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Strumming up a storm
MEENA BANERJEE
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An international guitar camp is set to unfold next year in Kolkata.
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On a mission Bhattacharya with his musician friends.
Reputed Indian slide guitarist Debashish Bhattacharya was in the news when he received the BBC Planet Award for World Music 2007 in May. The pioneer of the Trinity Guitars created a flutter recently when he announced the planto hostan international g
uitar camp in Kolkata in December 2008. The event is expected to accommodate 250 participants representing all the four prime genres of Western Rock, Jazz, Fusion and Blues plus Indian classical music.
Bhattacharya, during the press meet , revealed that such camps are organised frequently in Europe and America. As a participant, he enjoyed and learnt from these sessions where he worked with international figures like John Mclaughlin, Bob Brozman, Martin Simpson and Gary Lucas. John Mclaughlin was in Chennai in March for a recording session with Bhattacharya.
It was then the dream of organising an international camp began to take shape. “As you know, Tau Moe, a Hawaiian musician brought the guitar to India in the 1930s.
The original slide guitar has seen many changes since then. In the hands of our classical musicians the guitar became Mohan veena, Hansa-veena...My own Trinity consists of Chaturagui, Gandharvi and Anandi. When, while celebrating the 75th year of the ‘Indian’ guitar, I offered my respects through a recital to Tau Moe in Hawaii, the nonagenarian was fascinated beyond words. That was the original spark, you can say,” Bhattacharya admitted .
The exchange between the guitarists of the East and the West was the starting point , admitted Bhattacharya. But only an international platform could give that opportunity.
Weeklong festivity
The performers, teachers and students of the guitar will be involved in the weeklong festivity. Internationally acclaimed musicians, with whom Bhattacharya has shared his work experience in India and abroad , are expected to participate in this ‘Camp to Concert’ event. The workshops will take place over six days only to culminate in concerts. “Enriched by the exchange of ideas we will try to improvise and present a new form of music that will defy all existing genres,” declared Bhattacharya. “We shall felicitate my guruji with the Lifetime Achievement Award on this occasion.
The Bhattacharya School of Universal Music and Trideb International Guitar Company are trying to reach out to everyone, even those not directly related to the guitar or classical music, with the aim of giving the instrument its due . To participate in the event guitaristscan send their audio-visual presentations for selection. Application forms are available from September 1, 2007 onwards on www.debashishbhattacharya.com.
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
|
