Artist: Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (With Sandeep Das on Tabla)
Album: Lure Of Desert
Genre: Indian Classical, Indian Slide Guitar Blues, World Fusion, Indian Raga, Indian Percussion, Tabla, World Music
Label/Source: T-Series/Super Cassettes Industries Ltd.
Catalog Number: SICCD 052
Package: Digipak
Recording Year: 1994
CD release Year: 1994
" Music is the language of GOD created for the benefit of Mankind. To me music is the medium to talk to GOD."...."Every time we perform we think in our mind that we are worshipping Goddesses Saraswati, the symbol of knowledge and wisdom, and we pray that She be with us so that we can create good music."....Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt
Wikipedia: Vishwa Mohan Bhatt also known as V. M. Bhatt (born July 12, 1952) is an Indian slide guitar player. Bhatt is the creator of the Mohan Veena. He performs Hindustani classical music and won a Grammy Award in 1994. It is for his Grammy winning album A Meeting By The River with Ry Cooder and other fusion and pan-cultural collaborations with Western artists like Taj Mahal, Béla Fleck and Jerry Douglas, that Bhatt is best known, although exposure such as an appearance on the 2004 Crossroads Guitar Festival, which was organized by Eric Clapton, does allow for this side of his playing to reach a larger audience. He received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1998 and the Padma Shri in 2002. Folk musician Harry Manx, who studied with Vishwa Mohan Bhatt for five years, plays a Mohan Veena. Counting Crows' Bassist Matt Malley also plays a Mohan Veena and is a student and friend of Vishwa Mohan Bhatt. Vishwa Mohan is married to Padma and lives in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, with his two sons and his wife. His elder son Salil Bhatt is a renowned Mohan veena player (and also a player of the Satvik veena), while his younger son Saurabh Bhatt is a well known composer. His nephew, Krishna Bhatt, plays the sitar and tabla.
Official Biography: Official Biography: Creator of the MOHAN VEENA and the winner of the GRAMMY AWARD, Vishwa Mohan has mesmerized the world with his pristine pure, delicate yet fiery music. It is due to Vishwa's maiden mega effort that he rechristened guitar as MOHAN VEENA, his genius creation and has established it at the top most level in the mainstream of Indian Classical Music scenario, thereby proving the essence of his name VISHWA (meaning the world) and MOHAN (meaning charmer) and indeed , a world charmer he is. Being the foremost disciple of Pt. Ravi Shankar, Vishwa Mohan belongs to that elite body of musicians which traces its origin to the Moughal emperor Akbar's court musician TANSEN and his guru the Hindu Mystic Swami Haridas. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt has attracted international attention by his successful indianisation of the western Hawaiian guitar with his perfect assimilation of sitar, sarod & veena techniques, by giving it a evolutionary design & shape and by adding 14 more strings helping him to establish the instrument MOHAN VEENA to unbelievable heights. With blinding speed and faultless legato, Bhatt is undoubtedly one of the most expressive, versatile and greatest slide player s in the world. Being a powerhouse performer, Vishwa's electrifying performance always captivates the audience whether in the United States of America, Europe, Gulf countries or his motherland India. Vishwa Mohan has become the cultural ambassador of India by carrying the Herculean task of glorifying and popularizing Indian culture and music throughout the world. Outstanding features of Bhatt's baaj (style) are his natural ability to play the 'Tantrakari Ang' and incorporate the 'Gayaki Ang' on Mohan Veena which is the greatest advantage of this instrument over traditional Indian instrument like sitar, sarod and veena. It was no surprise that Vishwa Mohan with his sheer virtuosity and limitless supply of melodies won the highest music award of the world, the GRAMMY AWARD IN 1994 along with Ry Cooder for their World Music Album, 'A MEETING BY THE RIVER' enhancing his celebrity status not only as a star performer but also as an improviser and a soulful composer. Vishwa Mohan has performed extensively in the USA, USSR, Canada, the Great Britain, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Scotland, Switzerland, Denmark, then scaling the Gulf of Dubai, Al-Sharjah, Bahrain, Muscat, Abu Dhabi etc. and throughout India.
Wildstrings Comments: Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhaat, is one of the greatest innovators of Indian Slide Guitar and a creator of Mohan Veena and also remained the only Indian guitarist who won the Grammy award for his wonderful collaborative album "A Meeting By The River" with Ry Cooder. I'm fortunate to speak with this musician for a few times and I've to mention he is not only a great musician but really down to earth and wonderful human being. This particular album is no exception for his mastery. Sandeep Das, the energetic and renowned tabla player accompanied him skillfully in this album. Highly Recommended.
You Tube Video of Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt & Shubhen Chatterjee - Meeting By The River (Live at Spicmacay)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcE7Jgrwn7E
|
