Matthias Mueller (Guitar)
Neyveli S. Radhakrishna (Double-neck Violin)
Udai Mazumdar (Tabla)
R. Yogaraja (Mrudangam, kanjira,Percussion)

please also see: http://www.myspace.com/ahimsaworldmusic

 

“AHIMSA” is a four-piece ensemble based in India and Germany. Their music is a captivating fusion of Indian Carnatic music and jazz, played on violin, guitar and North and South Indian percussion instruments.
AHIMSA is a brilliant combination of musicians; South Indian violin star Neyveli S.Radhakrishna and German jazz guitarist Matthias Muller accompanied by masters of percussion from both Carnatic and Hindustani genres of Indian music, R.Yogaraja on Mrudangam and kanjira and Udai Mazumdar on Tabla.
AHIMSA resulted in 1999 from a chance meeting between guitarist Matthias Muller and violinist S.Radhakrishna, which then blossomed into friendship, mutual admiration, and musical partnership with the addition of Armin Metz of Germany on bass and two percussionists,  R. Yogaraja (mrudangam and kanjira) and A.S. Shankar (ghatam). Later Udai Mazumdar (Tabla) joined the band while A.S. Shankar and Armin Metz dropped out.
AHIMSA’s  first CD ‘Seven steps to liberty-step one’ was  released in 2000 by earslovemusic. Their second cd  ‘What is the nature of spirit ?’  was released by acoustic-music-rec. , in 2003. Both cds recorded in Germany received world wide rave reviews from the cognoscenti and the laity alike.
In AHIMSA’s lilting compositions, the complex rhythmic structures and raga improvisations of Indian music are set together with the harmonic diversity of western classical music and the unlimited scope for improvisation  in jazz.
AHIMSA’s forte is presenting enchanting and daring improvisational music played with great gusto and virtuosity  and at the same time giving a fresh and innovative impetus to music that is unique to AHIMSA.

The Sanskrit word “ahimsa” denotes non-violence, compassion, love and reverence for all beings and all forms of life.

The Musicians

Neyveli S. Radhakrishna – Double violin

Radhakrishna has played the violin since he was 8 years old. He studied under  violin-maestro Sangeetha Kalanidhi M.Chandrasekaran.
At the age of thirteen he bagged the first prize in a pan-Indian violin competition and also won the ‘Krishna Gana Sabha-Award’ in Chennai for young performing artists. He holds a Masters degree in Indian Music. He was awarded the prestigious ‘Kanchi Kama Koti Peetam Asthana vidwan’ award, a great  honour for
musicians in  India. Radha is well-versed in playing classical Indian music as well as contemporary styles such as Jazz, Pop, Metal and world music. In his adventurous forays in to the world of music Radhakrishna facilely blends the oriental with the occidental in playing his rare and unique stereoscopic ten string  eclectic DOUBLEVIOLIN. (www.doubleviolin.com)

His  unusual  and captivating style and daring improvisational skills have led him to play with some of the world’s greatest masters, such as Sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar, Anoushka Shankar, Jonas Hellborg to name a few. He recorded in the album ‘Soukha’ featuring John McLaughlin, Ustad Zakir Hussain  mandolin wizard U. Srinivas, and Selvaganesh.  Radhakrishna’s doubleviolin was featured in  Swedish guitarist Matthias Eklundh’s Freak Kitchen-Land of the Freaks.In addition to appearances on Indian radio and television, Radha extensively tours the world. He has played in many festivals and in the world’s most prestigious halls such as the Carnegie-Hall, NY, Disney-Hall, LA,among others.

Matthias Müller – Guitarist, Composer, Arranger

Matthias is a music graduate from the ‘College of Music Sulzbach-Rosenberg’, ‘Munich Guitar Institute’ and the ‘Grove School of Music’ in Los Angeles. He studied Classical & Jazz Guitars, as well as conducting, composing and arranging.

During his long carrier as a musician and composer Matthias has played concerts all around the world in wide variety of styles, including Classical, Jazz and Fusion. He has composed for film & theatre and played guitar in many recording sessions.

Matthias strong interest in Indian classical music has led him to study the Carnatic Music (South Indian style) from some of the best Indian musicians. Ahimsa was created by both Matthias and Radha from their strong passion to mix and blend the Indian classical music with western influences, such as Jazz and Fusion.

Matthias has played with some of the top Indian musicians of our generation,
such as; Dr. L. Subramaniam, Sivamani, Salil Bhatt and Tanmoy Bose along with many others. Recently, Matthias has recorded a new guitar trio album with Grammy Award Indian guitarist Vishwa Mohan Bhatt.
Web: www.myspace.com/vishwamohanbhatt

Udai Mazumdar – Tabla

Udai hails from a family of fine musicians of Allahabad (north India).
His father, the Late Partho Sarathy Mazumdar is among the first-generation
of Indian Classical guitarists. At 6 years old Udai started his vocal training
in classical Indian music and a year later he picked up and started to play the Tabla (most popular Hindustani/North Indian percussion instrument).

In 1989 Udai moved to Delhi to further his musical experience and he became one of the six disciples of Pandit Ravi Shankar. He lived with this world-renowned Sitar Maestro and learned directly from him the intricate art of Tabla accompaniment.

Udai is a skilled musician with a sensitive approach. His evocative and expressive melodic and rhythmic playing as well as his dedication and commitment to the classical music genre has made him equally sought after as both a soloist and an accompanist. He has played with some of the most noteworthy Indian masters such as; Pandit Ravi Shankar (performing before the Royal Families of England and Sweden), with Ustad Zakir Hussain (in a concert to mark Pt. Ravi Shankar’s 75th birthday), with Hariprasad Chaurasia, Siv Kumar Sharma and Ustad Ashish Khan
to name a few. Udai also played with western musicians such as; Paul Giger, Massimo Marcelli, Carlo Bocardo among others. He has also been featured in many Radio & TV’s station around the world, including the Radio DRS, Switzerland, Radio France and the BBC. He participated in many recordings and performed in many festivals all around the world.

Currently he is based in Basel, Switzerland, engaging in performances, composing and teaching; and he continues to spend time and learn with Pandit Ravi Shankar during his regular visits to New Delhi.
Web; www.mazumdar-udai.com

R. Yogaraja – Multi percussion, Mrudangam, Ganjira, Morsing

At a very young age, Yoga was trained in Mrudangam (main south Indian Carnatic drum comparable to Tabla) by his father, the Master A.S. Ramanathan.
To further his education he studied at the ‘Annamalai University’ in Chidambaram. During that time he adopted and mastered his technique with other percussion instruments such as the Kanjira (small hand-drum with a huge range of pitches), Ghatam (Clay pot), Morsing (traditional south Indian mouth harp), as well as Tabla, African and Latin American percussion instruments.

His diversity and unique playing style attracted some of the world’s greatest musicians. Yoga has accompanied many famous musicians including maestro
Yehudi Menuhin, Stephan Grapelli and Dr. L. Subramaniam.
He has played all around the world in major halls and events with such as the London Philharmonic and he has appeared in many Indian Radio and TV-Station.

Ahimsa supported By: