangeet, Vol 5. Sunday at Studio 93, 93 Centennial Circuit, Byron Bay. Workshop 4pm. Concert 7pm. For more information visit https://www.crystalslide.com/soul-sangeet. Pre-bookings $5 off. For further information or venue enquiries call Matty on 0409 584 653 or for event / music info call Shivam 0412 079 983.
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