Jai Guru! Pandit Taranath 100 years today!

On march 6, 1915, exactly 100 years ago today, Indian percussion legend Pandit Taranath Rama Rao Hattiangady (1915-1991) was born. He studied with many great Ustads, accompanied practically every great Hindustani soloist and taught hundreds of students, some of whom are among the greatest tabla players in India today. Due to rheumatic troubles he did not perform much during the later part of his life, but concentrated on teaching in India and U.S. So there are very few recordings with him.

However, when he and Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar returned from their first teaching engagement in the states, they visited Sweden and gave a few performances. I’m happy to tell that we will release a digital-only album, “Tabla“, in which he talks and demonstrates the tabla and gives a solo in Trital with lehra accompaniment on the sitar by Z.M. Dagar. A very rare recording indeed. Our distributor are working hard to get it out on iTunes and other places today. If it is not there yet, please be patient, it’s on its way. Meanwhile hear Pandit Taranath speak a few words about himself on the last track of the album.

JAI GURU!

P.S. Peshkar Foundation, initiated by Panditji himself and run by his students are having a series of concerts in celebration of him all through this year. On march 6-7 there will be concerts in Bombay, and then in july, october and next january, also in Poona, Mangalore and Panjim. If you are anywhere near, do attend. A lot of Ustads and his students and grand students from India and abroad will perform.