Balaji Shankar

Carnatic Musicians
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vijay
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Joined: 27 Feb 2006, 16:06

Post by vijay »

Just grabbed a Kalavardhini CD at Landmark (just fifty bucks would you imagine!) that I had not seen before prompting me to start this thread. Brilliant Saurashtram, Begada and Kalyani!

Much has been written about this artist and the reasons for his mysterious disappearance in various musical fora but I thought a separate thread would serve to assimilate all available recordings that can be shared as well as information on his whereabouts..

BTW, a rumour was doing the rounds last season (to which I partially contributed!) about his being spotted at various concerts, especially those of TNS. I did see a tallish, fair myself who would broadly correspond to his album mughosts, given that a decade or so has passed since his concert days. Would anyone be in a position to corroborate this? If there is even the slightest chance of a comeback, maybe Coolji should start making some phone calls!

Meanwhile, I do hope we can get some music

jayaram
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Joined: 30 Jun 2006, 03:08

Post by jayaram »

Vijay - by '50 bucks' did you mean Rs 50 or $50? If it's the former, can you please buy one more copy of the CD and keep it aside for me. I will pick it up from you when I am in Madras next. Many thanks.

Yes, Balaji is such a mystery for CM rasikas. IF there's any chance he may sing again, our rasikas.org sabha would be an ideal place for it.

thamizhisai_paithiyam
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Joined: 16 Apr 2007, 08:40

Post by thamizhisai_paithiyam »

yes i too wonder what happened. just disappeared from the scene. i heard him sing at SV temple many moons ago. he was scintillating.

jayaram
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Joined: 30 Jun 2006, 03:08

Post by jayaram »

Was listening to the Balaji Shankar CD today (thank you, Vijay!).

Felt as if Shri DKJ was with me, plus some more! Balaji's voice has that amazing haunting quality. I still can't get over the fact the he dropped out. Has to rank right up there in terms of CM tragedies!

I have a concert of DKJ at Shankukhananda hall where he introduced Balaji as his 'kutti shishyan'. And Balaji sings an amazing Kalyani alapanai.

I really need to transfer my tapes to digital format. (I already owe G.Ravikiran the Musiri teaching session recording. Am feeling a bit frustrated being technology deficient.)

vijay
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Post by vijay »

You're welcome Jayaram. I must've heard it about 10-15 times myself ....a tragedy indeed...eagerly awaiting the conversion of your tapes to MP3s!

Sathej
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Post by Sathej »

Heard his rendition of Swara Raga Sudha. Wonder what happened to him!A real tragedy!
Sathej

ksrimech
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Post by ksrimech »

jayaram wrote:I have a concert of DKJ at Shankukhananda hall where he introduced Balaji as his 'kutti shishyan'. And Balaji sings an amazing Kalyani alapanai.
Jayaramji, Which one is this? Can you post the song list? Thank you.

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Post by rajeshnat »

I have one excellent commercial audio casette of Balaji shankar titled "delightful music of balaji shankar".Balaji is just brilliant , a rtp in vAchaspati, a sujana jeevana khamas, bharathiyAr's senthamizh nAdenum in poorvikalyAni, and a brilliant kanakAngi varnam start followed by a superb nAttai of nArayana theertar and a rare gowrimanOhari composition of Dr Srivastava ,with another behAg composition(cannot recollect).

I have heard one performing musician telling me that if he is still singing , he must be a clear no #1 for many of us. What a loss for all of us?

jayaram
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Joined: 30 Jun 2006, 03:08

Post by jayaram »

Jayaramji, Which one is this? Can you post the song list? Thank you.
ksrimech - here are the details:

DKJ/Mysore Manjunath/Karaikudi Mani/TV Vasan
(Balaji - supporting vocalist)
Shanmukhananda Hall, 1989
- Asaveri varnam
- Kulabirudunu - Devamanohari
- Ananda natana prakASam - Kedaram
- appa rAma bhakti - Pantuvarali
- gAna lOla karuNAla - Darbar
- Sankari nIvani - Begada
- kowsalE Sri bhavachala - Gowrimanohari
- birAna varalichchi - Kalyani
etc.

Truly a gem!

ramna251
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Joined: 13 Jun 2007, 14:17

Post by ramna251 »

Hi All,

After seeing this tread, i am obliged to put my thoughts in.

Never really knew much about Balaji Shankar before. Hadnt heard much of him till around 2004. During that time, i was deeply into Muthuswami dikshatar songs.

By chance, came upon his Sri Venkatagirisham on Music India online. He was fabulous. Got all the songs on Musicindia online.

Special mention is needed for Sri Subramanyo mam rakshathu in Thodi. He was so brilliant i heard DKJ back to back to make sure it was him.

In Jan 2005, my first daughter was born and was fed with Balaji shankar by both me and my wife all the time. She loves him so much that she wants balaji mama to sing when she wants to go to sleep.

Seriously, where is Balaji ? What do you mean by disappeared ? a) Not into concerts is one thing, but b) Not existing in another.

Surely the world is not that big a place for someone of his talent to vanish. One thing i heard is he moved to US. So enough of people there can find out.

I really wish I could take my daughter and show her favorite balaji mama, what she learnt by listening to him.

Please post more details of him.

ramna251
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Joined: 13 Jun 2007, 14:17

Post by ramna251 »

Btw - Another of my favorite from him is Shankaram Abhirami in Manoharam. Amazing piece.

bhaktha
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Joined: 15 Jan 2007, 23:02

Post by bhaktha »

Something I heard recently from an authentic source:
Senior disciples of Shri DKJ: Shri Vijay Siva, Shri Balaji Shankar (YES!!), Shri Sunder and others went as a group and sang at the Dikshitar samAdhi quite recently during Dikshitar's anniversary. Probably somebody who has Shri Vijay's contact can trace Shri Balaji whereabouts. A true Mysterician.
-bhaktha

sbala
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Post by sbala »

His Shankaram Abhirami is mesmerising. What a singer!

Sundara Rajan
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Post by Sundara Rajan »

Sankaram Abhirami is in Kamala Manohari Raga. Is it the same as Manoharam ?

ksrimech
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Post by ksrimech »

Thanks Jayaram.

Isn't Dr. Badri Narayanan also a student of Sri DKJ? I think he accompanied Sri DKJ in the air recording where he sings papanAsam sivam kritis - ennadu manam (harikAmbhoji), unnaiyallAl verE gati (kalyANi) and tAmasamA ammA (kuntaLavarALi). Brilliant recording.

bhaktha
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Joined: 15 Jan 2007, 23:02

Post by bhaktha »

AFAIK,
The raga that we know as kamalamanohari today is manohari according to dikshitar's school (as in kancadalAya dAkshi).
Tyagabrahmam has composed in kamalamanohari too- nI muduu.
There is a manohari that is a janyam of k.h.priya. paritApamU is a Tyagabrahmam compisition in this ragam. I am not quite sure about manoharam.
-bhaktha

venkatpv
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:23

Post by venkatpv »

here's a slightly discordant note... i heard Balaji Shankar's Pranatarthiharaya Namaste in Samanta... I found the alapana excessively filmy... didnt like it at all.. despite his brilliant voice!

jayaram
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Joined: 30 Jun 2006, 03:08

Post by jayaram »

Senior disciples of Shri DKJ: Shri Vijay Siva, Shri Balaji Shankar (YES!!), Shri Sunder and others went as a group and sang at the Dikshitar samAdhi quite recently during Dikshitar's anniversary.
If this is really true, this has to be the scoop of the year, if not the decade! Perhaps we can get more info from Vijaya Siva or the others.

vpadmana
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Joined: 23 Sep 2006, 05:08

Post by vpadmana »

Jayaram sir, is it possible for you to upload the Shanmukhananda hall concert to sangeethapriya.org?

Thanks,
Venkatesh.

ramna251
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Joined: 13 Jun 2007, 14:17

Post by ramna251 »

jayaram wrote:
Senior disciples of Shri DKJ: Shri Vijay Siva, Shri Balaji Shankar (YES!!), Shri Sunder and others went as a group and sang at the Dikshitar samAdhi quite recently during Dikshitar's anniversary.
If this is really true, this has to be the scoop of the year, if not the decade! Perhaps we can get more info from Vijaya Siva or the others.
Dear All,

After some searching, got the contact details of Shri Balaji Shankar. Hoped to see him next time I visit chennai.

:) I guess i am plain lucky to even speak to him.

Ramna

vijay
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Joined: 27 Feb 2006, 16:06

Post by vijay »

Ramna, requesting you to serve as an info conduit for us forum members! Please do share what you know. Also, if you can, please do check whether he would be game for a private concert and I will in turn send in a request to Coolji...

ragam-talam
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Joined: 28 Sep 2006, 02:15

Post by ragam-talam »

Just came across this thread...
I agree, Balaji shankar is a very talented musician. It would be great to hear him again. Would rasikas forum be able to organise his concert? That would be wonderful.

Here's a link to a few of his songs: http://www.musicindiaonline.com/music/c ... artist.72/

vijay
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Joined: 27 Feb 2006, 16:06

Post by vijay »

The latest in Samanth's series on Mint covers Balaji Shankar:

http://www.livemint.com/Articles/2008/0 ... spell.html

s_hari
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Joined: 20 May 2007, 18:45

Post by s_hari »

Thanks for sharing this Vijay....

I myself wanted to post about few things i heard... Like mentioned in the article, dirty politics could have forced him not to sing, and that he works for IT company, Polaris in chennai.. I understand that when few folks approached to meet him, he agreed on the condition that there won't be any discussion on music.

It will be good for all of us, and music if he started to learn under TNS...

-hari

cienu
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Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 11:40

Post by cienu »

Thanks Vijay. What a lovely article. Brought old memories flooding back.

I am pretty sure that if Balaji, if he was singing today would have been one of the top artists of the younger generation along with the likes of SS, TMK , VS , Gurucharan etc...

Yes , I do know from sources close to Balaji that he had indeed lost his voice and this in turn did greatly affect his confidence. If he does come back it would be the second greatest comeback in Carnatic Music after a voice loss , the first being that of the great Chembai , who regained his voice due the grace of Lord Guruvayurappan. !

Needless to add , all lovers of CM await this miracle to happen. :) (Like his namesake in cricket L Balaji who came back after a 4 year lay off to take a hat trick for Chennai Super Kings in IPL !!)
Last edited by cienu on 16 Jun 2008, 16:56, edited 1 time in total.

mridhangam
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Joined: 04 Dec 2006, 13:56

Post by mridhangam »

Vow thank you. Actually in the article mentioned above I am playing for him. anyone noticed ? thank you. I got a pic too.

JB

vijay
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Joined: 27 Feb 2006, 16:06

Post by vijay »

I suspected it was our Balaji sir - good to see the two Balaji's in action!

I know he was in Polaris. One of my friends was working with him but has lost touch now. He said it was more to do with Disillusionment that losing voice/confidence etc. Wonder if he is still with that company...

Balaji's was one of my first (in fact my first) carnatic concert and deserves a fair bit of credit for winning me over to CM althogh I had already been hooked to a few records by then. This was at the Tamil Sangam in Delhi, summer 1998 - I had actually gone to attend Sudha's performance - Balaji's concert was more of a curtain raiser - but the fantastic Kambhoji (I was too much of a greenhorn to remember krithi - in fact in those days I used to get bored after the alaapana!), managed to eclipse Sudha that day.

Fast forward to Chennai '99 when I walked, wide-eyed, into the bustle of the Music Season...alas, while it was a very enjoyable first season, my idol, Balaji Shankar, was nowhere to be seen...I will have to live the Kambhoji main piece at Tamil Sangam as my only live experience of Balaji Shankar...but who knows...

mridhangam
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Joined: 04 Dec 2006, 13:56

Post by mridhangam »

Members

Actually Subbudu Wrote in one review about Balaji's concert at Mylapore Fine Arts (1.30) way back where i played. I can only transliterate :

"Rendu Balajiyum stage la Alamelumanga thayarum perumaalum pola kai serthu dance aadina pola effect irundudu"

J.Balaji

prashant
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:01

Post by prashant »

I was just listening to some of Sri Balaji Shankar's music this morning. What a voice!!! Incredibly silky with great depth especially in the lower octave. He's performed in Mumbai several times - wonder if I can dig up some recordings of those concerts. Will check on getting back home.

sureshvv
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Joined: 05 Jul 2007, 18:17

Post by sureshvv »

And the stacatto brigas - I remember a concert in the late 90s where the accompanying young violinist was pleading with him to go easy on the briga laden passages!

samanth
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Post by samanth »

Prashant: If you can really dig up some new recordings, I know that I for one would be indebted forever. The same five studio albums have been doing the rounds for some time now, and a few live recordings would be incredible.

vijay
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Joined: 27 Feb 2006, 16:06

Post by vijay »

Let's list the albums Samanth mentions:

Double cassette album released by HMV from Season 98 featuring Kalyani and Kharaharapriya
Kalavardhini release (not sure of the songs now)
An album featuring Tholijanmamu in Bilahari and Seethamma Mayamma in Vasantha

There's probably one more that I have stacked away somewhere but I cannot recall which. So that leaves at least one more album that I am not aware of.

Anyway, I second Samanth's request...

prashant
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:01

Post by prashant »

samanth wrote:Prashant: If you can really dig up some new recordings, I know that I for one would be indebted forever. The same five studio albums have been doing the rounds for some time now, and a few live recordings would be incredible.
Will check as soon as I get back to Mumbai in a couple of days.

List of recordings - there's also the AIR recording that's popular - daya jUDa / bhaktuni CAritramu / karuNAkaranE / talli ninnu nEra nammiti / Adena pADuvE

prashant
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:01

Post by prashant »

OK Balaji Shankar fans - looks like I might have some 'Bombay halwa' for you :-)

Watch this space in the hours [and days] to come...

vijay
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Post by vijay »

Drooling already....

prashant
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Post by prashant »

Here's a nice kharaharapriyA AlApanA - https://download.yousendit.com/108120641D108B88

rbharath
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Post by rbharath »

aah.
i thought prashant was gonna announce his(balaji) return to the music field...

:(

prashant
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Post by prashant »

I wish I had the magical powers to do that, bharath! :-)

prashant
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Post by prashant »


vijay
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Post by vijay »

Many thanks Prashant! Keep em coming....

ram
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Post by ram »

Thank you so much Prashant!

rbharath
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Post by rbharath »

thanks a ton prashant.
does it also have a preceeding alapanai?

rshankar
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Post by rshankar »

Prashant, it was a treat - (Balaji) Shankar singing ShankarAcAryam in ShankarAbharaNam!

On a more serious note, it was very, very nice! Thanks!
Last edited by rshankar on 27 Jun 2008, 23:01, edited 1 time in total.

arasi
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Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Post by arasi »

and Shankar enjoyed listening to it...

PUNARVASU
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Post by PUNARVASU »

Arasi,
For Shankar,by Shankar ,on Shankar(AchAryA),in shankar(AbharaNam).
BTW, I am a Shankar too.

rshankar
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Post by rshankar »

Welcome to the club!

Arasi :)

prashant
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Post by prashant »

tAnam in kharaharapriyA - http://www.sendspace.com/file/dopra5

cienu
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Post by cienu »

Fabulous Sankaracharyam.. thanks a million, Prashant.. :)
BTW , pardon me , but kindly elaborate on who is the violin vidwan DSS ?

prashant
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:01

Post by prashant »

Cienu: it is Delhi Sri Sundararajan.

Here is the SankarAbharaNam AlApanA for bharath and all other Balaji Shankar fans: http://www.sendspace.com/file/splm9z

Pallavi coming up...

prashant
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:01

Post by prashant »

... and here it is: http://www.sendspace.com/file/43ywpx

Such a beautifully sung pallavi - first popularized by Sri Balaji's great Guru Sangita Kalanidhi Sri DKJ.
Last edited by prashant on 28 Jun 2008, 09:54, edited 1 time in total.

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