BENGALE
RADHA BHAVA
PARVATHY BAUL
Parvathy
Bâul: voice, ektârâ and duggî, ghungurû,
nûpur
Most of the time Parvathy sings and dances, accompanying herself on the
ektârâ and the duggî. Although she follows the vocal
style of her teacher Sanathan Das Bâul, she gives the pieces her
own particular savour and energy. In her dancing, the movements are very
slow, a style to which she is totally dedicated and which goes back to
the legendary Master Nithay Khepa, who taught Sanathan Das Bâul.
Although she now lives in Kerala, she returns to Bengal each year to carry
on her work with Sanathan Das.
Viswanath Das Bâul: ânanda-laharî,
ektârâ and duggî
Aged forty-two, Viswanath is the eldest son of Sanathan Das Bâul,
Parvathy’s guru. Since he was a child, he has accompanied his father
on his peregrinations and he almost always sings with him when he gives
public performances. He was initiated into the art of the Bâuls
by Master Birajanandaji (Khepa Baba Shri Manohar Thakur), who is now a
hundred and nine years old. Viswanath is the author of many poems, and
his singing accompanied on the ektârâ and the duggî
is very similar to that of his father, a mixture of Bhirbum and Bakura
styles.
Somen Bâul: ânanda-laharî
Born into a family of popular theatre artists from Beldanga, in Murshidabad
region, Somen Bâul felt the desire to join the Bâuls at a
very early age. He learned Bâul singing and spiritual practices
with Master Manohar Goswami, who represents the fifteenth generation of
a lineage going back to Caitanya Mahâprabhu. Now aged forty-eight,
Somen sings and accompanies himself on the ânanda-laharî in
a very pure style. His approach to the performance of music and dance
is very radical and disciplined.
Khijmat Ali Fakir: dotârâ
Khijmat was initiated into Sufism by his father Kader Fakir. Born in Fazilnagar,
he has also travelled all over Bengal collecting songs. Now aged sixty-one,
he sings and plays the dotârâ lute. His dancing is beautifully
restrained, without any ostentation. As a soloist, he specialises in the
performance of songs by Lalan Fakir, and his style is typical of Nadia
district. Khijmat Ali Fakir knows over seven hundred songs by heart. He
learned them orally, for he can neither read nor write. He lives in a
small hut with his wife and two adopted children.
Anasad Sheik: sârindâ
Parvathy first met Anasad at the annual festival (poush-melâ) in
Santinikandan. Very impressed by his strong personality, she immediately
asked him to join the group. Here Anasad plays the sârindâ,
a very
ancient bowed instrument; but he is also a violinist. He comes from a
family of Bâul fakirs from Burdwam region in northern Bengal. For
several generations, his family has been dedicated to singing and to the
playing and making of sârindâ fiddles.
ARTISTES: Parvathy Baul (Voix, ektârâ et duggî, ghungurû, nûpur) - Viswanath Das Baul (Ânanda-Iaharî, ektâra et duggî) - Somen Baul (Ânanda-Iaharî) - Khijmat Ali Fakir (Dotârâ) - Anasad Sheik (Sârindâ).
Other Artists : Ensemble Kaboul, Soungalo Coulibaly, Ensemble Aznach , Lucy Acevedo, Xhemali Berisha, Junko Ueda, Nelson Rojas, José de la Negreta, Marina Pittau. NEWS : Prem Kishor, Maciré Sylla
Other Discs : Nastaran, Dengo, Zoura, Négra, Hapi Syté, Satsuma-Biwa, Bulenga, Sueno Gitano, Raighinas
New release : Varanasie Ras, Sarefi