This documentary is about a young monk’s search for the reincarnation of his master, Geshe Lama Konchong. I have been especially fascinated with this very specific Buddhist tradition ever since watching the Scorsese film “Kundun” in the late 90’s. If you haven’t seen it, I would encourage you to watch it. It has a score by Philip Glass too.

Back to this documentary. It was humbling to watch the journey of this young monk who basically searched an entire region for this child with almost nothing to go on, and actually found him. I don’t think it matters whether you believe in reincarnation or not or if some might try to nitpick details about how the child chose the right objects during the test. It is a picture of real people with real emotions, engaging in their own traditions that have gone on for generations with or without scrutiny from non-believers.

If you can’t find this movie at blockbuster, try renting it on Amazon video.

Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer at Music Academy 1988

via youtube.com

I’ve been listening to this recording for years, but had never seen a video. I just came across this on youtube. T.N. Krishnan, Trichy Sankaran and G. Harishankar. Hope someone will post the RTP in Bhairavi from this concert on youtube too.

Sankaran and Harishankar are amazing in this clip and even more enjoyable during the rest of the concert.

It would be great to see some video of the masters like Semmangudi when they are in their prime.

Cell phones have come a long way since Escape from New York

This is a scene from John Carpenter's Escape from New York. That thing is beyond huge.

A nice evening cup of coffee…

Great complement to the cold weather. It’s the little things.

VidyA live at DeYoung Museum photos

See the full gallery on Posterous

A chilly evening.

B. Rajashekar receives All India Radio TOP Grade in Music

I am glad to share the news that my close mentor, friend, and top class morsing artist Bangalore B. Rajashekar has received the TOP grade from All India Radio (AIR). As the name implies, this is the highest level that can be awarded from an artist in the AIR system and is usually only given to seasoned artists who have reached to master level of musicianship.

In my opinion, Sri Rajashekar is a true master and innovator on the morsing. To learn more about him check out the podcast I did along with him during his visit here.

Part 1
Part 2

You can also find him performing during the Chennai music season in December and touring the world during other time of the year.

Congratulations to Bangalore B. Rajashekar!

See the full gallery on Posterous

Jazz at Intersection presents VidyA at the De Young Museum

This will be a special performance featuring a new commissioned composition on a piece in the De Young museum. I sincerely hope you can join us. Admission is free.

VidyA – Friday Nights at the de Young presents Jazz at Intersection

Fri, Sep 11 | 6:30pm – 8:30pm | FREE

With an almost telepathic interplay, VidyA merges the virtuosity of Jazz with the melodic and rhythmic nuance of South Indian classical (Carnatic) music.

Prasant Radhakrishnan – saxophone; Sameer Gupta – drums; and special guest Eric Vogler – bass

“Imagine ragas and American blues folded into a single moment.” – San Francisco Chronicle

“…when these patterns are played on saxophone, violin, string bass, and jazz drums, there is a build-up of emotional energy and intellectual complexity which seems to recreate the energy that was present at the birth of bebop in 1940s New York. In fact, if Charlie Parker or Dizzie Gillespie had heard VidyA at that time, I think it would have never have occurred to them that VidyA’s music was Indian. They would simply have wondered where these cats had found a sound that was so mercilessly free of the standard melodic and rhythmic clichés.” -Teed Rockwell, India Currents

http://www.vidyamusic.com

de Young – Inside Wilsey Court
Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
San Francisco, CA 94118

More Information here.

(415) 626-2787 x.109