Baluji Shrivastav

Baluji Shrivastav
Birth name	Baluji Shrivastav
Born	21 June 1959 Usmanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
Genres	Indian Classical, Rock, Pop, Jazz
Occupation(s)	Composer, musician
Instruments	Sitar, Tabla, dilruba, surbahar, pakhavaj
Years active	1990–present
Labels	ARC Music (1982)
Associated acts	Massive Attack, Stevie Wonder, Guy Barker, Hossan Ramzay, Jah Wobble
Website	www.baluji.com , www.balujimusicfoundation.org

Baluji Shrivastav is an Indian musician and instrumentalist who plays a variety of traditional Indian instruments including the sitar, dilruba, surbahar, pakhavaj and tabla.

Born in Usmanpur in Uttar Pradesh, Baluji Shrivastav began first studied music when he was sent away as a child to live and study at Ajmer Blind School after being blinded as a baby.

Shrivastav went on to graduate from University of Lucknow with a B.A. in Vocal Studies and Sitar. This was shortly followed by a further B.A. in Tabla ad an M.A. in Sitar from Alahabad University.

Musical career

Shrivastav performs and records with a number of different ensembles including his own Jazz ensemble called Jazz Orient/Re-Orient which has released 7 albums to date.

In 2012, Shrivastav founded the Inner Vision Orchestra^[1] comprising 14 blind musicians.^[2] The Inner Vision Orchestra was part funded by Arts Council England, the principal public funding body for the arts in England^[3]

In 2012, Baluji performed at the Closing Ceremony of the Paralympic Game alongside the British Paraorchestra and Coldplay^[4][5]

Shrivastav has performed and taught all over the world and has recorded a number of albums with a wide range of contemporary artists including doves, Stevie Wonder, Massive Attack, Annie Lennox, Oasis, Kaiser Chiefs, Guy Barker and Andy Sheppard.

The Baluji Music Foundation

In 2008, Baluji established the Baluji Music Foundation; a London based charity which, as stated on their website, aims to promote "the understanding and enjoyment of music and performing arts from the Indian Sub-Continent in all its traditional and evolving forms". The Charity particularly welcomes the participation of disabled people in music, and has thus founded the Inner Vision Orchestra of blind and visually impaired musicians.

The Baluji Music Foundation is a charity registered with the Charity Commission in England and Wales, number 1130985.

Discography

• Classical Indian Sitar & Surbahar Ragas, ARC Music 1999
• Classical Indian Ragas: Shadow of the Lotus, ARC Music 2007
• Indian in London – Colomna Musica, 2008
• Goddess – ARC Music, 2010
• The Art of the Indian Dilruba, ARC Music 2013
• Re-Orient
• Undiscovered Time – ARC Music, 1997
• Seven Steps to the Sun – ARC Music 1999
• Re-Orient – ARC Music, 2006
• Indian World Music Fusion, ARC Music 2010
• Jazz Orient
• Jazz Orient – Dangerous Ground – TRG Music 1991
• Jazz Orient – Live at the South Bank
• Jazz Orient – Bird Dancer – Guild Music 1998

Other credits

• Sea of Love, The Mission – Carved in Sand – Mercury Records, 1990
• Nasa – Insha-Allah! – Sire, Warner Bros Records, 1990
• Capercaillie – Miracle of Being – Arista, 1994
• Mizo To Abura (as Balugi) – Ken Morioka – Questions, XEO Invitation, 1994
• Soul II Soul – Volume V, Believe, Virgin Records America Inc, 1995
• Face With Corn (Subsurfing – Frozen Ants) – Apollo, 1995
• Let There Be Light (Hardfloor Dub) (as Belugi Shrivastav) Reprise Records 1995
• Oi Muistatko, Viela Sen Virren, Piirpauke – Ave Maria, Rockadillo Records, 1996
• Aikakone – Keltainen – RCA, 1996

References

1. "Article from The Musician, Autumn 2012 edition; the Musician is the official magazine of the Musicians' Union" (PDF). The Musicians' Union. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
2. "Blind musicians lose their fear of the dark". The Guardian. 28 May 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
3. "Arts Council England web article about the Inner Vision Orchestra". Retrieved 31 May 2013.
4. "Paraorchestra Biography". Retrieved 31 May 2013.
5. "Video of the British Paraorchestra with Coldplay at the Closing Ceremony of the 2012 Paralympic Games". Retrieved 31 May 2013.