This is an original composition by Aaron Hermes, performed on electronic santur featuring Dexter Raghunanan on tabla.  Recorded and mixed at Free Range Studios.

Himalayan Moonshine with eSantur and Tabla

An excerpt from an original soundtrack recently completed for a yoga DVD.  Aaron Hermes on sitar, Dexter Raghunanan on tabla.  Recorded and mixed by Aaron Hermes at Free Range Studios.

Improvisation in Rag Ragashree - Sitar and Tabla

We are from the same Legacy Ravishankar Aliakbar Allarakkha, The most want Trio. 

Sitar Sarod Tabla Khamaj Drut Teentaal Prabir Bhattacharya

Sathya Sai Baba is the Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient One. As such, His nature is unfathomable. He has this to say of the world: 'There is only one religion - the religion of Love. There is only one language - the language of the Heart. There is only one caste - the caste of Humanity. There is only one God - and He is Omnipresent.

On one picture you can see Sai Baba with Swami Chinmayananda, the pupil of Swami Tapovan from Uttakarshi

Chanting by Sathya Sai Baba

Sathya Sai Baba is Pure Love

An old rendition of Raag Kirwani By Praashekh Borkar on Sarod. Recorded in early 2005.  Gat in Rupak Taal - 7 beats.

Raag Kirwani - Praashekh Borkar

Representing Birdsong is a collaborative project inspired by birdsong, between sound and visual artist Lucy Stevens and tabla player Rishii Chowdhury.

The Swithland Wood Recordings has been created as a digital print, onto a 12 inch record sleeve and pressed vinyl, featuring illustrations of native birds, their songs and trees from Swithland Woods in Leicestershire. The soundtracks were captured using field recording techniques (with support from Geoff Sample) and feature birdsong and musical compositions inspired by birdsong.

Stevens and Chowdhury have come together to explore the magnificent sounds of bird vocalisations, including the variations in pitch, repetition and duration. The sounds of native birds have influenced the artists involved, by fusing field recordings, musical improvisation and drawing techniques.

The soundtracks feature classically trained musicians Rishii Chowdhury (tabla) and Roopa Panesar (sitar), responding to birdsong, with an additional track featuring a live recording of Rishii performing the tabla in the woods, responding to birdsong. The main inspiration for one of the rifts was the 'Coo Coo Cooo' of the Wood Pigeon and the loud call of the Green Woodpecker. 

A short film has been created to document the process of the project and reveal the various stages of creating the work (see the foyer area show reel).

I would like to thank the following individuals and organisations for their generous support towards this project: Rishii Chowdhury, Bill Newsinger, Geoff Sample, Roopa Panesar, Terry Forryan and Lyndall Phelps, Leicester Print Workshop, LCB Depot, Embrace Arts, Leicester City Council and Dub Studio and Senol printing.
For more information please visit: www.representingbirdsong.wordpress.com or stay in touch via Twitter @lucyjstevens #birdsongtabla. This project was supported by Arts Council England's National Lottery-funded Grants for the arts programme.

Birdsong and music composition by Rishii Chowdhury (tabla) and Roopa Panesar (sitar), 2014

Sitar: Subhranil Sarkar (disciple of Ustad Shahid Parvez)
Tabla: Timir Baran Chakraborty (disciple of Late Pt. Nikhilesh Mitra)
Raga Kirwani - Vilambit Gat [Jhaptaal]
excerpt from concert organized by Parampara in memory of Pandit Nikhilesh Mitra

Kirwani [Jhaptaal] - Subhranil Sarkar - Sitar

A peaceful, uplifting and healing Shiva Stotra invoking the Shiva consciousness with the six syllables of the Maha Mantra "OM NA-MAH SHI-VAA-YA" with each syllable becoming the basis of a whole verse each, describing the beauty and power of the consciousness of Shiva.

From Shruti's Shivoham Album - Omkaram Bindu Samyuktam (Shadaksharamidam Stotram)

Vijay Sardeshmukh sings 'Ham Pardesi Panchhi Baba' - Bangalore Festival of Kabir, 2009

I belong to a "gharana"(heritage) which is the pathfinder of solo harmonium playing in India. My great great grandfather Sangeetacharya Montu Banerjee introduced the new style of harmonium playing which had the illusion of "meend" (extension of notes) which was almost an impossible task. The correct blend of "layakari" (rhythm section) and "raagdari" (raga section) made Harmonium an equally strong instrument as sitar and sarod. My grandfather Pandit Deb Kumar Banerjee introduced the "gayaki" (vocal nuances) to our ghrana which made our style of harmonium playing even more appealing. I have been learning harmonium from my grandfather since the age of 7. I had rigorous sessions of "talim"(learning) as well as "reyaaz"(practice) every day under the strict guidance of my grandfather. Prior to this, in order to enhance my rhythm sense, I learnt tabla from legends like Ustad Sabir Khan, Pandit Shankar Ghosh and Sri Bickram Ghosh. I have also taken vocal training from Pandit Kumar Prasad Mukherjee. Since childhood I had the privilege of meeting musical maestros like Ustad Zakir Hussein, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Pandit Ajoy Chakravorty and many more, and got their blessings. I have had the honour to be very close to Padmabhushan Sri Manna Dey since my childhood. Eminent music director duo Kalyaji- Anandji(bollywood) invited me to Mumbai where I had the fortune to perform under their banner "The Small Wonders". I have done my MSc in Advanced Computer Science from the University of Manchester (2010 -2011). I want to establish my "gharana", my instrument Harmonium and myself in the global arena. I want to win the hearts of millions of music lovers throughout the world and establish my instrument as a solo instrument.
EMAIL: dadam_1986@yahoo.co.in
TELEPHONE: +919163637658/ (INDIA)(033) 24543983

Improvisation in Rag Ragashree - Sitar and Tabla

Audio Telepathy