Indian musician inspired beyond raga
Chakrabarty refuses to limit style options in performance
In the rarefied discipline of Indian classical music, most musicians tend to specialize in one style or another. As one of India’s most revered vocal masters, Ajoy Chakrabarty, who performs here Saturday, is an exception to that rule.
He regularly weaves different song styles like khayal, thumri and khayal into the ancient raga format and remains one of the more popular “playback” singers in the Bollywood film industry. He draws on the lessons of several different teachers or gurus, and over a lifetime in music he has absorbed a wide breadth of influences.
“Indian music is an ocean,” the singer explains. “It is so interesting, so developed and so rich. I am a foolish person who believes that all the styles have their unique qualities and I don’t want to confine myself to any particular gharana or style. I have also learned many things from western music harmony and added them to what I do.”
As a small child growing up on the outskirts of Kolkata in northeast India, Chakrabarty was singing before he could speak. He began informal lessons with his father at the age of two and had his first official guru at five. By his mid-teens, he was regularly winning competitions, but it wasn’t until after he graduated with a master’s degree in music from Calcutta University at 21 that he really committed to a career in music.
The singer’s first performance outside India came in 1981 on an all-star tour with the renowned percussionist Zakir Hussain, who remains “like a brother.” Since then the artist has made dozens of recordings and once put in as many as 250 concerts a year. Among other honours he was given the title of “pandit” or scholar by the president of India.
Chakrabarty still practises daily to keep the dexterity in his three-octave range and to maintain his finesse as an improviser who can plumb the raga forms with real nuance.
“The brain needs continuous cultivation. Some ragas can have different colours, shades and fragrances. So much depends on how a person considers the raga, the time of day and atmosphere in painting your ideas.”
Now 60, he performs about 100 shows annually when he’s not busy heading two of the most important music schools in Kolkata, including the Shrutinandan Academy, where some 400 children are introduced to the Indian tradition (he even hosts classes online every Saturday morning). Chakrabarty dismisses any thoughts of retiring.
“In every breath I take, life and death are laughing at me.”
Chakrabarty will be accompanied by Sandeep Ghosh on tabla percussion, Ananjan Chakrabarty on tanpura and Gourab Chatterjee on the harmonium. Edmonton Raga Mala Society hosts the concert at the Royal Alberta Museum Theatre (12845 102nd Ave.) at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20, or $15 for students and seniors, available at the door.
CAT JAHNKE I N CONCERT
If you’re looking to catch a quirky singer-songwriter on the way up, Winnipeg folk-pop singer Cat Jahnke (pronounced Yong-kee) is in town Saturday night for a special late date that was added to her current tour of Western Canada.
You might already have heard a track from Jahnke, who has had songs placed on a few television shows, films and video games.
She was also a finalist in the 2006 John Lennon Songwriting Contest and a nominee for Best Contemporary Vocalist in the 2011 Canadian Folk Music Awards.
Jahnke brings her own touch to acoustic guitar and occasional piano to 13 tracks on The Stories Are Taking Their Toll, her fourth independent release. The singer made her music-video debut last month with a tune from that disc, Some May Say Love.
Cat Jahnke plays Westwood Unitarian Church (11135 65th Ave.) Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance at catjahnke.com/tickets or $20 at the door.