“Belonging to a family of musicians comes with a great advantage because you get an exposure to stage performance and of facing larger audiences from a very tender age; It helps you get rid of stage-fear from a very early age itself,” says Kulkarni. In this wonderful recital, he performs an evocative Raag Jog, redeeming its mellifluous and deeply reflective and devotional mood through his explorations. His deployment of both the 3rd notes (pure and flat Ga) terminating often at Sa and Ga with admirably precise layakari and delicate ornamentations is pitch-perfect and warm.

Next, he plays a stunning composition in Raag Puria in Jhaaptaal, a 10-beat rhythmic cycle. Adhiya gives the most striking accompaniment coming in with extraordinary and accurate layakari and improvisations fitting into the Teentaal madhyalay composition in Jog and the Jhaaptaal composition in Puria ending with a resounding crescendo.

Kulkarni was initiated to the bamboo flute by his father at a very young age. When he was 11, he got accepted as a disciple of legendary Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia after which, he never looked back. Apart from an independent performing career in pure Indian classical and fusion music, Kulkarni holds an important position as a faculty of the Chinmaya University.

Adhiya combines extraordinary technical aptitude with a vast knowledge base, playing with a fluency that belies his years. Born in a small Maharashtra village, he was drawn to the tabla from infancy, experimenting with the instrument at the age of two. He taught himself keherwa taal soon afterwards, shocking his father when he first overheard him. Soon after he was listed in the Limca Book of Records as India’s youngest tabla artist, having debuted at the age of four. He began to accompany his parents, spiritual gurus, in their ceremonies, and aged five the family moved to Mumbai so he could study classical tabla with Shri Mridangraj of the Ajrada gharana. During his time as a student he also delved into jazz, ghazal, and Carnatic rhythm, and advises young artists to play everything they hear. Today he accompanies top artists and is firmly establishing himself as an exciting solo performer.

Rupak Kulkarni (flute)
Ojas Adhiya (tabla)
Ragas: Jog & Puriya