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Tabla Player & Composer

 

 
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New Album Released:

In This Moment

A new World Fusion album "In This Moment" composed by tabla player Rajesh Bhandari.

Rajesh Bhandari

Over the years, Rajesh has accompanied and performed with many great artists in many genres including Smt. Lakshmi Shankar, Pt. Krishna Mohan Bhatt, Anupama Bhagwat, Sangeeta Katti Kulkarni, Suresh Wadkar, Ud. Sharafat Ali Khan, Mitali Banerjee Bhawmik, Ud. Hamid Ali Khan, Ud. Ikhlaq Hussain, Ghulam Abbas, Rajkumar Rizvi, Suchismita Das, Nirmalya Roy, Nandkishor Muley, Satish Vyas, Jawad Ahmed, Nirmal Udhas, Falguni Shah, Shakira, Sammy Figueroa, Krishna Das and Questlove to name a few.

Rajesh has also worked extensively in the modern dance world as an accompanist. From 2000-2007, Rajesh was an accompanist at the New World School of the Arts in Miami and has had the privilege of accompanying many great dancers including Daniel Lewis, Peter London, Robert Battle, Jacqulyn Buglisi, Jim May, Toni Pierce Sands, Mohammed Da Costa, Beatrice Kombe, Larry Keigwin, The Merce Cunnigham Company and The Martha Graham Company.

He has composed many pieces for the faculty and students of NWSA. From 2007-2008 Rajesh was an accompanist at the Martha Graham School, Rutgers University and Peridance. He has also been a featured accompanist at many dance festivals including The Florida Dance Festival, National High School Dance Festival and Bates Dance Festival. Rajesh has also lectured, taught and performed at many universities including NYU, MIT, University of Florida, University of Miami, Harvard and Tulane.

In 2009, Rajesh had the opportunity of doing a series of performances with Latin Popstar Shakira including performances on the NBC’s The Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting, The Rachel Ray Show and The View.

 
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Bio

Rajesh Bhandari started his studies in tabla at the age of 9 under Pandit Ravideen Ramsamooj. He also studied Hindustani vocal, harmonium and theory. Since he was a teenager he has been studying other world percussion instruments as well.

In 2009 Rajesh had a once in a lifetime opportunity of a 6 day workshop and performance with master tabla player Ustad Zakir Hussain, Kala Ramnath, Shivkumar Sharma and drummer Steve Smith at Carnegie Hall.

Rajesh is now under the tutelage of renowned tabla players Pandit Samir Chatterjee, Pandit Anindo Chatterjee and Ustad Zakir Hussain.

Rajesh is now currently working on his new world fusion outfit The Rajesh Bhandari Project and has now released his first cd titled, Introspection and a second release with violinist Rob Flax, titled Sketches. In addition to these 2 albums are Raj Squared, a duo of sitar and tabla with sitarist Rajesh Ramoutar, Trifecta, a trio of violin, cello and tabla featuring Rob Flax and Joy Adams and the upcoming solo album Ambient Resonance which is expected to be available in September 2017.

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Rajesh 2018 - 2020

Over the last few years, Rajesh has continued a diverse performance schedule, including performances with Pakistani Sufi Rock group RagaBoyz, Classical vocalists Ud. Ghulam Abbas Khan, Smt. Mandakini Swain, with vocalists Falu, Shilpi Paul,
Torsha Sarkar, Dhananjay Kaul, Ben Parag and performances with Kora player Morikeba Kouyate and as guest percussionist for Shakiras’ 2020 Super Bowl LIV Halftime performance.

Due to the pandemic lockdown, Rajesh’s performance schedule has been on hiatus. As a result of the loss of performance income, Rajesh applied for a grant called the South Asian Artist Resiliency Fund through the India Center Foundation in Ny and was awarded, which he has used to start a new project titled In This Moment, a new album composed during this pandemic, which tries to encompass many of the moods that we as a society are currently dealing with. In addition to this, Rajesh is creating an Indiegogo fundraising campaign for the project to assist with compensation for musicians to record on the album as well as with the final production process. Look for the Indiegogo and social media links below to contribute, share and follow the behind scenes of making the album In This Moment.

Music

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In This Moment

A new World Fusion album by tabla player Rajesh Bhandari composed in 2020, with a diverse array of musicians performing and blending organic acoustic instruments with analog/digital synthesizers and effects to create unique layers and textures for an evocative sound. 

Artists Featured:

Rajesh Bhandari - Tabla, Vocals, Percussion, Swarmandal, MPC Drum Machine, Synthesizer, Efx Pedals

Chantil Dukart - Synthesizer 

Marcel Salas - Elect. Fretless Bass

Rajesh Ramoutar - Sitar

Shawn Bhajman - Elect. Guitar

Doug Tessler - Clarinet, Tenor Sax

Pratyush Goberdhan - Violin

Prabhash Ragbir - Bansuri

Rob Flax - Violin, ChinCello, Bari Guitar, Slide Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Efx Pedals

Listen & Buy OnlineListen & Buy Online

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Ambient Resonance

An Indian/World Fusion album with an amazing and diverse group of musicians, featuring modern compositions of intricate layers of sounds and textures. Released in September 2018.

Artists Featured:

Rajesh Bhandari - Tabla, Vocal, Aux. Percussion, Synths, Swarmandal
Falu Shah - Vocal
Krupal Shah - Bansuri
Rajesh Ramoutar - Sitar
Richard Brookens - Alto Saxophone, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet
Jaime Triana - Bass Guitar Marcel Salas - 5 String Electric Fretless Bass, 12 String Acoustic Guitar
Sanjay Chandran - Violin
Sanjana Chandran - Violin
Chantil Dukart - Piano, Synths
Joy Adams - Cello
Shamsher Singh - Dilruba
Mazhar Hameed - Vocal, Harmonium
Alejandro Elizondo - Electric Guitar
Jose Javier Friere - Drums
Bill Muter - Tuba, Euphonium
Drew Tucker - Vibraphone
Miguel Leon - Electric Guitar
Rob Flax - Violin, Electric Bass Guitar, Mandolin

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Trifecta

An exciting trio of violinist Rob Flax, cellist Joy Adams and tabla player Rajesh Bhandari released in September 2016.

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Raj Squared

A duo album with sitarist Rajesh Ramoutar released in September 2015.

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Sketches

A duo album with violinist Rob Flax released in September 2014.

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Introspection

An original work of compositions by tabla player Rajesh Bhandari, with both a mix of traditional Indian and Jazz Fusion styles and instruments, performed by an amazing group of musicians.

Artists Featured:
Rajesh Bhandari
Ganavya Doraiswamy
Ikhlaq Hussain
Richard Brookens
Roberto Obregon
John Chapman aka Jack Tree
Mark Beverly
Shamsher Singh

Listen & Buy Online