Vocalist Manu Srivastava started his Hindustani Classical Music training in Kanpur at the age of 4 under the guidance of Smt. Snigdha Biswas. He later continued his training in Canada and India under gurus such as Smt. Lata Sathe (disciple of Pt. Kumar Gandharva) and Smt. Veena Shukla (disciple of Pt. Balwant Rai Bhatt). He mainly acquired his training in the tradition of Gwalior Gharana but a touch of Agra Gharana can be seen in his khayal gayaki.
What really changed Manu’s outlook on Shastriya Sangeet was his vigorous training under the late Pt. Kashinath Shankar Bodas. Pandit Bodas brought out the best in Manu, inspiring him to refine his music through intense daily riyaz. He continues to get guidance from Pt. Shrikant Lagu. A chemical engineer by profession, Manu now teaches shastriya sangeet to over 70 students in the Phoenix Metro area.
Raised in Canada and the USA since the age of ten, he has unique understanding of both cultures and is an inspiration to his students. He believes that knowledge is the only way to get the younger generation interested in Shastriya Sangeet and hopes to impart it for many years to come. He has performed extensively in the Mid-west, Southwest and California and recorded his first set of CDs in 2003.
Discography:
Saanjh (Phoenix Gharana, 2013)
Live At Pt. Kashinath Bodas Music Festival (Phoenix Gharana, 2013)
Samarpan (Phoenix Gharana, 2015)
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.
