What is Upaj? Interview & Demo | Niladri Kumar & Sukhvinder Singh ‘Pinky’ | Music of India

#darbarfestival | Sitar maestro Niladri Kumar eloquently explains the concept of ‘upaj’ (improvisation in Indian classical music), ably assisted by Sukhvinder Singh’s deep-toned jori.
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Learn more about the music:

Niladri Kumar is known for his expansive modern sitar style, stretching the boundaries of classical music. Trained under his father, a disciple of Ravi Shankar, he was recognised as a prodigy. He has since developed an extraordinary technical command of his instrument, complete with dextrous double stops, whispering string bends, and rapid taans [fast improvised lines]. He makes forays into film composition and is the inventor of the ‘zitar’ - a hybrid of electric guitar and sitar. Today he tours extensively with Zakir Hussain’s groups as well as a solo artist. Hear more of Niladri here:
-Bhimpalasi |    • Raag Bhimpalasi | Niladri Kumar & Pan...  
-Mishra Kafi |    • Raag Mishra Kafi | Niladri Kumar | Si...  
-Explaining his unique sound |    • Видео  

Sukhvinder Singh (affectionately known as ‘Pinky’) is a singular percussionist, specialising in low-tuned tabla and jori. Hailing from the Punjab, his first musical immersions were in dholak and pakhawaj, playing traditional Sikh devotional music. His talent was spotted early, and at age five he became a disciple of pakhawaj exponent Nihal Singh. His public debut aged 13 left a strong impression on Alla Rakha, but soon after he left to Varanasi to train under the legendary Benares gharana master Kishan Maharaj.

His subsequent career has featured accompaniment slots with Ravi Shankar, Vilayat Khan, Amjad Ali Khan, and other leading Hindustani instrumentalists, and a Grammy award for his work with Ry Cooder and Vishwa Mohan Bhatt on A Meeting by the River. Zakir Hussain proclaimed him to be the world’s foremost jori exponent after his solo at Allah Rakha’s 2016 memorial concert. Now based in India, England, and Canada, he is known as a charismatic performer and teacher, dedicated to bringing the Punjab and Benares repertoire to audiences around the world. Hear more of Pinky here:
-King of the Jori |    • King of the Jori | Sukhvinder Singh ‘...  
-Jori Solo 2009 |    • Jori Solo | Sukhvinder Singh ‘Pinky’ ...  

“In Harry Potter, there’s a wand choosing scene where the wand and its user need to have a connect. The sitar too broadly works in a similar style. Only after the instrument and the artiste warm up to each other, the musical spark begins and the magic starts to flow.” (Niladri Kumar)

Recorded by Darbar in March 2018, at London’s Barbican Centre:
-Niladri Kumar (sitar)
-Sukhvinder Singh ‘Pinky’ (jori)

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