A couple of years back, I stumbled across a CD of Carnatic musician Balaji Shankar. I haven't ever heard such a perfect voice in the carnatic world! I was absolutely bowled over by his renditions and searched for more. Alas, there only seem to be a couple of albums of his! :(
Each time I hear his clear voice intone "Chera Ravathey.." in Reethi Gowlai, I wish this talented singer would be heard again. What happened to him? Why did he stop singing? Does anyone know?
Well, if he ever does return to singing again, he can count on me as a devoted fan! :)
42 comments:
Yeah chera revathey and the thillana in revathi. So DKJ like with almost the same conviction and a very similar voice too ! He's awesome I agree...
hey...
pudhu template.. sooper..
no meesic nyagam..heehee
Through a friend of mine and next door neighbor in India who studied in music college, I came to know that Balaji Shankar quit music - either to pursue other professions or studies.
ganesh
Dins, agrees..:)
Priya, spring ku palich nu irukkatume nu dhaan template change pannen..hehehe
Ganesh,
It is music's loss..:(( Such a wonderful voice wasted..sigh. Thanks for the info.
This is really a news to me...I will try hering to his voice. Do you have any link....?
Yes. But be patience
Hope you like madurai sundar also....Vachanamiha..song in Behag raag...that too in tamil.
Do listen to Maharajapuram Santhanam esp from Bharathiyar songs....( Chinnachiru khiliye...)
Balaji Shankar had a problem with his voicebox (larynx) to the point where he could not sing at all. He moved to Delhi to pursue his professional career (in IT). Last year (2006), he returned to Chennai. His voice has fully recovered but he doesn't want to start from scratch again and try to establish himself on the music scene. He figures it will be a huge uphill battle after essentially missing out for more than 5-6 years to try and at least get on par with established singers of today such as TM Krishna & Sanjay Subramaniam.
It's a travesty. He was the prime disciple of Shri DKJ. Such effortless voice, such rich tradition and pAthAntharam. I wish someone could encourage him to get back on stage again. If not for himself, he has to do it to honour his guru.
hello balaji shankar very gr8 singer..i like all songs..chera revathey balaji sing is very amazing..and i like siva siva pandhuvarali..very superb...but balaji stopped the c.music...i miss u a lot..na pesinen balaji amma kitta..voice eppa kuda nanna iruku..but avan concert pannalai...
6 months back balaji married....now a days balaji practice daily..so, wait all rasikas..come back again balaji perform to c.music..
can anyone tell me balaji anna's address my mother and his mother were very close friends long back.i'll try convincing him to sing again.as someone said to preserve the honour of DKJ sir.
Listen to " shree Venkata" in shruthi........ What a voice balaji shankar has!
hello akashypadmanabhan plz contact this number..BALAJI SHANKAR home phone number this..so u speak to balajishankar mother...contact number is 044-28343410...w
cant wait to hear more from Balaji Shankar. He's got the perfect voice for carnatic music, and pray / hope he will pursue the music line for a career. my favorite piece is Shri Kamalambike in Sri ragam - it is not to be missed.
Above all he is a very nice person. I worked with him in Chennai and unfortunately I lost his contact info. I wish he will be back sometime soon and will cherish all of his hardcore fans like us.
I have heard Balaji Shankar, both solo and with DKJ shishya in many concerts. I have atleast a dozen tapes of his including some of his in house concerts which I got through a friend who used to live in Bangalore and who was a professor at IISc. He is an ardent fan of Balaji and he should come back to Carnatic scene once he feels comfortable and there is a lot to show to the Carnatic music fraternity.
To hear carnatic music is divine and those who can sing they are akin to God
Let God the Almighty do whatever possible to have this great singer again back to carnatic music world
I too am an ardent carnatic music lover and also enjoy Balaji Shankar's flawless rendition of carnatic music. I do sincerely hope and pray for him to get back to mainstage singing.
Venkat Raman
Can anyone help me out with providing a list of albums by Balaji Shankar and where I can get the albums - I have the ones which were released by RPG / Saregama.
I would also like to own a copy of any private albums that any one of the rasikas may have.
Thanks, Venkat.
dear friends balaji shankar cd collection all is there..if u cd plz mail srbalaj@gmail.com..i wil give it
ardent fan of Balajishankar..1995 la i wil miss lot of balaji concerts...
dear friends balaji shankar cd collection all is there..if u cd plz mail srbalaj@gmail.com..i wil give it
ardent fan of Balajishankar..1995 la i wil miss lot of balaji concerts...
yeah, too bad Balaji Shankar doesnt sing any more. I was glad I was able to buy a CD of his very recently Dec 2009. My thought is he does not need to sing again to be the top. But he could sing just for the sake of singing. He already has numerous fans. The money and fame will come in on their own - true?
I too a fan of Balaji Shankar. What a voice he has. Always I used to listen Chera Ravathey in ReethiGowla. It is sad that he has stopped singing. I was searching in Sangeetapriya also. But very little concerts of Balaji Shankar. If anybody is having any idea about his latest CD pl let me know.
hi all, i am a fan of Balaji Shankar garu, recently i sound him in facebook, presently he is working in HCL technologies, i asked him the reason for quitting the professional singing, for that he said "I had a severe voice problem because of Sinus and Tonsils....it worsened post surgery. I had no choice but to quit professional singing."
Hi
Any one have a Facebook or Linkedin contact for balaji ?
o my G. What a great sweet and deep voice he has. Please sing again dear
i have had the oppurtunity to hear him on a live concert way back in 2001.Very good voice and good padantharam wish he could come back as a musician
i have had the oppurtunity to hear him on a live concert way back in 2001.Very good voice and good padantharam wish he could come back as a musician
Any luck on getting his link to his email, Facebook or Linkedin ?
Please.................
Listening to Balaji Shankar's concert right now in FM Gold. I guess it's him. Very nice concert.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTKG2B3zs9I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-spBEM-dSiU
links of part of the live concert of Sri.Balaji Shankar recorded and uploaded by me
pl sing .once again. we want to hear your voice again
I too stumbled upon his music (of course very lately compared to who have listened to him long back) by listening to Sri Venkatagirisamalokaye (in Suruti).
I could not stop my emotions. The carnatic lover in me was extremely happy listening to his rendition in which the melody was at its best and there was no hurry in singing (with no unnecessary 'akaaram') etc.
I too join the club of Balaji Shankar's fans. I hope he would again take the dip in the perennial river like Carnatic Music and make us happy and enchanting with his musical virtuosity.
Dear Balaji shankar,
Plz continue singing we music lovers beg you
Happened to listen his recording in FM AIR Bangalore on 23rd November 2018 .Felt like listening to DKJ's concert.Really very nice. Wish he continues his musical journey and enthralls music lovers with his gifted vidvath.
I stumbled upon one of his concert recordings on YouTube. I became a huge fan after hearing it. Simple, unpretentious, yet so elegant. I'm sure he would have been one of the top musicians of today. Might have even been in the running for a Sangeetha Kalanidhi. It is indeed, very sad that he could not continue in the music scene. I believe he is still working in HCL technologies. Is he based in Chennai? I do hope we can all meet him someday. It would be an honour and a privilege. Do let us know if there are any plans to do so.
I attended his concert in Washington DC in probably 2004 (not sure of date). It was a great one. Most of us were mesmerized by his flawless renditions with an amazing voice.
Carnatic music fans miss him and are not sure whether he will be back. In addition Chera ravade his Bilari (Tolijanmamu) Ranjani(Durmargachara)and of course his Revathy Thillana
Krishna Prasad
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