Indian Slide Guitar Master to Play the MACC

By Maui Now Staff

Debashish Bhattacharya possibly imagining he’s weightless, in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by tiny little seahorses. Courtesy image.

Described by Guitar Player magazine as one of the world’s foremost slide players, Debashish Bhattacharya is a pandit (master) in the modern Indian music tradition of Hindustani slide guitar.

According to Wikipedia, “it became apparent that Bhattacharya was skilled at a young age. His parents, both traditional Indian vocalists, gave him a basic understanding of music and he first began strumming a guitar at age three, when his father gave him a full-size Hawaiian lap steel guitar. He made his debut at the age of four on All India Radio, in Calcutta.”

Promoters promise that “his innovative picking techniques allow him to blaze with lightning speed and caress the listener with a light touch as gentle as Maui morning dew.”

This is Bhattacharya’s first appearance at the MACC, and he will be joined by his brother, tabla virtuoso Subashish Bhattacharya. In addition, Maui-born slack key guitarist Jeff Peterson – with whom Bhattacharya has been recording a new album – will also accompany him on a few songs.

The MACC notes that the Maui connection is not coincidental as “from Calcutta, India, Bhattacharya performs raga and fusion on instruments adapted from the Hawaiian steel guitar.”

The show is this Friday, March 21 at 7:30 p.m. in the MACC’s Morgado Hall.

Tickets are $30.