Review of Rajeeb and Reena concert in L.A. on 4/8/2000
Debashish Banerji
Saturday, April 8, 2000.
By Amrita Banerji.
Sister and brother duo, Smt. Reena Shrivastava on sitar and Shri Rajeeb
Chakraborty on sarod, accompanied by Shri Subhen Chatterji on tabla and
Ms. Christie Engels on tanpura gave a captivating concert at the Sri
Aurobindo Center of Los Angeles on the 8th. of April, 2000. The concert
(like all other concerts organized by the Sri Aurobindo Center) was
dedicated to the spiritual world-teachers, Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.
It was also in special remembrance of the grandmaster and doyen of
Indian Classical music, Pandit Ravi Shankar, who turned 80 the day
before and from whose gharana Rajeeb and Reena hail. The musicians
started the evening off with 'alap', 'jod' and 'jhala' (introduction to
the raga) in the majestic Raga Kaushiki Kanhada followed by a 'vilambit'
(slow-paced) composition in the same raga set to 'jhaptal' - a ten beat
cycle. The hypnotic unhurried development of the alap was truly
noteworthy, creating a transcendental atmosphere. The rhythmic
improvisations were played with much gravity and depth by Sri Subhen
Chatterji. The background drone played by Ms. Christie Engels on the
tanpura maintained a meditative tranquility throughout the concert. The
vilambit composition was followed by a 'drut' (fast-paced) composition
in 'teental' (a 16-beat cycle). After a brief intermission, the second
half of the program resumed with Rag Jog. Characterised by its romantic
and meditative mood, this 16-beat composition mesmerized the audience.
The concert was concluded with a sweet and lyrical Bengali folk tune -
'Bhatiali', (in 'kaharwa tal'), which rowed the audience in a gentle and
nostalgic boat-ride across a river of Bengal. The Center was packed to
its capacity with ~50+ receptive audience, enrapt and spell-bound with
the refined and beautiful musicianship of the Calcutta trio.
Dressed in fine opalescent white silk saree, pearl ear-drops and ivory
white hair-beni, Smt. Reena Shrivastava was an embodiment of the goddess
Saraswati. The soft delicacy, grace, sweetness and dexterity with which
she played the Sitar invoked divine presences from the ethereal worlds.
Shri Rajeeb Chakraborty, in white silk 'punjabi' and finely-pleated
white dhoti, charmed the audience with his brilliance and creative
genius. His internalised yet powerful notes led the audience into their
own depths, which resonated with what they heard. Shri Subhen Chatterji,
in orange silk 'kurta was firey as the Vedic god, Agni, in appearance
and rendition of various innovative and captivating rhythms on the
'tabla'. He played with great sensitivity and mastery.
Born into a musical family, both Smt. Reena and Shri Rajeeb Chakraborty
have received the best tutelage and close attention from their own
father, Pundit Rabi Chakraborty - an eminent exoponent of the Senia
Maihar Gharana, a disciple of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. This school of music
is well-known for its 'gayaki ang', where the instruments 'sing' rather
than just play. It was Pt. Rabi Chakrabrty's aspiration that his son and
daughter play duets as well as Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Pt. Ravi Shankar
did. They have been trained to complement each other and not to compete
with one another. This was beautifully demonstrated by the brother and
sister duo during the concert. While Shri Rajeeb Chakraborty plays his
solo parts with masculine power and grandeur, he does not fail to be
sensitive to and weave in harmonies into the feminine grace and
intricacies of his sister, Smt. Reena's solo pieces. The reverse is true
as well. Born to the same parents, being like-minded siblings and
knowing fully well each others strengths and weaknesses, Shri Rajeeb and
Smt. Reena demonstrate a selfless and truly artistic arrangement of
their duets which surpasses the standards of most other so-called
'duets' and raises the audience to a higher level of consciousness with
their synergistic musicianship. Their music has a wonderful balance of
power and sweetness to it.
Shri Subhen Chatterji is one of the premier disciples of Pt. Swapan
Choudhury and is a well-known tabla-player of India. Subhen ji's
accompaniment of the duet was lively, intuitive and sensitive. His
playing revealed a wonderful rapport with the brother and sister duo.
Shri Chatterji has accompanied diverse musicians over the years and
demonstrates easy accommodation and plasticity so as to match with the
mind-set and music of each artist - a feat that is easier said than
done. Subhen-ji played his solos with much concentration and held the
audience at bay who were much appreciative of his playing and gave
several ovations. The 'sawal - jawab' (question - answer) session he
played with the brother - sister team was full of quick-wit and skill.
Often ignored, the 'tanpura'- player occupies the back of the stage. But
it is this unassuming player and the instrument which forms an important
and almost mandatory part of the concert. Ms. Christie Engels did a
great job, diligently and aesthetically plucking her tanpura, creating a
meditative and inspiring ambient drone.
Overall, it was a magical, musical evening in the spiritual atmosphere
of the Sri Aurobindo Center of Los Angeles - an experiential pleasure to
be a part of.
Rajan P. Parrikar
>white dhoti, charmed the audience with his brilliance and creative
Did you manage to steal a closer look at the underwear? Was
it 100% combed cotton and ringspun for softness?
And what about the interior garment supporting the ladies'
vaksha-sthala? Please make a clean breast of it.
Warm regards,
r
rpen...@hotmail.com
and it was an enjoyable concert.
The reviews for ICM concerts, artists in newspapers
(and now on rmic!!) are so embarassing to read.
we start going 'yeah, yeah, whatever, whatever'
The authors should chill out for a couple
of days before writing the review.
The formula seems to be to simply have an embarassingly big
bunch of superlatives
and then stack them sky high.
for example this review had:
captivating, spiritual, doyen, majestic, hypnotic, truly noteworthy,
transcendental, meditative, tranquility, gravity , depth,
romantic, meditative(again), mesmerized, sweet, lyrical,
gentle, nostalgic, spellbound,refined, delicacy, grace,
names of gods, dexterity, ethereal,sensitivity, mastery,
eminent exponent,weave, harmonies, selfless,truly artistic,
higher level of consciousness, synergistic, balance of this and
that, lively, intuitive , sensitive(again),wonderful rapport,
easy accomodation, plasticity, full of skill,
unassuming, exponential pleasure,full of wit
man! is there anything else we can pile on top of this!!!
this is a runaway train
-Ravi Pendkar
In article <8ddauq$2...@drn.newsguy.com>,
Rajan P. Parrikar <parr...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >Shri Rajeeb Chakraborty, in white silk 'punjabi' and finely-pleated
> >white dhoti, charmed the audience with his brilliance and creative
>
> Did you manage to steal a closer look at the underwear? Was
> it 100% combed cotton and ringspun for softness?
>
> And what about the interior garment supporting the ladies'
> vaksha-sthala? Please make a clean breast of it.
>
> Warm regards,
>
> r
>
>
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
bdixit
University of Pittsburgh first sponsored a concert tour of Rajeeb
Chakraborty (sarod) and Reena Srivastava (sitar) with Kousic Sen (tabla),
in its efforts to present musicians from the younger generation to the
audiences in USA. For their age and experience all three of them gave
respectable performances at over 20 venues, including one in Boston. I
have not heard them recently. But to use all "these" superlatives in
describing their recent performance in LA is really a disservice to these
young musicians. And to connect their performance, which was attended by
a capacity crowd of about 50 people, to the 80th birthday of Pandit Ravi
Shankar is nothing short of a "gimmick." Saying nothing about the tabla
player who accompanied them in their LA concert is the best way to
acknowledge his presence. I do not know what reaction Rajeeb and Reena
would have if they read the report of their concert in LA. I hope that
some time in the future they will be able to give performances that could
be described by at least some of the "superlatives" that were used to
describe their recent concert in LA. ........ Balwant Dixit
rpen...@hotmail.com wrote:
> > >Shri Rajeeb Chakraborty, in white silk 'punjabi' and finely-pleated
> > >white dhoti, charmed the audience with his brilliance and creative
> >
> > Did you manage to steal a closer look at the underwear? Was
> > it 100% combed cotton and ringspun for softness?
> >
> > And what about the interior garment supporting the ladies'
> > vaksha-sthala? Please make a clean breast of it.
> >
> > Warm regards,
> >
> > r
> >
> >
>
> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> Before you buy.
--
Balwant N. Dixit
University of Pittsburgh
541-2 Salk Hall
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
Tel No:(412) 648-8582
FAX No:(412) 648-8475
A.Pavan
in Sept 1994 (CPAI, Pittsburgh sponsored concert). Kousic was on the
Tabla. I remember their Hemant which was played rather well.
Rajeeb has also composed music for a Tagore dance drama (Khudito Pashan)
which was staged in Minneapolis in 1994.
The recent review of their LA concert was just too cliched and follows
the desi habit of extolling everyone to the heavens. Even many of the
newspapers back home have writers who cannot avoid the usual pile
of superlatives. A balanced review can only come from a disinterested
and neutral writer, and not from someone who is organizing their tour.
The review was more promotional in nature than an objective analysis of
the high and low points of their performance.
Rajeeb and Reena would be embarrased to read that review I'm sure.
Pavan
>> > >Shri Rajeeb Chakraborty, in white silk 'punjabi' and finely-pleated
>> > >white dhoti, charmed the audience with his brilliance and creative
>> >
subirg...@my-deja.com
Lately heard CALCUTTA TRIO(Rajeeb-Sarode/Reena-Sitar/Subhen-Tabla)in New
Jersy & what a musical treat it was!
I am(being a regular attender of music concert in N.J./N.Y. area)truelly
surprised by their "soulful"yet entertertaining music.
While I have never heard a lady Sitar player like Reena before-Rajeeb is
equally blended with his very good control mainly on the
composional/Layakari part(ryhtmic imrovisation).They started off with an
afternoon melody(MADHUBANTI)set to Jhaptala(10 beats)& then played
Charukeshi on Rupak Tala(7 beats)& finally wound up the show with a
lighter melody based on myriad of folk tunes of Bengal
And finally-what a fun to see SUBHEN on stage.I have heard him many
times in this area mainly with Budhaditya Mukherjee(Siatr),Girja
Deviji(Vocal) & Shahid Parwez.But on that eveing I think He surpassed
his all previous performances.Indeed a tablaplayer to watch in future.
Looking forward to seeing them again.Thanks to the organiser for letting
us introduced to this "real"tresure of this generation.