Pt.Basavaraj RajGuru

[subnibhatt]

hey HPR,

Thanks for the Resposne.

Ever since i heard that you have Pt.Basavaraj RajGuru songs/Albums.. i was kind of curious to know what songs/albums you may have..I tried in Khazana.com and could not get what i wanted.. of course i was told they would try to get 'em soon.

Do you have 'Vachana Sangeeta' Album from GuruJi. and BTW have you listned to Pt. Ganapathi Bhat? He is awesome!!

bye now
Bhat

[hundredstrings]

Hi Bhat,

I have the following Pandit Rajguru albums:

Vachana Jyoti, Swara Sudha [Saraswati & Shahana Kanada] released by Nijaguna Rajguru (I bought these two albums at the concert venue when Pandit Parameshwar Hegde performed in Ambedkar Bhavan, Bangalore, I think in 2003)
Hindustani Classical [Komal Rishabh Asavari, Nayaki Kanada, Khamaj] released by Lahari
Chakora Chandrike [devotional songs] released by Lahari
Rajguru in Live Concert [Bhoopali Todi, Shuddh Sarang, Bilaskhani Todi, Ashta Raga Malika] by HMV
Rajguru in Live Concert [Bhatiyar, Alhaiya Bilawal, Jogiya Asavari] by HMV

All these were cassettes and I had to convert them to digital.  Some of them are of very poor audio quality.

BTW, did you read this article about Rajguruji written by his disciple Nachiketa Sharma?

http://www.dharwad.com/rajguru.html

The same thing is posted on Nachiketa Sharma's web site:

http://www.ganapriya.com/bmr.html

[hundredstrings]

BTW, I love Ganapati Bhat's vocals.  He is very unique -- very rustic voice.  Though I have just 2-3 of his albums, I am deeply impressed by his musicianship.  The albums I have are:

Kirana Torch Bearer (Rhythm House) featuring Durga & Brindavani Sarang:  I LOVE the Durga rendition here
Discovery of Indian Classical Music (Alurkar Music House) featuring Shyam Kalyan, Jaijaiwanti, Nayaki Kanada, and a Tarana in Bhairavi
Nada Varsha (Sangeeta Recording Co.) featuring Gurjari Todi & Madhukauns

I got another album of his at SV Temple in Pittsburgh, PA (USA) which has Darbari Kanada & Bageshree -- though his singing is great as usual, the album is marred by recording defects.

I would also mention two more vocalists from Karnataka who are very dear to my heart: Pandit Parameshwar Hegde & Pandit Venkatesh Kumar.  They are unbelievable.  Venkatesh Kumar has sung a great number of devotional songs as well and he is very popular.

[Sumanth Sharma]

In the Same context, I remember I used to attend all night Concerts arranged by His [Some Rajguru foundation or so] disciples at Canara Union, Malleshwaram - Bangalore - during winter - every year

It uused to be an all night concert; I used to attend it in the 90's during my school days when I had time. Now I am not sure the tradition continues, nor do I find time.

They used to arrange the best of music. I was young though, hence I cannot recollect all the artists.

That time, Ashwini Bide Deshpande was very young - but She stole the show.
Dada or Ajay Chakrobaorty - no comments - was simply too good, then there was Nayan ghosh's [multi talented artist]Solo, Sandeep Das, the best of the lot were invited. It was a pleasure to listen to music from Various Gharanas on the same day.

If am not wrong - The notable disciples who conducted them were Parameshwar Hegde, Vinayak Torvi etc.

Am not sure If the live recordings are available- Can somebody clarify on this - about live proceeding of that series?

[hundredstrings]

One sad thing about Indian classical music is that most of the great artists and concerts are never recorded.  Even among the available recordings, only a few are of great quality. HMV is credited with recording most of the classical music in '60s through '80s.

I haven't come across any albums that feature live recordings from these concerts.  I would have loved to buy them.

[subnibhatt]

Yeap, very sad that we don't have as many records available from these Gems

I have been trying to get Vachan Sangeeta by Pt. RajGuru  without any luck so far.
I spoke to Khazana.com People and they are still "Trying". (:

But they got me Classical Vocal - Pt Basvaraj Rajguru - Live In Concert
It has very melodious tracks as shown below

Raga Bhatiyar - Khayal Vilambit Ektaal - Bharani Na Jaaye, Khayal Drut Teentaal - Jago Jago Pyare; Alhaiya Bilwal - Khayal Vilambit Ektaal - Daiya Kahan Gaye, Khayal Drut Teentaal - Bin Dekhe Mohe Chain Na Aaye; Jogiya Asawari - Deepchandi Taal - Ho Raja mathura Kahe Ko Bisara

Again it is digitalised from tapes, so quality is bit compromised yet it is a great collection.

Bhat

[hundredstrings]

While Googling from "Lahari Recording", I found this news item about Ashok Huggannavar, one of the disciples of Pandit Basavaraja Rajguru.  I had the privilege of listening to him live in Bangalore, back in late '90s.  He is a great artist.

~~~~

He carries a nondescript, small purse like pigmy deposit collectors do. He has the bearing of just another man in the crowd, with no airs whatsoever. And so you can mistake him for one. Ashok Huggannanavar, not an oft-heard name in urban music circles, is an eloquent musician and an articulate speaker. The gentle, quiet Huggannanvar, who teaches in the music department at a college in Honnavar, has been a disciple of many a great musician, including Basavaraj Rajguru and Sangameshwar Gurav.

Eraguppi Lingappa, fondly known as Lingaraj Buva, Huggannanavar's maternal uncle, was one of the greatest musicians of his time. But sadly, like many others, he never made it to the mainstream. Lingaraj Buva, Panchakshari Gawai and Mallikarjun Mansur were contemporaries and disciples of the renowned Nilakant Buva of Miraj.

The phenomenally talented Lingaraj Buva, who used to sing for Vamanrao Master's drama company, was a great influence on the young Huggannavar.

He got to listen to his uncle's riyaz at home and picked up the genre with ease. He enjoyed singing, but his father Ramappa Huggannanavar, a retired primary school teacher, fearing for his son's future, ordered an immediate stop.

However, after a hiatus, Huggannavar's music revived in college and he bagged prizes in every other competition. That was when his father realised his son's talent shouldn't be frittered away. With his father's blessings, Huggannanavar started formally learning from his uncle, who would take him for a walk into the fields and break into a song. He would ask the young man to repeat after him. "But what about the taanpura?' I used to ask in bewilderment. `The shadja has to take birth in the mind and not from the taanpura,' he would explain. Not that it made great sense to me then, but now I know what a scholar he was," he says. He was taught rare, unheard ragas, without making them seem like they were unusual. It was only much later in his life that he realised the worth of his uncle's teaching.

"I got into M.Sc. Botany but was hardly interested. I would miss classes and (Mallikarjun) Mansur (at the time head of the music department) had noticed it. He coaxed me to complete my course and promised to get me into the music course. And he kept his promise," he recalls gratefully. The six-year course was brought down to one year and Huggannanvar given a seat as promised.

The great Basavaraj Rajguru, one of the teachers for the course, in the one of the early classes put the students through a small test. It was Huggannavar's turn and he sang a cheez his uncle had taught him. No sooner had he finished than Rajguru asked him if he had learnt it from Eraguppi Lingappa. "We used to listen to him with our mouths wide open," Rajguru told the class.

Says Huggannavar: "Unlike other musicians, Rajguru was a simple man. He made no discrimination and had enormous love for his students. He was a teacher to the core. I remember how he would cancel the classes if I couldn't make it," recalls Huggannanavar affectionately. It was at his behest that he later went to Sangameshwar Gurav for advanced lessons. "I had learnt a lot of music, but did not know how to present it. Sangameshwar Gurav gave my music a definite shape." During the Kundagol Sawai Gandharava Punyathiti in the Eighties, there was a competition and Huggannanavar took part in it. Gangubai Hangal, who was the judge, was impressed by the youth's competence. She recommended him highly among the music circles and urged that he had to be taken notice of.

In one of his first few concerts at Delhi, the legendary harmonium player Mohammed Dholpuri didn't look too pleased to accompany this chit of a boy. But the disdain evaporated when Huggannavar commenced Vijayanagari, a raga that even stalwarts think twice before singing, and stunned his audience. Even Dholpuri was humbled into silence.

While most musicians are clamouring for space and opportunity in urban spaces, Huggannanavar is contented being in Honnavar, doing his riyaz, teaching his students and singing for an occasional concert that comes his way. "When there is no forum for me here (in Bangalore), why should I come? I'm happy where I am," says this unassuming musician.

[subnibhatt]

Hi HPR,

Hope you are doing good

BTW i just noticed that Vachana Sangeeta Tracks at
http://www.ilike.com/artist/Basavaraj+Rajguru

is it available to buy?

Please let me know... ( currently buy takes me to iTunes and says no content available for the artist)

Thanks
Bhat

[hundredstrings]

Chakora Chandrike was released by Lahari Recording, a Bangalore-based company.  Lahari is yet to go digital... So, you won't find these songs on any online stores.

iLike is not a download site -- it is just a community platform for music lovers to share their knowledge and explore new artists and music.  iLike does have 30 second sample for many of the "mainstream" American tracks.  I have been a major fan of iLike and I even spoke to the development team and got permission to upload artist pictures.  I uploaded pictures for most of the Indian artists.

If I see "Chakora Chandrike" coming on iTunes, I will surely let you know.

BTW, you may want to check out the music of Nachiketa Sharma, one of Rajguru's disciples.  He is a techie and resides in the SF bay area.  I had the privilege of listening to him live.  He is pretty good.  I have seen his albums on iTunes.  Another great artist to check out is Pandit Parameshwar Hegde.  He is really amazing.  Again, his albums are yet to come to iTunes.  You will find them in Bangalore shops though.

[subnibhatt]

Gottcha.. Thanks for the info.

You may want to take a look at this site.. i think it is wonderful.

http://www.sawf.org/newedit/edit04292002/musicarts.asp

Best Regards,
Bhat

[hundredstrings]

Yes, I am aware of Sri Rajan Parrikar's wonderful and authoritative music articles on SAWF -- I came across that site around three years ago.  Last year, I had the privilege of meeting the author in person as well.  I think he has rendered a great service to Indian classical lovers and it is hard to find such information anywhere else on the net.