IndiaPost.com - SOUL OF MUSIC

MINNEAPOLIS: Pandit Debashish Bhattacharya, one of the world's greatest slide guitarists, performed last week at The Cedar Cultural Center as part of his 14-day 2008 US tour.

His new album "Calcutta Chronicles: Indian Slide Guitar Odyssey" (Riverboat records) was released in the US on April 8.

Bhattacharya is accompanied by siblings Subhasis Bhattacharjee and Sutapa Bhattacharjee on vocals. India Post had an opportunity to have an exclusive interview with this prodigy on his take of life and his music journey.

India Post: How is it like visiting Minneapolis again?

Debashish: First of all this is our sixth stop in our 18 concert series in the USA. I liked the audience in Minneapolis very much because in spite of the weather, the house is full, and people enjoy themselves. I feel as though I am managing two things at one time traveling and promoting my CD. I feel as though I have two jobs in two parts of the world which makes it almost impossible, but all in all it is good that the concert and album jelled at the same time. Prior to 2008 I visited Minneapolis in 1996 when I toured with Bob Brozman and Mart Simpson, 18 months ago and now at Cedar Cultural Center. It is always great touring 7-8 months a year where people like to listen to our music.

IP: Do you see a difference in the audience of Minneapolis as compared to other places that you perform?

DAB: One thing that I acknowledge in the 20 years that I have been performing and touring is that people who are not attendees of my concert are their own individuals that have access to their iPods or mp3 players, but when they come and listen to my music live and are able to spend time with me for a good couple of hours they all listen to music as a single soul, but with many minds. I feel this is a way we can all unite for one reason rather than all being our own. If people get a proper association and environment to music they are all one soul for that one moment and then I cannot see a single different between the audience in India, France, UK or the USA for that matter.

IP: What made you want to be an artist at such a young age?

DAB: I did not do anything to be an artist. It all came very natural to me. I never thought of making a career out of my passion. Music is my art of living along with my lifestyle. It is a lifestyle that has been accepted and I feel extremely lucky to have this life. I am musician by passion as well as a painter and believe strongly in the creative arts. I have done a lot of creative painting and designing which has helped me further in music composing. For example, Surviving Art and Artisans is a project of mine which was meant for the one time guitar makers and their families that were on the brink of extinction in the market. I used my inventions that the trinity of guitars and taught them how to make them and made a financial trust to help with their productions. I have been successful in helping six of those families survive. In addition the Phoenix Museum of Music instrument has invited me to perform and ordered two of my heritage productions the Chaturangui -collectors Model and Gandharvi -collectors Model from TIG the company who is producing all my instruments.

IP: Why did you choose to expand on your guitar skills over other classical instruments?

DAB: Well at the age of three when you find an instrument in your hall room you really do not decide on it. At such a tender age you just got it. From then till now it has been my first and ultimate friend and over the years we have grown up together as the guitar grew in shape and size so did I. That is as how natural as it gets.

IP: What did you mean when you were quoted as saying that Indian classical guitar needs to go through the depth of Indian raga music?

DAB: Well anything you do as a living and career can bring in times when you just play superficially to survive and stay afloat. The time has come for the Trinity of Guitars to be taken to the depth of Indian Raga or any form of global music to travel all over the world. I meet different musicians, artists, writers, painters, and thinkers, fans of my trinity of guitars and people of different cultures. I strongly feel that now is the time for my Trinity of Guitars to be taken to the depth of Indian Raga or any form of Global music as they are growing with time and should be put in the hands of those loving and caring students who are trusted and exploring their abilities and performing best in their respected forms.

IP: Can you describe the differences between the Chaturangui, Gandharvi, and Anandi?

DAB: They are like humans and same are these three guitars. Please do visit my website for more details on each individual guitar.

IP: Can you tell me more about your new sound track that you composed Calcutta Chronicles- Indian Slider Guitar Odyssey?

DAB: This is the sound and melodic rhythmic expressions of a Calcuttan and some music is influenced from sounds that I have heard from the 1920's performed by artists such as Sitar , Sarod, Khayal and Thumri that can be vocal as well as instrumental. All those images of the past music I have downloaded in 7-9 tracks with almost exact proximities. Two of the compositions are contemporary music compositions which bring more of a global journey than Indian classical music.