Ageless Voice

He's pushing eighty. His health has taken a battering. But thankfully for his fans, Bhimsen Joshi is back on the concert circuit once again. He may look feebler nevertheless he retains his mellifluous voice.

This doyen of the Kirana gharana was obviously _ to use a cliche _ made for music. He ran away from home at the age of 11 in search of a guru, when he realised he'd had enough of studies. Ironically, after having travelled extensively, he came back when he was told his teacher, Sawai Gandharva, lived close to his father's house in Gadag, Karnataka.

Innumerable hours of riyaz, a passion to hone his skill and prodigious talent have made him the numero uno khayal singer for the last four decades. The uniqueness about Joshi's singing is its majesty. His powerful voice can mesmerise you with its range, force and flexibility. Often criticised for his limited repertoire, Joshi turns the tables on such critics by singing the same raga in a different colour each time. His alaap goes through myriad permutations and combinations, meticulously paced within the contours of the laya set by the chosen taal. As far as his famed taan patterns go, there are few who can match his speed and dexterity.

 

But khayal singing is not the only form he excels in. Bhajans, which he started singing while fighting a battle against alcoholism some years ago, are now part of his concert offering. In fact, his joint album with Lata Mangeshkar of Ram and Krishna bhajans is a hot favourite amongst music lovers.

Innumerable concerts, recordings and awards later, Bhimsen Joshi is now taking his performing career at a slower pace. He lives with his wife and son in Pune where he indulges his passion for, believe it or not, fast cars. There was a time when he had 15. May be now, this fancy is also on the backburner.

Coinciding with his comeback on the concert platform, Magnasound has brought out a 12-cassette series entitled Siddhi. This is a set of recordings which Joshi personally had collected over the years and it traces his singing career since the fifties. Priced at Rs 900, it sure makes a collectors item.