Monday, May 22 ‘06 at 7 PM
Preston Bradley Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington
312·744·6630
FREE!
I first learned of U. Shrinivas many years ago when I discovered a strange double album of Carnatic mandolin music with a photograph of a skinny Indian boy holding what looked like a funky looking baby electric guitar on its cover. The record jacket boldly announced the arrival of the 12-year old “Adorable Child Prodigy.”
Adorable? Perhaps… Intriguing? Undoubtedly! Within moments his lightning fast fingers had me convinced. This was indeed a unique, pristine expression of the universe! Slippery, elastic, notes that zing and zap, bend and snap, climbing the frets of his instrument in leaps in bounds. Over the years I have been lucky enough to catch Shrinivas whenever he’s come to our shores, whether leading his own group or as part of John McLaughlin's phenomenal ensemble Remember Shakti. Admittedly I've never been much of a fan of Jazz Fusion of the Return to Forever variety. Sure, I love Miles. And the Mahavishnu Orchestra’s Inner Mounting Flame and Birds of Fire scorched whatever was left of my brain that Jimi Hendrix, Discipline-era King Crimson and Ravi Shankar kindly spared me. But these spellbinding ragas that the “Mandolin Brothers,” Shrinivas and Rajesh weave, transport our tired minds and weary souls to a fresh dimension that few of us have any idea exist. Along with his younger brother Rajesh, and a pair of fantastic percussionists, Shrinivas’ group displays an otherworldly telepathy and mercurial virtuosity. They are genuine technicians of the scared… Like watching the four arms of Ganesh do magic tricks with a 20 foot python. Not to be missed!
On Monday, May 22 ‘06 at 7 PM U. Shrinivas and U. Rajesh (with Muruga Boopathy on mrdangam, the hourglass drum and S. Venkita Ramani on ghatam, clay pot drums) will be at Chicago’s Preston Bradley Cultural Center - 78 E. Washington - 312·744·6630 and it's FREE! – GO! Be Dazzled!
For more information go to:
Mandolin Shrinivas
Mandolin Rajesh
I'm a big Mandolin Shrinivas fan too!
Have you heard Rama Sreerama? I highly recommend the album.
- here's the link, ed.:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000000HP8/ref=sr_11_1/103-0385540-6997409?%5Fencoding=UTF8
what an absolutely phenomenal show! thanks for telling us about it!