“East Facing” Debuts On West Coast

Solo artist and founder of Carnatic jazz ensemble VidyA, Prasant Radhakrishnan invites you to a concert in Milpitas, California, on August 5, benefiting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and marking the release of his third Carnatic saxophone album, “East Facing.” (Buy tickets here or here. To hear the album, visit his music page and launch player.) The album’s title references the “tradition that the student must face East when bowing to receive the guru’s blessings with the intention of growing and moving forward.” Radhakrishnan’s musical guru is Padmashri Kadri Gopalnath (“Saxophone Chakravarthy”), “the man who almost single-handedly made the Indian saxophone respectable.” (India Currents.)

“I wanted to do something that was relevant locally but still had a universal message beyond something as simple as ‘a CD has been released,’” says Radhakrishnan. “LLS is a nonprofit that is dealing with a very relevant issue today, especially with the Indian community (see helpvinay.org and helpvinayandsameer.org). I have done many benefit concerts for things like AID and Asha, but had not done something so close to the community and also related to health. Reading about these issues, I really wanted to do something to get involved, however small.”

Bay Area Indian classical musicians will accompany him in concert and Radhakrishnan, who is known for his musical versatility and emphasizing the vocal qualities of the instrument, will take audience questions. $25 VIP tickets include a copy of the CD.

— Pavani Yalamanchili

1. July 24, 2007, 12:05 am Donna

   Great article. I’m looking forward to this release concert.