Vasant Rai
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Vasant Rai (1942-1985) was one of world's most acclaimed performers of Indian music and virtuoso of the Indo/Persian/Afgani instrument Sarod. He was born in Paris, France and studied music in India. Rai was the last student of Allauddin Khan, who is best known as the teacher of Ravi Shankar.
Rai came to New York City in 1969 and lived mainly in the Greenwich Village area and also for a short time at at the Chelsea Hotel when he was not touring. From 1969 to 1985 he conducted the Alam School of Music in The Greenwich Village. Alla Rakha, Mahapurush Misra, and Shamta Prasad usually accompanied him on the tabla. During the early 1980s, Rai and the jazz flutist Herbie Mann jammed together live on weekend nights at packed venues such as the Bottom Line and Village Gate. Vasant Rai taught many Western musicians such as George Harrison, John Coltrane, Collin Walcott and other rock and jazz personalities of that time.
Vasant Rai also trained a number of Indian classical musicians such as sarod players Ashok Roy, Pradeep Barot and Stephen James, and sitar players Amya Das Gupta,and Shamim Khan. Pradeep Barot is a leading sarod player of the present generation. Rai's sons Satyam (b 1982) and Andrew (b 1979) are also upcoming sarodists. Satyam and Andrew continue to maintain the family school in New York City.
Vasant Rai's sarod was a gift from his guru Allauddin Khan This instrument was made by Allauddin Khans younger brother Ayet Ali Khan c 1930s
