Enjoy this transmission of Shubapantuvarali raga on saxophone for peace, happiness and deep release of suffering.
What is the reason the appearance of suffering continues even for someone who has all basic needs? There is some movement within…something that says “something else is needed. This is not enough. I must look elsewhere to get something more. What is happening now should not be happening. I must regain what I lost.” A deep longing. This can be painful. But actually this longing is not what it might seem, not for a possession or companion or a fantastic experience, but really a longing to remember your real nature.
Simply look! Feel the source of the sound that is now arising in you. At that moment True Being emerges again with total clarity. This beingness dissolves all longing, confusion, past pain and suffering with no effort. It may be gradual, it may be instant. No longer is there is anything else to find, because you have already found. Finally, all is eternally well. Only Being just as you are can resolve the longing.
Now you are free.
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You can download this track and other similar tracks free here.
I’m also happy to note that you can view this video in 4K UHD resolution.
Here is another spontaneous sharing of music for your enjoyment and also your discovery and realization of pure peace and freedom. The real nature is silence… and arising as sound, is brimming with love and compassion for the entire manifestation. This amrita (nectar) can be easily tasted, enjoyed and absorbed as it is always available. The sweetness and relief is second to none. It is better than a cool drink of water in the scorching desert. The compassion of the Heart knows no bounds and is ever free. Drink of It’s song and realize yourself as That. Peace.
This song is set to the South Indian classical raga Sarasangi. You can stream or download the song free here:
…Another spontaneous video celebrating the spontaneous happiness and bliss of the unlimited Self. This one is in the South Indian Carnatic raga Gambheera nattai.
As with the last video, you can use this for casual listening or along with your self inquiry meditation or other yoga for enlightenment and Self realization. Play it while you study, sleep, exercise, do hatha yoga, make your coffee or tea, for your kids, in the car…anywhere. It is for you.
Completely feel the sound within you as your self. Every atom of your being is filled with this sound, the music. Merge with it and feel the total freedom of being. No separation between music and you. Yes, there is perhaps actually bliss… there is enjoyment naturally. It is arising by itself. This is union. Seeing this, you forget even this, and just be… You simply ARE.
The video was taken at Sri Raja Rajeswari Temple in San Jose, CA.
Here is the audio track. You can stream it or download for free (donations welcome).
…A spontaneous arising of the South Indian Carnatic raga Sunadavinodini on saxophone. In addition to casual listening, you can use this video to meditate, practice self enquiry or a deep form of naada yoga.
Merge with the sound, notice the sound arising from YOU, relax deep into peace, remain as pure being. 🙂 The yoga begins with merging with the sound of the music but leads you to yourself as the Silence that is both beyond and not different from sound.
The video was taken at Sri Raja Rajeswari Temple in San Jose, CA.
I will extract the audio and make that available as well, shortly.
Welcome, vannakam, namaskaram, 欢迎光临! I’m happy to share my new website with you. Moving your website is almost like moving to a new house! There are things to prepare, rearrange, throw away and set up. Some stuff gets lost in the move, some things sit in boxes in a corner for a while before you finally dust it off.
There are some minor changes, but most of the content is still here. I was able to import most of my old posts into the new website. My old podcast “Indian Classical Jazz Saxophone Set” got somehow deleted on my old web host and I’ve received emails asking what happened. I will likely repost the mp3 files on this blog just for fun and as an archive. My life has changed so much since 2009 when I did that podcast, especially since I don’t really think too much about differences between Carnatic music and jazz anymore. I just play.
Those of you who were subscribed to the blog may need to resubscribe to follow via email. Check it out and let me know what you think. One new addition is a lessons page, just to let visitors know that I am teaching. I get many emails inquiring about learning Carnatic music on saxophone but people are not sure if I’m actually accepting students.
The highlight of the new site is the content I will be posting here like audio tracks, videos, photos and perhaps some interesting links. Watch the blog or even the homepage for updates. Feel free to let me know what you think of the new site layout, etc.
In the meantime, enjoy the photo of beloved Arunachala.
I’m looking forward to participating in a new project spearheaded by Carnatic vocalist Kiranavali Vidyasankar. Her new project, Tradition – An Evolving Continuum was funded by the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage and is the first music grant they have ever awarded. The project will culminate in a concert on November 7th, 2015 in Philadelphia.
This project will result in a two-part performance with the first part featuring a Vocal concert of Kiranavali accompanied by V V S Murari (Violin), Vinod Seetharaman (Mridangam), Ravi Balasubramaniam (Ghatam) and Akshay Anantapadmanabhan (Kanjira). The second part of the performance will the feature the newly-formed ensemble.
Besides conceptualizing this project and composing music for the new ensemble, Kiranavali will lead it as the Vocalist and Chitravina artist. Accomplished Mridangam player Vinod Seetharaman will collaborate with Kiranavali in arranging the percussion section of the new compositions. Six guest artists from different parts of the United States complete the ensemble: V V S Murari (Violin), Nirmala Rajasekar (Vina), N Muralikrishnan (Electronic keyboard), Prasant Radhakrishnan (Saxophone), Ravi Balasubramaniam (Ghatam) and Akshay Anantapadmanabhan (Rhythmic solfage and Kanjira).
As part of the project, each artist gave an interview and spoke briefly about their instrument in the realm of Carnatic music. Below are some videos on the saxophone from my interview. What is said here is really just a taste, perhaps to inspire further inspiration or interest. I also wrote a brief article on the subject here. Please check the website regularly to see all the other artists, their interviews as well as their articles.
I’m glad to share this new video with you. This is part of a larger series where I play solo. The raga that emerged in this video is an unusual Carnatic Indian Classical raga called Dhatuvardini.
If you enjoy this style of music, you can also download the audio free (with contributions appreciated) on my website below. This album will have new tracks added to it regularly. I just uploaded the first track of the new Meditations Vol. 2 a few days ago and I am very touched by the immediate response from listeners. Thank you!
This video is a meditative inner exploration using one facet of self inquiry as taught by sages such as Ramana Maharishi, with music. Set to raga Varamu.
You can download the audio free and support this work here.
T.R. Subramaniam, a rare vocalist, musicologist and teacher passed away in Chennai on October 4, 2013. See article at The Hindu.
TRS in Concert
I am extremely lucky to have known Sri T.R. Subramaniam or TRS as he was called. I came under his tutelage while on a Senior fellowship in Chennai with AIIS in 2004-05 and continued to study with him whenever I had a chance during my subsequent visits to Chennai.
I can only agree with all the of positive things said about TRS already. He was an incredibly warm and welcoming person. To say he was supportive and encouraging is an understatement. I have seen the incredible patience and precision he had teaching me as well as many other students. Many have observed his almost daily attendance at concerts by artists young and old even up to his last days. As a musician he was unique and a force to be reckoned with. When I began learning with him another mentor musician gave me some old recordings of TRS from the early 70’s with masters like T. Rukmini, Karaikudi Mani, TVG, Upendran etc. The concerts were amazing and at the time I had never heard anything like it before. There was a palpable electricity and energy along with the technical mastery. Surprisingly many people haven’t really heard him at his peak.
My very first class he asked me to play Kharaharapriya (Ganapatiye – Papanasam Sivan) and immediately pointed out various subtle but important ways to improve it. During that period I was working on delving deeper into possible approaches to further creating gamaka on saxophone and was interested in exploring ragas that were typically considered impossible on my instrument. I’m still working on that one. TRS encouraged it by patiently sitting with me on such ragas as well as teaching me compositions that he felt would sound especially good on my instrument. He further opened up many areas of exploration for me such as his signature pallavis and ways of improvising in various nadais or pulses per beat. He would show me his unique rhythmic neraval variations in pallavis and say with a mischievous smile “this is intelligent neraval.” He would always say that you should be ready to perform any pallavi in any raga. I found that in many classes I was quite simply surprised at the sheer depth and breadth of his knowledge. You could ask him about literally any song and he would immediately be able to go into fine detail on the music, sahityam and its intricate meaning. He told me that he got such a strong grasp of Telegu through sheer hard work after realizing that he was unsatisfied singing Thyagaraja krithis without it. Many say that his approach is purely scholarly. I have seen articles that blatantly say TRS is just a technician. I don’t agree. I felt a deep reverence emanating from the master when he would speak of the great composers that went far beyond the technical.
His pallavis were so unique that they had a TRS stamp. When I had a concert in Mysore, I showed the violinist Sri H.K Narasimhamurthy the pallavi and to my surprise he immediately said, “this must definitely be a TRS pallavi.” The giant he was in the pallavi category, he still encouraged beginners like me. I had an album called “East Facing” in 2007 for which I composed a simple pallavi in Lathangi. But I was not so good with composing lyrics so I asked TRS about it. He immediately composed a line of sahityam on Lord Muruga in Tamil. Then he exclaimed “I like this pallavi very much, very good! I will teach this to all the students and popularize it as Prasant pallavi!” He showed me that is possible for a teacher to be completely encouraging, gentle and fun with the student while still firmly conveying the precise information and dedication needed to approach Carnatic sangeetham.
His caring demeanor did not end only with teaching music. He would not allow me to leave if it was near lunch time and would make sure that I had eaten. If we happened to be in the same concert anywhere or if I had to take a class from him in a different location he would always make sure I had a ride and often would pick me up or drop me off, regardless of the time or the traffic conditions.
He went further and often organized concerts for me while I was in Chennai, completely unasked. One special concert in fall of 2004 with M.S. Anantharaman on violin, Guruvayur Dorai on mridangam and V. Suresh on Ghatam at Shastri Hall was also spearheaded by TRS. He attended all of these concerts and would always have helpful and encouraging words to say afterwards.
TRS after a concert he put together, 2004.
My only regret is that as I was not in India full-time after early 2005, I could not see him as frequently and learn from him. I will really miss his disarming humor too. The music community is indebted to him for his numerous and special contributions.
Prasant with T.R. Subramaniam at his home in early 2005.
Prasant Radhakrishnan 