The Girl with the Runaway Taan
2010 November 25
Thanks to Praveen for the link to this article:
‘Some people think that I am aggressive on stage. It is funny how they expect a girl to be timid and demure on stage,’ says Kaushiki
Kaushiki Chakaraborty Desikan is the daughter of the famous Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty, who slightly unusually for a Hindustani musician, learns Carnatic music, from Dr. Balamurali Krishna. Kaushiki occasionally sings the odd Carnatic piece as well.
Here is an example of the runaway taanning:
And here she is, in a mellower mood, singing a nice bhajan. Almost like she’s swallowed a bell with a very clear tone:
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Lovely article, thanks for posting.
How pleasant listening to the flow in her rendition. The tabla in pretty good sync.
Anil, I love your blog!
Thanks for the intro to the singer. I’m gonna buy her CDs shortly!
Wow, what amazing voice control! I wonder how one develops that. And I love your description of her voice in the 2nd piece – it is so perfectly descriptive and apt! This is the first time I am hearing (of) her, and I am enchanted. Thanks so much for these links, now I have to buy some of her music.
Kamini, I think Hindustani musicians spend a lot of time on voice, it’s not like Carnatic musicians can’t do it…some do.
Kaushiki’s famous father Ajoy Chakraborty learns from BMK, and she has sung some of BMK’s compositions-see/hear this for example:
Thillana – Kuntharavarali – Kaushiki Chakrabarty from ks1729 on Vimeo.
Thanks for the link to the thillana, Uttara. That Kuntalavarali thillana is one of my all-time favorites! I have heard several duets with Ajoy Chakraborty and BMK and they are such a pleasure to listen to and watch, and it is wonderful to see the immense respect they have for one another. Thanks to your site I have discovered Kaushiki, and now I am on a quest to find as much of her music as possible!
Kaushiki is a good album as it has a range of stuff, from a Dhrupad to Khayal to Carnatic to Thumri.
Thanks. I will get it.
Have listened to this so many times by now…it’s DIVINE!! Thanks!
Glad you liked it!
I have had the pleasure of hearing her live! She is a wonderful and powerful singer.
I loved the Hamsadhwani:)
I knew you would like it!