Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain and flautist S. Shashank joined hands to come up with an extravaganza of rhythm and melody.

IN HARMONY: The `sawaal jawab' session brought to the fore the respect Zakir Hussain and S. Shashank have for each other.

Zakir Hussain's persona is so overwhelming that most of the promos displayed only his name. But the tabla ustad magnanimously set matters right by saying that it was flautist S. Shashank's show and that he was accompanying Shashank. The venue of the show was the precincts of Bolghatty Palace, Kochi.

Muthaiyya Bhagavathar's `Sudhamayi sudhanidhim' in Roopaka tala followed Shashank's short sketch of Amruthavarshini. Shashank executed the moorchana on the gandhara well, and in the swara passages, he showed how even a simple pentatonic scale like Amruthavarshini can achieve a complex form. All this while, Zakir Hussain unobtrusively accompanied the flautist on the tabla with some gumkis to fill the gaps.





(Pt. Ajoy Chakraborthy and Shashank in a concert titled Ek Rag Do Rang, Chennai Jan 21, 2007)





          (Shashank performing along with the legends of Guitar and Tabla - John Mclaughlin and Ustad Zakir Hussain as part of Remember Shakti at Palace Grounds, Bangalore on 13th of Dec, 2006)

Awards and titles have not only been bestowed on this doyen of North Indian vocal music, Pandit Jasraj, but have also been instituted in his name......

It is said that even at nine months, Shashank was initiated into music even before he spoke any language. Barely 11, his maiden flute concert at Adelaide in Australia was just the thunderous beginning for the boy who hasn't looked back since........

The integration of the two mediums were not just in their classes, Jasraj and Shashank recently came together to perform at IDEA and IMA's `Jalsa' series in the city......                
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       (With His Excellencies The President, Prime Minister & Home Minister of India - after a performance along with Legendary Vocalist Pt. Jasraj in New Delhi on Jan 14, 2006)


      
(Along with the Legendary Sitar maestro Pt. Ravishankar and Mrs. Sukanya Shankar  - following a performance at the Pt. Ravishankar Center, New Delhi on Jan 15, 2006)