Pandit Ashok Pathak , biography
(Gaya, (Bihar) 1949) comes from the Pathak family, famous for its solosts
and their school of music in Calcutta. His grand-father, Pandit Rameshwar
Pathak, is acknowleged by Ravi Shankar as one of his main influences.
His father Pandit Balaram Pathak was a legendary figure of India. A
remarkable sitar player who is known in Europe by a recording of Radio
France, produced with the help of Patrick Moutal, and published on Ocora
records in 1986. During this historical session, Balaram was accompanied
by his son Vinode Pathak on tabla. Another virtuoso son of Balaram is Benoy
Pathak, the famous harmonium player.
Ashok Pathak is also a remarkable sitar player. He not only reproduced,
but amplified his fathers qualities. As Patrick Moutal says : "There is
really a Pathak 'color' and a 'sound', just as there is a Ravi Shankar
sound." As characteristics of this sound we can enumerate : characteristic
ornaments - meends, murkis, gamakas, zamzamas - a very soft sound, usage
of harmonics, of pentatonic scales, and overall an astounding virtuosity.
This style, which is part of the large khyal current, ornamentated
and of vocal origin, carries the, name of "Pathak gharâna" or Pathak
style. Besides, Ashok plays also the dhrupad style on the surbahar.
Ashok Pathak lives in Delft. He is married with 2 children. A Brahman,
he is also a religious man and meditates daily. He leads regularly meditation
groups where he teaches asana yoga, harmonic chant and mantra recitation.
Ashok teaches the sitâr in the Sangit Academy of Brussels.
In the last years, Ashook has been recognised as a true monument of the traditional Hindustani heritage. As such, he is invited to perform in the greatest Europen venues, such as the Théâtre de la Ville, Paris.
Biographic notes by Daniel Schell, 2005
a more complete biography in french Pathak_Biographie
Discography: "The colourfull world of Ashok Pathak", with Sandip
Bhattacharya (tabla), Saraswati records
Bibliography: The practice of Indian music, by Daniel Schell
in collaboration with Ashok Pathak, Clic music.
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