Ramesh Shotham
Encyclopedia
Ramesh Shotham is a percussionist and drummer
.
. He graduated with a degree in zoology from Loyola College, University of Madras. He began his musical career as a self-taught drummer, co-leading a rock band called Human Bondage established in 1970 in Bombay and Bangalore
then hitting the road gigging in clubs all over the subcontinent. Musical influences at this stage were The Beatles
, The Rolling Stones
, Jimi Hendrix
, Led Zeppelin
, and others. It took a live Ravi Shankar
concert in Delhi
, and a chance meeting with a tourist, who was heading back West and wanted to hock his albums, amongst them ‘Birds of Fire’ by the Mahavishnu Orchestra, for Shotham to begin discovering his own musical roots: the vast ocean of Indian music
.
During the mid-seventies shotham returned to Madras to take up study of the thavil
(a traditional temple music drum), under Vidwan K.P.Ramu.
Since then, he has lived and worked in Europe
. Shotam is recognized as one of the most successful percussionists around. He has performed not only with leading European and American
Jazz
and Rock music
ians, but also with artistes from Africa
, Australia
, China
, Korea
and several Arabic countries. During the last 20-odd years, Shotham has recorded over 120 LPs and CDs and has worked for almost all the leading TV and Radio stations in Germany
and Europe
.
Mid-2000, he and his wife Alexandra established an independent record company called Permission Music Productions.
His current solo project, Madras Special, features Christian Zurner on electric bass, Zoltan Lantos on violin and Sandhya Sanjana
on vocals.
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
.
Life
Ramesh Shotham was born in Madras, South IndiaSouth India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
. He graduated with a degree in zoology from Loyola College, University of Madras. He began his musical career as a self-taught drummer, co-leading a rock band called Human Bondage established in 1970 in Bombay and Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
then hitting the road gigging in clubs all over the subcontinent. Musical influences at this stage were The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
, and others. It took a live Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar , often referred to by the title Pandit, is an Indian musician and composer who plays the plucked string instrument sitar. He has been described as the best known contemporary Indian musician by Hans Neuhoff in Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart.Shankar was born in Varanasi and spent...
concert in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, and a chance meeting with a tourist, who was heading back West and wanted to hock his albums, amongst them ‘Birds of Fire’ by the Mahavishnu Orchestra, for Shotham to begin discovering his own musical roots: the vast ocean of Indian music
Music of India
The music of India includes multiple varieties of folk, popular, pop, classical music and R&B. India's classical music tradition, including Carnatic and Hindustani music, has a history spanning millennia and developed over several eras. It remains fundamental to the lives of Indians today as...
.
During the mid-seventies shotham returned to Madras to take up study of the thavil
Thavil
The thavil or tavil is a barrel shaped drum from South India. It is used in temple, folk and Carnatic music, often accompanying the nadaswaram. The thavil and the nadaswaram are essential ingredients of traditional festivals and ceremonies in South India.The thavil consists of a cylindrical shell...
(a traditional temple music drum), under Vidwan K.P.Ramu.
Since then, he has lived and worked in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Shotam is recognized as one of the most successful percussionists around. He has performed not only with leading European and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and Rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
ians, but also with artistes from Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
and several Arabic countries. During the last 20-odd years, Shotham has recorded over 120 LPs and CDs and has worked for almost all the leading TV and Radio stations in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Mid-2000, he and his wife Alexandra established an independent record company called Permission Music Productions.
His current solo project, Madras Special, features Christian Zurner on electric bass, Zoltan Lantos on violin and Sandhya Sanjana
Sandhya Sanjana
Sandhya Sanjana ; is a singer born in Mumbai, India. She is one of the first Indian singers to have experimented with fusing Indian classical vocals with various other western contemporary styles. Her career began at a young age and she has appeared on over 30 albums, covering various genres...
on vocals.
Discography
- Open Hand (Keytone, 1993/97)
- Madras Special (Permission Music, 2002)
- Urban Folklore (Double Moon, 2006)
As guest musician
- Embryo : La Blama Sparozzi ( Schneeball Rec. ,1982)
- Embryo : Turn Peace (Schneeball Rec. ,1989)
- Rabih Abou Khalil: Between Dusk And Dawn (MMP, 1987; Enja Records, 1993)
- Rabih Abou Khalil: Bukra (MMP, 1988; Enja RecordsEnja RecordsEnja Records is a German jazz record label based in Munich, Germany. It was founded by jazz enthusiasts Matthias Winckelmann and Horst Weber in 1971....
, 1994) - Rabih Abou Khalil: Al-Jadida (Enja RecordsEnja RecordsEnja Records is a German jazz record label based in Munich, Germany. It was founded by jazz enthusiasts Matthias Winckelmann and Horst Weber in 1971....
, 1990) - Rabih Abou Khalil: Blue Camel (Enja Records, 1992)
- Rabih Abou Khalil: Tarab (Enja Records, 1992)
- Aziza Mustafa ZadehAziza Mustafa ZadehAziza Mustafa Zadeh also known as The Princess of Jazz, or Die Prinzessin des Jazz or as Jazziza is an Azerbaijani singer, pianist and composer who plays a fusion of jazz and mugam with classical and Avant-garde influences...
: Seventh TruthSeventh TruthSeventh Truth is the fourth album released by Azeri jazz artist Aziza Mustafa Zadeh. It caused a good deal of controversy when it was released in 1996 because of the visually revealing cover art. Aziza was delighted to hear that the art had caused such a stir. "It means people are starting to wake...
(Columbia, 1996) - Charlie MarianoCharlie MarianoCarmine Ugo Mariano was an American jazz alto saxophonist. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts and died in Cologne, Germany.-Biography:Mariano was the son of Italian immigrants....
: Nassim (1998) - Nicolas Simion: Balkan Jazz (Intuition Music, 2001)
- Various Artists: Karma Culture: 21 Asian Pearl CD (Cop International, 2003)
- Abaji: Music of a Nomad (Network, 2005)
- Mariano,Schenk,Shotham : The Tamarind Tree (2007)
- Omri Hason: Shati (Double Moon, 2008)
- Hermann Kock: Two Trios (2008)
- Embryo: 40 (Trikont,2010)