Classical Music Maestros Dwell Across Disruptive Formats at India Music Summit 2019

Raymond MTV India music summit 3rd edition brought to its audience disruptive formats as classical musicians dwelled to explore different forms of music other than their core genres. Loudest.in brings you excerpts of these exotic experiences which enthralled classical music connoisseurs at the summit. Ustad Rashid Khan the doyen of Rampur Seheswan Gharana who's known for his in-depth Khyal renditions and exotic tankari indulged in presenting the semi-classical form thumri in its various shades in the session 'The Golden Voice'  beginning with a Dadra 'Baaton Baaton Main', followed by the popular thumri 'Yaad Piya ki aye' depicting a Nayika  who remembers her mate in his absence, the maestro evoked a feel of 'Pathos' in every heart present there, with his soulful voice and vocal fluidity. The session concluded with an impromptu fusion with the Bollywood Music Diva Asha Bhosleji, as both the maestros sang the thumri 'Aaoge Jab Tum o Sajna'. It was at the request of Ashaji who was keen to jam with him since the time she had heard the song, that Rashid Khan Saheb invited her on the stage from the audience to come and sing with him. It was indeed a historical moment for the classical music connoisseurs to see the two maestros honoring each other by collaborating...and then began the magic when Ashaji sang the thumri showcasing her expertise in the classical repertoire in her inimitable style while Khan Saheb improvised creating variations never heard before! Talking to loudest.in on the impromptu live act, Ustad Rashid Khan said, "It's similar to inviting someone on a Dawaat (feast) where you can't eat alone if you have the guests around, so it was my honor to invite Asha Didi to grace and share the stage with me and sing with me. I feel blessed to have her love and appreciation." The summit also saw Ustad Rashid Khan collaborating with the classical instrumentalist the renowned sitarist Purbayan Chatterjee in the session ' Swar Aur sitar', who again is known for his gayaki ang renditions and taiyar tantrakari with which his instrument resonates. The duo began with Madhyalaya bandishes in Raga Bilaskhani Todi ' Itani Araj Suno Mori' followed by 'Ab Mori Naiya Paar Karo' in Raga Miyan ki thodi, with elaborate Alaap,Badaat and Sawal- Jawab as the maestros  showcased the best of their art through their mediums. Ustad Rashid Khan enthralled the listeners with his expertise in meticulous Badhaat and Bolbant followed by his characteristic fast-paced surgams, while Purbayan Chatterjee played jhala, in unmatched speed exploring the in-between spaces to meet the 'Sam' every time with articulated Tihai's althrough his scintillating performance. In another exciting session ' Musafir' at the summit, the Carnatic music exponent Aruna Sairam apart from her regular Carnatic music repertoire chose to showcase her repertoire of devotional music in various Indian languages. The highlight of Sairam's performance was the Ode to Maa Durga in Bangala as she shared a beautiful piece,  'Hey Bhagwati Maha Maya' which is sung in the praise of Maa Durga at the temple of Kalighat on every Navratri on the Amavasya night in the Brahama Muhoorta 3.30 am in the morning. While Sairam invocated various names of Maa Durga, her powerful voice created mystic awe rarely experienced, which was followed by her most famous composition 'Ae Giri Nandini' which happens to be a marvel in itself.  Aruna Sairam also indulged in a heart to heart conversation with the rappers Raja Kumari,Nucleya, Prab Deep, Aditya kasyap with RJ Sarthak in a session 'The mean scene', where she at one point talks about various aspects of performances and how audiences tend to embrace the flaws of an artist whom they love. Sharing her thoughts she is a die-hard fan of Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Saheb, she said, " I  used to wait for that crack in his voice at high pitches because that came straight from his heart. It is that moment for an artist when the perfection did not exist but the purity of intention exists." While the ravishing Hindustani classical vocalist Kaushiki Chakraborty known for her patiyala ang khyal gayaki, she chose this time in concert to present some of her recently launched ghazals like ‘Tera Khyal’ in the session ‘Confluence’. While in another session ' Matrurupen -An ode to Maa Durga' Chakraborty paid a tribute to Maa Durga on the occasion of ‘Saptami’ with 'Ae Giri Nandini' and 'Bhawani Dayani' and few Durga stutis, embellishing them with her characteristic delicate improvisations and open throat Alaaps in her sonorous voice. The session ‘Junoon’ saw classical maestros Ustad Shujaat Khan and Carnatak ghatam exponent Pandit Vikku Vinayakram who indulged in an exotic fusion amalgamation with Ustad Taufiq Quereshi on a DJembe. The summit also saw impromptu jamming between Purbayan Chatterjee and Aman Khan the talented 17-year-old son of Ustad Rashid Khan,who jammed on popular Sufi numbers.The Ghazal maestro Talat Aziz sang 'Ranjish hi Sahi' as a tribute to the Ghazal maestro Mehendi Hazzan Saheb while the talented ghazal singer Gayatri Asohan presented the traditional ghazal penned by bahadur shah zafar 'Baat karni mujhe mushkil' in the session ‘Good Old Times’. The session started at midnight at concluded at 3 am with an open mic opportunity for aspiring singers presenting them a chance to be heard by the Maestros and discerning audiences...what more can a performers ask for, that India music summit promises!