The RajDhani Quartet combined the improvisational and mystical nature of Hindustani Classical Music with the rhythms of Carnatic Music.
Jay Kishor, who performs on the sitar and surbahar, is a disciple of the legendary performer on the surbahar, Annapurna Devi. He also studied with Pandit Brij Bhushan Kabra, and Dr. Raj Bhan Singh Thakursaheb. Jay has collaborated with guitarists Stanley Jordan and the late Michael Hedges, and has also founded Touching Grace, a sitar-based world music ensemble that strives to combine the ancient and spiritual qualities of Indian classical music with the structure of Western classical, the improvisation and complex rhythm of jazz, the raw emotion of the blues, and the energy and verve of rock. He released his second CD, Amber, an exploration of the rare night melody, Raga Malgunji.
Subhash Karmarkar is the disciple of the celebrated late Padamshri Ustad Ahmed Jan Thirakwa. Subhash has played extensively with vocal, instrumental and Kathak performers in India, West Germany, Canada, the United States and South America. Subhash has performed at the Kennedy Center, the Gandhi Memorial Center, the Smithsonian, the National Press Club, the Noho Art Gallery in New York, and the Artscape and Spoleto festivals. He has also appeared on Good Morning America. He has three CD’s featuring sitar, violin and flute to his credit, and conducts workshops in his spare time.
Subhash Vinjamuri learned Carnatic music on violin from his father Sri Parthasarathi Iyengar, and later studied with Sri Madhala Brahmanamdam Naidu, and with his uncle, Sangeetakalanidhi Dr. Varadaraja Iyengar. Subhash started giving concerts from the age of five. He has accompanied several front-rank musicians from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran. He has given several solo concerts in India, the U.S., and Canada. He is an electronics engineer and works for a defense contracting company.
Dr. P. K. Swaminathan had his initial training and further guidance from many renowned teachers in the Tanjore style. Since 1999, he has been studying mridangam with Padmabhushan Sangeetha Kalanidhi Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman. He has accompanied such renowned Carnatic musicians as Padmabhushan Trichur V. Ramachandran, Padmabhushan B. Rajam Iyer, Prof T. R. Subramanian, T. K. Govinda Rao, Neyveli R. Santhanagopalan, Papanasam Ashok Ramani, Smt Sugandha Kalamegam, and Smt. Charumathi Ramachandran. He has provided accompaniment to numerous dance programs as well, in the Bharatha Natyam, Kuchipudi and Mohini Attam styles. He received an Individual Artist Award from the Maryland State Arts Council in 2002. He has established a nonprofit organization to promote mridangam and the unique Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman style. Dr. Swaminathan is a Senior Physicist at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.
Discography:
The Gandhi Memorial Concert (Magnatune, 2004)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
