This guy is amazing!

Jon Graboff · Post by **Jon Graboff** » 9 Oct 2009 7:23 am

I don't spend a lot of time listening to this kind of music, but someone sent me a link to this youtube page and I have to say that this guy is blowing my mind. He really starts to shred about half way through!

At the very least… keep an open mind and simply enjoy the mind boggling technique involved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTb740opU6M

Nathan Golub · Post by **Nathan Golub** » 9 Oct 2009 7:32 am

Nice! Thanks for posting that.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 9 Oct 2009 10:34 am

i can see it now....ravi shankar trades sitar for dobro and goes on the road with jerry douglas!

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 9 Oct 2009 10:44 am

I was so lucky to actually get to see Debashish live in concert 5 minutes from where I live last Sunday...free no less!!!!

To quote a friend of mine, you kinda have to be in the "Zone" to really appreciate all of the subtleties of this music, especially if you're a westerner. But I have to say that this was probably the BEST demonstration of left and right hand steel guitar technique that I've EVER seen!!! No joke, just amazing!!! That goes for every pedal steeler, lap steeler, dobro player, and sacred steel player that I've ever seen since I started paying attention. Clean, fast, highly spirited, and full of reverent joy!

During the speaking part of his program Pandit Bhattacharya explained that he was from a long line of Indian singers, which in itself has centuries of tradition in his country. He actually can sing everything that he plays. Truly amazing...and he also had a large part in acutally inventing the instruments he plays!!!

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 9 Oct 2009 11:25 am

That is almost incredible! What a great tone he has. If there was ever a need to reinforce the logic of a classic right-hand position, surely this is it.

I wish I knew more about this music - it seems to employ our 'western scale' (the intervals seem the same) and there are strong harmonic elements that almost parallel bluegrass at times.

Wonderful - thanks, Jon, for the link!

Twayn Williams · Post by **Twayn Williams** » 9 Oct 2009 11:33 am

As far as I'm concerned, Indian Classical music is the most advanced rhythmic/melodic music in the world.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 9 Oct 2009 11:38 am

bluehash music

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 9 Oct 2009 11:47 am

My main musical (jazz) guru growing up was Dale Bruning the guitar teacher in Denver who always stressed the importance of really understanding your instrument's most basic tool, the single string. It was a lesson that I thank him for daily! I think the Indian guys really understand that.

I kind've chuckled when I saw Debashish and his brother playing last week with no tanpura player. Instead they used a digital box for the various drone sounds for each raga. Progress meets economic setbacks. Ha.

Here's some downloadable tanpura for us to try and cop the vibe.

http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~mrahaim/

kevin ryan · Post by **kevin ryan** » 9 Oct 2009 1:25 pm

I am speechless.. What a breath of fresh air... Wish I would have caught the performance Rick...

Jan Jonsson · Post by **Jan Jonsson** » 9 Oct 2009 3:22 pm

Holy smoke! What amazing musicians! It makes me want to bring out my old Shakti vinyl records again.

Thanks for posting this!

-- Jan

Lee Warren · Post by **Lee Warren** » 9 Oct 2009 4:21 pm

Holy Cow, that's fantastic!
Thanks for the link.
Lee

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 9 Oct 2009 6:24 pm

There is a long tradition of Indian slide players. Slide veena :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gottuvadhyam

It has an ancient classical type thing with it. Deep amazing stuff. They use a polished hardwood bar.
There is a more cheesy Bollywood slide playing also and everything in between.

Thanks for the link !

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 9 Oct 2009 6:49 pm

I was going to mention that Debashish uses a small John Pearse lap steel bar, two metal finger picks ( not a sitar player's "mizrabs", those painful looking wire thingies), and what looked like a Golden Gate Thumbpick. That's what was so cool, he was using our tools and techniques, but going somewhere way out of our universe with them!

At the end of the concert, I got to meet him and have him autograph his CD that I bought. When I told him that I too have played a different kind of steel guitar for over 30 years, he gave me a very knowing look and told me, "Always remember what a healing instrument you have chosen to play!" I thanked him for reminding me, especially at this time.

I sometimes forget.

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 9 Oct 2009 8:29 pm

This is the only guy I know who can go head to head with Debashish:

Derek and Debashish

Jim Hollingsworth · Post by **Jim Hollingsworth** » 10 Oct 2009 7:33 am

I am humbled at his musicality. Being a long time Indian music fan it is enthralling to see how he plays it. And technique? Whew.... Then add Derek Trucks....
time to go home & practice some more.

Franklin · Post by **Franklin** » 10 Oct 2009 11:15 am

When I first heard this style of playing in London I bought everything I could.
I still can not find the actual instrument he is playing?

Anyone know how to find one.....Paul

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 10 Oct 2009 11:25 am

Here you go, Paul:

Trideb International Guitar Co.

Geoff Cline · Post by **Geoff Cline** » 10 Oct 2009 11:41 am

chris ivey wrote:i can see it now....ravi shankar trades sitar for dobro and goes on the road with jerry douglas!

Apparently you have missed "Bourbon and Rosewater" featuring Jerry Douglas, V.M. Bhatt and Edgar Meyer. A stunningly beautiful album. http://waterlilyacoustics.com/bourbon.htm

In general, check out the sonically amazing albums released by Water Lilly Acoustics records, Kavi Alexander's label. He/they did the "Meeting By The river" album with VM Bhatt and Ry Cooder...a must have.

Geoff Cline · Post by **Geoff Cline** » 10 Oct 2009 11:44 am

Franklin wrote:When I first heard this style of playing in London I bought everything I could.
I still can not find the actual instrument he is playing?

Anyone know how to find one.....Paul

Another possible source is Rick Turner @ Turner/Renaissance Guitars in Santa Cruz CA. Rick is very close friends with many in the Indian classical music scene (particularly veena and guitar-hybrid players). He certainly can point you in the right direction. I know Rick has worked on instruments for V.M. Bhatt.

Allan Munro · Post by **Allan Munro** » 10 Oct 2009 1:56 pm

Lee Warren wrote:Holy Cow, that's fantastic!
Thanks for the link.
Lee

Too funny. But it is amazing playing.....

rodger_mcbride · Post by **rodger_mcbride** » 10 Oct 2009 2:39 pm

I've been looking for a supplier as well. Thanks for the link to the Pandit Bhattacharya guitars.

Here is a link to a guy that makes the style of guitar that V.M. Bhatt and Harry Manx use. I spoke to Harry Manx about the guitar featured on the Rikhi Ram website and says it's pretty ok. (he has another maker's guitar, but in the same style)
http://www.rikhiram.com/instruments/MOHAN-VEENA-54.html
Sanjay Sharma <srikhiram>

rodger

Bob Blair · Post by **Bob Blair** » 10 Oct 2009 6:17 pm

I also loaded up on everything I could find after seeing V.M. Bhatt a few years ago - I've seen him a couple of times now, and spoke with him once. He told me he loves Pedal Steel. I've never had the pleasure of seeing Dabashish live, but I have a dvd that I've really enjoyed. I want to get my hands on one of those guitars and expect I will someday.

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 10 Oct 2009 9:22 pm

Thanks for that link Dan! At the concert I was at last Sunday, Debasish didn't even play the instrument in the youtube clip, the Gandharbi. That one looks like there's no sympathetic strings and double courses like a mandolin. I'd really be curious to know more about the tuning of that one!

He did play the Chaturangui and a tiny four string Anandi.(kind've like a lap steel/ukulele/Weisenborn with a beautiful, more accessible tone to most of us westerners I suspect)

The Chaturangui is an incredible instrument! It was especially amazing to watch him play the super fast ragas. He played with so much speed on the single strings, all the while keeping a rhythm going on the little harp sympathetic strings with his thumb. Awesome!

Ben Hoare · Post by **Ben Hoare** » 10 Oct 2009 9:48 pm

WOW
what an amazing tecnition and sound

Kyle Everson · Post by **Kyle Everson** » 11 Oct 2009 11:22 pm

Does anyone know what tuning he uses on the 24-string model?

The Steel Guitar Forum

This guy is amazing!

This guy is amazing!

Amazing!

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