Abhijit Banerjee

Tabla Master

Abhijit Banerjee stands as one of the foremost Indian musicians of the current era. Trained under the esteemed guidance of the late Pt. Jnan Prakash Ghosh, he has graced prestigious festivals both in India and internationally. Collaborating with Grammy-winning musicians such as L. Shankar, Ry Cooper, Larry Coryell, and the Denmark Radio Jazz Orchestra, Abhijit has carved a riche for himself in the global music scene.

His performances have adorned renowned venues like Carnegie Hall in New York, Palais in Brussels, and the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. Currently serving as the head of the tabla department at Chinmaya Viswa Vidyapeeth University in Pune and an adjunct faculty member at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), Abhijit expertise extends beyond performance to education. In addition to his contributions to Indian classical music, Abhijit has made significant strides in the realm of crossover music, both as a performer and a composer. With over 55 audio and video publications worldwide, his impact on the music industry is profound.

Recipient of the APPEX Fellowship from UCLA, Abhijit’s academic journey reflects his diverse interests. He holds a graduate degree in English literature and a postgraduate degree in journalism.

As the founder and guiding force behind Dhwani Academy in India and the U.S. Abhijit is dedicated to preserving and promoting Indian cultural heritage through education and performance.

L. SHANKAR
&
Abhijit Banerjee

Full Moon

Album Details:

Full Moon

L. Shankar’s Full Moon presents a masterful convergence of India’s rich musical traditions, with an effortless blending of elements from the southern Carnatic, northern Hindustani and world music systems. Known for his groundbreaking work with his vocals and the 10-string double violin, Shankar delivers deeply soulful melodies in an atmosphere that evokes timelessness. His intricate, celestial compositions are marked by extraordinary improvisations and a seamless interplay between his voice, violin, and the tabla to create a soundscape that is both intimate and expansive.

Full Moon achieves a rare balance of structure and spontaneity. This album is more than just a collection of tracks; it’s an essential experience for both collectors and new listeners alike, that goes beyond mere listening. Full Moon stands as a testament to Shankar’s unparalleled ability to transform traditional forms into a sublime musical experience, inviting the listener to lose themselves in its ethereal beauty.

Accompanied by the virtuoso Abhijit Banerjee on tabla—one of India’s foremost percussionists.

Tracks;

1. Darlene's Wish (L. Shankar) 9:30
2. Dancing Beauty (L. Shankar) 3:41
3. Aberi Fantasy, Pt. I (L. Shankar) 10:25
4. Aberi Fantasy, Pt. II (L. Shankar) 5:07
5. Aberi Fantasy, Pt. III (L. Shankar) 15:22
6. Around the Corner, Pt. I (L. Shankar) 7:03
7. Around the Corner, Pt. II (L. Shankar) 7:22
8. Darlene's Wish (Radio Edit) 2:29

L. SHANKAR: VOCALS, DOUBLE VIOLIN, KEYS
ABHIJIT BANERJEE: TABLA

L. SHANKAR: VOCALS, DOUBLE VIOLIN, KEYS RECORDED AT SRI MUSIC STUDIO, LOS ANGELES, MALAYSIA & INDIA
ABHIJIT BANERJEE RECORDED BY: JEFF GROSS @ STUDIO 144, LOS ANGELES
ALL SONGS MIXED & MASTERED BY: JEFF GROSS @ STUDIO 144, LOS ANGELES

ALL SONGS WRITTEN, ARRANGED, PERFORMED AND PRODUCED BY L. SHANKAR
ALL SONGS SRI MUSIC, INC. (BMI)
ALBUM COVER DESIGN BY SPHICO
L. SHANKAR PHOTO BY ASHRAF MALAYALI

Album Details:

East to East

Style/Genre: World Fusion
Instrumentation: Santur, Tabla.

Ustad Abhijit Banerjee - Tabla, Voices
Alan Kushan - Santur

Santur:
The ancient musical instrument SANTUR, has a unique trapezoid shape, and is more commonly known in the western world as the "hammer dulcimer". The origins of the SANTUR lie in ancient Persia and the instrument has inherited a proud legacy that is thousands of years old.

This aristocratic instrument was played at every important ceremony and on festival occasions, especially at the imperial courts. Due to the fact that the Persian plateau has always, through the passage of the history of civilizations, served as an indispensable "bridge" between cultures and peoples of the East and those of the West, this musical instrument, the SANTUR, inevitably came to be introduced to other civilizations. this was achieved not only via the ancient and legendary "Silk Road" which Marco Polo traveled 700 years ago, but also by virtue of earlier contact between the Achaemenean Persians (599 BC-333 BC) and the ancient Greeks. This exchange was continued by the Sassanian dynasty of Persia (224-637 AD) through her cultural and diplomatic links with the Roman Empire. Because of Persia's contacts with Greece, Rome, India, China, the SANTUR found its way to such diverse areas of the world such as Ireland, Switzerland, Poland, the Ukraine, Hungary, Korea, and Germany. Each of these nations has adapted the SANTUR to its own musical temperament and has christened it with its own unique name.

One of Alan Kushan's many contributions to the SANTUR has been to broaden its musical range by increasing the number of bridges (notes) available to the musician. This expands the SANTUR from a typically restricted pitch area into an instrument capable of traveling previously unexplored musical territories. Alan designs and constructs these unique SANTURS and, in addition to differing gauges of steel and copper wire, he uses piano and harp strings to create fascinating variations in tonal quality. In this album he is accompanied by Ustad Abhijit Banerjee on Tabla.

Tracks:

1. East (3:55)
2. Persia (6:20)
3. Tibet (9:56)
4. Kashmir (5:13)
5. Jerusalem (9:23)
6. Nepal (0:54)
7. Punjab (4:19)
8. Himalia (6:43)

Total Time: 46:46

Item # CD 1015-2

Ustad Alan Kushan - Santur
Ustad Abhijit Banerjee - Tabla & Voices

Produced by Alan Kushan
Mastered by Aldoush Alpanian
Cover Design by Farzaneh Foroughi
Mastering Engineer Albert Benichou at CD Premastering in Emeryville, California 

Abhijit Banerjee
Abhijit Banerjee received his initial training in tabla from Tushar Kanti Bose and then from Manik Pal. Later on he became a disciple of the legendary tabla maestro, the late Pandit Gyan Prakash Ghosh. As a child he won many music competitions of national repute. Besides TABLA he had his training in Vocal Music and in Violin. He represents the Farukhabad gharana of tabla playing.

At present Abhijit is considered as one of the leading tabla players. He is recognized for his skillful accompaniment as well as for his solo performances. He has been on concert tours with most of the leading classical musicians of India both in North Indian and South Indian tradition. He has toured all over the world and also performed with jazz musicians and groups in New York. Abhijit teaches Indian Classical Music at Universities in U.S.A., Japan, England and Spain.

Alan Kushan
Alan Kushan was born in the mountains of Kurdestan, is arguably one of the most accomplished santur players in the world. He stands out not only because of his brilliant realizations of traditional Persian compositions, but also for his innovative avant-guard soundscapes. He is not only a builder of Persian instruments but also a virtuoso in performing Persian traditional music. His style, however, is not limited to traditional approaches but it extends itself beyond any such boundaries. He applies his own touch to the music that he performs, a touch which he has developed after experiencing the new trend of music, not only in his native land of Iran, but in the world.