What do you like about Ajoy Chakrabarty?

[Ram]

Discuss what you like about Ajoy Chakrabarty. 

[hundredstrings]

Here are the things I like about him:

- Excellent voice
- Fast rendition of taans
- Mastery over raga-bhava
- Follows the footsteps of great masters like Bade Ghulam Ali Khan & Jnan Prakash Ghosh
- Equally at ease with classical and semi classical (thumri, bhajan etc)

[Sumanth Sharma]

On a lighter note .....

1. Late on concerts
2. Magnificent personality
3. Even two - three tanpuras are not enough, he even uses swaramandal, sometimes even picks up the Harmonium for himself.

Amazing character!!!

[pari]

I agree with others' views.  I want to add one more point -- I think Ajoy Chakrabarty's music and presentation has an intellectual element which appeals to the younger generation.  I have attended his live concerts and this is what I feel.

[classical_fan]

Sweetness & depth of voice, brings out the mood of ragas very well, good combination of tradition & modernity.  Also, I really admire that he has trained his daughter Kaushiki so well that she is showing all signs of becoming a maestro.

[vikram]

Can somebody recommend a good album of Ajoy Chakrabarty?

[hundredstrings]

Hey Vikram, "Bhoopali & Megh" released by Navras Records is one of the best albums by him.  I also recommend "Shringar - Many Moods of Love" [Music Today] which has Thumri & Dadra renditions, a testimony to maestro's incredible range in the light classical arena.  Try them out!

[classical_fan]

Jaijaiwanti is another raga that Ajoy Chakrabarty sings masterfully.  It is really soul stirring.  It is released as a part of "Swar Samrat" album by Music Today, and the album also features a dadra in Pahadi and thumri in Bhairavi.  I would also highly recommend "A Journey Begins" (Music Today) by Kaushiki Chakrabarty (Ajoy's talented daughter) which features live rendition of Raga Kedar.