Hawaiian Guitar Recital By Jaywant Naidu

One of the country's finest Hawaiian guitar players is taking stage in town this evening.

Manasa Arts Theater is organising a Hindustani music concert on the Hawaiian Guitar by Jaywant Naidu, at the Ravindra Bharathi Conference Hall, on 7th July. The concert will also feature Ramesh Kulkarni on the tabla as a support musician for the recital.

The concert is named as Saptaswara Raaga-Taala, or Seven Raagas And Seven Rhythms, meaning that the recital will have seven different ragas and taalas, coinciding with the 7th day of the seventh month and year (07-07-07), considered auspicious. It also marks the closing day for voting of the seven new wonders of the world. On this occasion, the organisers and the musicians will appeal to the audience to vote for the Taj Mahal, as a final request.

Jaywant Naidu will start the recital with Hamsadhwani Raag in Jap Taal, followed by Madhucon Raag in Rupak Taal, Keeravani in Keharwa Taal, Megh in Ek Taal, Jaijaiwanthi in Deep Chandi, Marubehag in Teen Taal, and Shivaranjani in Dadra Taal.

This young maestro started learning the Hawaiian guitar at the age of 8 from S N Mukherjee. He took further training from Dinesh Kumar Sampat and stood first in the prestigious J C Bahl Competition organized in September 1983.

While studying in Sydenham College, Mumbai, Naidu took further guidance from B Kishtaiah and K Jangaiah, and completed his Sangeet Visharad from the Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, Miraj.

Naidu performs on a 19-string Hawaiian guitar. He has played at a number of music festivals including the National Youth Festival, Bhopal; the Vaadya Madhuri Festival, Chennai; the Deepika Youth Festival '98, Hyderabad; and at the Andhra Pradesh Police Academy and the Andhra Music Festival organized by the Shivaganga Sangeeta Parishat, Bheemunipatanam, among others.

In June 2001, he joined French Celtic guitarist Francois Auger to give a fusion performance at the Alliance Francaise, Secunderabad. He was also the first guitar player to perform a concert at the Asthana Mandapam of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam.

Please contact Jaywant Naidu at 98480-59020 for further details.