Veshesh Percussionist
New Delhi
The one who can play almost a dozen percussion instruments wants to teach them too
No music is sweeter than applause, Veshesh the Percussionist. Instead of eating porridge from baby plates, he was turning the utensils around to fill the house with musical sounds. "I am told that I started beating music out of empty cans as early as a three¬ year-old," says he. In fact, his journey on the musical highway started on a highway only. "When I was four I was travelling to Jaipur with my family. At a petrol pump on the way an attendant saw me playing on the bonnet of the car. He told my father to get me some musical instrument. That made my father buy a tabla for me from Jaipur," says he.
Today, he is a successful National Awarded percussionist who had the opportunity to perform not only pan India but also in places like Bangkok, Dubai, Singapore, Bali, Hua Hin, Karabi, Istanbul, Indonesia and Hong Kong.
"I have always been fascinated by instruments-each with a sound and feel of its own. I started learning tabla at the age of 4, and from there on, I have picked up various other percussion instruments like djimbe, darbuka, electronic tabla, cajon, Duff, Dhol, Shakers, timbale, Drums ,rain stick, ocean drum. I can play almost 15 of them now," says veshesh.
Having followed his passion, he was trained by Pandit Radhey Shayam who was an artist from All India Radio and Doordarshan. He was also trained under Late Ustad Safaad Ahmad Khan and Idris Mohammad Khan and has had the privilege of even learning some musical notes from maestro Zakir Hussain himself.
His musical talent transcends not only a variety of instruments but also different musical gen¬res. He is trained in Hindustani classical, western classical and jazz as well. He has a Masters in Indian classical music from Prayag Allahbad Sangeet Samiti. On the stage his preferred style is an amalgamation of all these styles, a fusion. "I do not need accompanying instruments or artists for my shows. I am a one-man show. In fact, I feed on live shows as that brings out the best out of my music, which is essentially creative fusion," says he.
However, he does not want to secretly closet his talents. He believes in spreading his knowledge and takes seminars in schools and colleges on Indian music and percussions. "It is heartening to see that the youth is no enthusiastic about Indian Classical music and percussion instruments," says Veshesh. Starting a music institute to train the youth might be in the offing for him.
He has performed at various universities and college festivals like Lovely Professional University, St. Margaret College of Engineering, Jaipur, IIT Roorkee, IIT Kanpur, and many other. Not only universities, he has also performed at the French Embassy. Veshesh feels sad about there being no reality show for percussionists in India.
His latest collaborations are with Great contemporary artist like RDB, ATIF ASLAM, BOMBAY ROCKERS, BENNY DAYAL, SUKHBIR, JAVED ALI.
He is inspired by famous percussionist Sivamani. In future other than continuing his solo shows, he wants to win Grammy award for successful composer and music director.
Veshesh The Percussionist’s popular tracks
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