Baluji Shrivastav

Dhanoday Shrivastav OBE (born 21 June 1959), known professionally as Baluji Shrivastav, is an Indian/British musician and instrumentalist who plays a variety of traditional Indian instruments including the sitar, dilruba, surbahar, pakhavaj and tabla.

Baluji Shrivastav
Birth nameDhanoday Shrivastav
Born (1951-01-23) 23 January 1951
Usmanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
GenresIndian classical, rock, pop, jazz
Occupation(s)Composer, musician
InstrumentsSitar, tabla, dilruba, surbahar, pakhavaj
Years active1983–present
LabelsARC Music (1983)
Associated actsMassive Attack, Stevie Wonder, Guy Barker, Hossam Ramzy, Jah Wobble
Websitewww.baluji.com , www.balujimusicfoundation.org

Personal life

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.

Shrivastav is married to jazz singer Linda Shanovitch.[1]

Musical career

Shrivastav performs and records with a number of different ensembles including his own group Jazz Orient/Re-Orient which has released seven albums to date. He joined Grand Union Orchestra in 1986, and has since recorded with many pop artists such as Boy George, Annie Lennox and Kylie Minogue.[2]

In 2012, Shrivastav founded the Inner Vision Orchestra,[3] comprising 14 blind musicians.[4] The Inner Vision Orchestra was part funded by Arts Council England, the principal public funding body for the arts in England.[5]

In 2012, Baluji performed at the closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games alongside the British Paraorchestra and Coldplay.[6][7]

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, BT, Annie Lennox, Oasis, Kaiser Chiefs, Guy Barker and Andy Sheppard.

Shrivastav was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to music.[8]

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
    • Dangerous Ground – TRG Music (1991)
    • Live at the South Bank
    • Bird Dancer – Guild Music (1998)

Other credits

References
  1. "Baluji Shrivastav & Re-Orient". World Music - ARC Music Productions International Limited. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  2. "Baluji Shrivistav - Grand Union Orchestra". grandunion.org.uk. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  3. "Article from The Musician, Autumn 2012 edition; the Musician is the official magazine of the Musicians' Union" (PDF). The Musicians' Union. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  4. "Blind musicians lose their fear of the dark". The Guardian. 28 May 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  5. "Arts Council England web article about the Inner Vision Orchestra". Archived from the original on 30 November 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  6. "Paraorchestra Biography". Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  7. "Video of the British Paraorchestra with Coldplay at the Closing Ceremony of the 2012 Paralympic Games". Archived from the original on 13 December 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  8. "No. 61608". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 2016. p. B14.
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