Great World Music - Saskia Rao (Cello) with Anuradha Pal (Tabla)

Had great fun performing with the great cellist, Saskia Rao-de Haas, for a concert tour of Andhra Pradesh, organized by SPICMACAY.

CD ‘PASSION’- BY ANURADHA PAL’S STREE SHAKTI BAND

Hey friends, I was supposed to blog on my recent album called ‘PASSION’ by my band Stree Shakti, but did not earlier.. as I was busy travelling... So here it is.. http://anuradhapal.com/stree_shakti_cd.htm

MY ‘PASSION’ ALBUM comprises of 6 tracks- Passion, Celebration, Coming together, Heartbeat,  Romance and Moods of totally 61 minutes. 

I have toured with my band Stree Shakti  comprising of Shubhada Paradkar on Vocal, Sukanya on Ghatam, Latha on Kanjira and others on Violin, SItar and Veena, for more than 10 years.. The superb chemistry that we enjoyed due to our extensive performances & touring together, is fortunately translated even in the CD. For eg- when we performed at WOMAD Festival for 150,000 fans,   the collective roar of the fans saying..- ‘We want more...’ still gives me goose flesh..

The tracks are described below.. I will blog about my concept and compositional process soon.. I look forward to your responses.

1.PASSION- - A groovy drum & bass beginning, followed by a beautiful composition in Raga Basant- Bahar by Mita Nag & a passionate multi percussion interplay by me playing Tabla , Pakhawaj, Djembe, Darabuka, Udu, Bongo- Cajun & Udukku, sets the tone for Woman Power ( Stree Shakti) defined by Passion!

2. CELEBRATION - Begins with OM  & a shloka from the Sama Veda invoking Shakti ( Power)  to the first form of organized music called Dhrupad Dhamar developed in 1st A.D, followed by an interaction between the Vocal, Veena & the majestic Pakhawaj, Dhripad Dhamar gives way to a Chhota Khyal joined by the Violin & Tabla, culminating into a spunky Tarana, celebrating the journey of Hindustani Classical music from its origin to the present times.

3. COMING TOGETHER - A  Carnatic Percussion dialogue between the Ghatam, Tabla & Kanjira.

4. HEART BEAT- The Carnatic system of Indian music opens with a stunning Tillana played on the Veena in Raga Hindolam, corresponding to Raga Malkaus in the Hindustani system, embellised by electrifying percussion by Sukanya on Ghatam, Latha Kanjira & me on Tabla , all beating as one. 

5. ROMANCE- A beautiful Alaap, Jod & Jhala by Sitar exponent Mita Nag followed by a lively composition with Anuradha Pal in Teentaal, recreating the beauty & romance of the monsoons. The duo had mesmerized audiences at the prestigious Dover Lane & Uttarpara Festivals in Kolkata in 2013.

6.MOODS- takes us on a musical journey of interaction between Ragas (fixed melodic scales sung or played at a certain time of day or year) & Talas (fixed rhythmic composition having a set pattern of beats and structure).

Each raga & tala express a different mood  & feeling called ‘Rasa’ . Starting with cool alaaps in the morning Ragas, Lalit & Vibhas to energetic bol-tans in afternoon Raga Multani, to the spirited evening and night ragas of Bageshri, Paraj & the intense Adana, culminating with Bhairavi, the talas  increase in complexity from 5 beats to 5 ½ beats to 6 beats to 6 ½,7, 7 ½ and finally ending on a 8 beat Tala called Aditaal in the Carnatic system and Teentaal in the Hindustani system. percussion trio explores different rhythmic patterns called Jatis like Chatusra, Tisra, Mishra & Sankirna, climaxing into a resounding Bhairavi on the Vocal, Veena and Violin.. dissolving all lines of demarcation between different systems of music, thereby embracing World Music at large.

My CD called 'PASSION!!! by Anuradha Pal's Stree Shakti' just released

Hey friends,

I know I have been absent from Blogging yet again!! Yes.. I am guilty as charged..  but for very good reason..

I have been very busy producing a new album called ' PASSION!!! ' It features superlative fusion & classical performances by all female band Stree Shakti, which is infact the World's first all female Indian Vocal,, instrumental & Percusion Fusion band  featuring some amazing women musicians like Shubhada Paradkar ( Vocal), Mita Nag ( Sitar), Sukanya (Ghatam ) & Latha ( Kanjira), with Veena & Violin, and the rest of the percussion- i.e. Tabla, Pakhawaj, Djembe, Darabuka, Udu, Kanjira & Udukku, all played by me…

Here is the promo on the album https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbG9yH6LXq4 & the entire title track called 'PASSION' for your listening pleasure.. https://myspace.com/anuradhapal-tabla/music/song/passion-raga-basant-bahaar-95852774-106808015?play=1

Please do post your comments on youtube or write to me at 1anuradhapal@gmail.com & on Facebook.

Warm regards,

Anuradha
www.anuradhapal.com

Stop this injustice to the members of Campa Cola society

My heart goes out to the poor victims in the Campa Cola society scam!! Is it fair that they should loose their lives, homes, lifetimes savings & identity, when the real perpetuators of this heinous crime - the builders and developers of this society are not even named or nailed??? The BMC has shamelessly collected taxes for all these 'illegal flats' for over 30 years and today, they think it fair to demolish it because some supreme court judge decided so. Haven't thousands of slums been regularised? Why?? Are poor people who forcefully occupy somebody else's land right and these Campa cola residents who paid all the stamp duties, registrations & taxes for decades wrong? Why? is the Middle income group ( MIG) person lesser than a poor person? Or it is Vote bank politics again? Is there a greater conspiracy of 'floating FSI' behind this feverishness to demolish Campa Cola society, in the guise of some 'legal justifications' .. I really pray that better sense & justice prevail finally and their torture ends..

Happy Birthday Abbaji!!

A very special photo with Abbaji- Performing with my guru Ustad Alla Rakha when I was 15 years old for the prestigious Indian Music Group at St Xaviers college festival. He was so happy after my performance with him, that he got a gold chain & special gold talisman made, with my name & his blessings engraved on it and presented it to me on Dussehra Day, annointing me as his scion to take his lineage forward..  What a special blessing to get from the greatest Tabla Master ever!!

It is these special moments & blessings from Abbaji that continue to inspire me to work harder…