The Carnatic guitar is a new entrant in the music field.
Ask Baiju Dharmajan, its ‘creator,' to explain its origin and this fiery performer, who was once part and parcel of the renowned Motherjane band, goes eloquent.
“I guess, being a South Indian gave me immense opportunities and being an instrumentalist, I could re-create Carnatic music in my strings. Hailed as an instrument meant only to play for the western bits, I think my innovation was something new then. But I guess today there are more enthusiasts for the same," says the artiste, who performed at the KMCT Techno Fest in Kozhikode recently.
It was in the early 1980s that Baiju started playing the guitar, not for bands, but for film songs.
However, his collaboration with some of the greatest singers in the industry never flattered him.
“An artiste who has associated with the film industry will receive unlimited fame, but that was never my ambition. I wanted to be a soloist."
Hailed as the ‘god of strings' by his fans, this Kochi-based artiste says that his passion for music began with fiddling the violin in his younger days.
“I used to find much excitement in playing the violin and later on after seeing my father handling the Hawaiian guitar, I began to think how the classical mixes would suit this western instrument. I still believe being a musician was my destiny and the doors opened in my favour when the time came."
His stint at solo performances further inspired him to start his own project, ‘The Baiju Dharmajan Syndicate,' but the artiste says he considers the ‘Maktub,' created with Motherjane, as his all-time favourite album.
“I cherish my days with the Motherjane band, of which I have many fond memories."
The e-book, launched by Baiju, last year had created ripples, and as the artiste says, responses are still flowing in.
“I believe that music is the biggest thing that happened in my life. In the e-book, I have brought out my memories of concerts and performances."
Ask him to cite a musician he dreams to collaborate with and the artiste replies he has none!
“Many have asked me, why have I not yet collaborated with A R Rehman, in spite of having such a vast experience. I tell them that my dream is to excel in music with my own effort and not earn the reputation of having shared the stage with the ‘so-called' big artistes," he smiles.
