Smile for the sitar

Indian classical-fusion star Purbayan Chatterjee comes to Thailand this weekend for a pair of much-anticipated concerts in Pattaya and Bangkok.

What’s sure to bring smiles to many faces is that a portion of the proceeds from the shows will be given to the Princess Sirindhorn Craniofacial Centre at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital and the Thai Red Cross Society, which provides lifesaving surgeries to children with genetic facial defects.

For his concerts at the Siam Bayshore Pattaya and the Sukosol Bangkok Hotel, Chatterjee will be supported by two outstanding musicians – vocalist Joyeta Choudhury and tabla player Rupak Bhattacharjee – in the show. The concerts are sponsored by Pattaya Classical Music and Sukosol Hotels

Chatterjee is one of the most sought-after Indian musicians in the world. He is the winner of the President of India award and performs overseas regularly, headlining concerts at such venues as the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, the Konzerthaus in Berlin, the Sydney Opera House and the Esplanade in Singapore. 

Chatterjee has recorded more than a dozen CDs in both the classical and fusion genres, with tracks ranging from the classical “Raag Yaman” to rock in the cheekily titled “Sitarway to Heaven”. He’s also recorded with other artists, including jazz luminary Chick Corea, banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck, South African jazz guitarist Kunle Ayo and Belgian saxophonist Manuel Hermia.

One of Chaterjee’s most recent albums, “Pace of Mind”, was recorded with Belgian jazz band Slang. It was described by London Jazz Times as “a most enjoyable album” which the reviewer “can highly recommend for its fine fusion of rock jazz and Indian music”.

Joyeta Choudhury is a young Bengali vocalist, specialising in the Bishnupur school of singing. She also has a versatile range of styles, from strict classics to Hindu devotional “bhajans”.

"The combination of sitar and vocals will make a wonderful concert," says Gregory Barton, chairman of Pattaya Classical Music. “Occasionally we can hear sitar players sing a few lines when performing a classical raag,” he says. “Our concert will have sitar solos and vocal solos, and duets with each soloist supporting the other. It will be a show of constant variety and highly entertaining for the audience,” Barton says.

“Purbayan is an excellent communicator,” Barton adds. “He patiently explains the music that he’s about to play. The audience will love him.”

The trio is completed with tabla player Rupak Bhattacharjee. He is the most senior disciple of tabla legend Anindo Chatterjee. Rupak holds the highest grading from All India Radio and frequently performs overseas, most recently in Zurich.

The programme will be a combination of light classics and jazz-rock-Indian fusion. It will appeal to a wide range of tastes, from the classical enthusiast to the jazz aficionado to the rock enthusiast.

 STRINGS AND PERCUSSION