Shankar Tucker

Shankar Tucker is an American clarinetist and music composer. He rose to fame with the popularity of his online music series called "The ShrutiBox". The Shrutibox features his compositions and was released online on platforms like YouTube and Soundcloud.^[2][3][4] He is now debuting as the Music Composer for a Bilingual Indian feature film, 'Orey Nyabagam' (Tamil) / 'Nee Vaipe' (Telugu), written and directed by Vignarajan, an associate of renowned Tamil film director Radhamohan.^[5]

Early life and education

Shankar grew up in Massachusetts. He was christened Shankar as suggested by spiritual guru Mata Amritanandamayi whom his family follows. As a high school student, Shankar was drawn towards Indian classical music on listening to "Remember Shakti" by John McLaughlin and started playing on his own. Shankar graduated from New England Conservatory in Boston, where he studied orchestral clarinet performance. He started taking lessons in Indian classical music from Peter Row, a sitar player. Eventually he obtained The Frank Huntington Beebe Fund to study music under flute maestro Hariprasad Chaurasia in Mumbai in 2010.^[5] Besides clarinet, Shankar plays tabla, kanjira, piano, bass and guitar.^[4][6]

The ShrutiBox

Shankar started off "The ShrutiBox" in spring 2011.^[7] The songs in The ShrutiBox are a fusion of Indian classical music and jazz. Most songs are re-recordings of popular Indian songs including an instrumental version of A. R. Rahman's "O Saya". Several young Carnatic and Hindustani vocalists and instrumentalists, including Vidya and Vandana Iyer, Rohan Kymal, Nirali Kartik, Mahesh Vinayakram, Rohini Ravada, B. Sree Sundarkumar and Shriram Iyer, have performed in The ShrutiBox. Shankar himself has played most instruments in the songs.^[8][9]

1. O Re Piya/ Rolling in the Deep - ft. Rohan Kymal
2. Munbe Va - ft. Vidya and Vandana Iyer Sisters
3. Night Monsoon (Instrumental)
4. Guru Brahma - ft. Mahesh Vinayakram, Shree Sundarkumar
5. Ja Ja Re - ft. Nirali Kartik
6. Nee Nenaindal - ft. Vidya Vandana IyerSisters
7. Moments And Centers (Instrumental)
8. Lemongrass (Instrumental)
9. O Saya (Instrumental)
10. Sonu (Instrumental)
11. Dhun in Raag Mishra Pilu (Instrumental)
12. Sapnon Se Bhare Naina - ft. Rohini Ravada
13. Manmohini Morey - ft. Aditya Rao
14. Ashai Mugam ft. Vidya and Vandana IyerSisters
15. Aaj Jaane Ki Zid Na Karo - ft. Rohini Ravada
16. "Thuli Thuliyaai" - Shankar Tucker ft. Vandana Srinivasan
17. "Nadia" - Shankar Tucker ft. Jaunita John
18. "Tu Na Jaane" Shankar Tucker ft. Mugdha Hasabnis, Akshaya Tucker
19. "Mere Saajan Sun Sun" Shankar Tucker ft. Shweta Subram lyricist Neelam Chandra
20. "Kinara" - Shankar Tucker ft. Mugdha Hasabnis, Amit Mishra
21. "Caught In The Rain" - Shankar Tucker ft. Rohan Kymal
22. "Rang Lo" - Vidya Vandana, Shankar Tucker
23. "Piya" - Shankar Tucker ft. Shriram Iyer
24. "Jaane Kaise" - Shankar Tucker ft. Shashwat Singh (A Cappella)
25. "Khalbali/Crazy"- Rohan Kymal, a Shankar Tucker arrangement

Popularity

The ShrutiBox YouTube channel has amassed more than 15 million views in around two years. Songs from the ShrutiBox also featured in MTV India's Roots program which features artists with strong South Asian music influence.^[10][11] Shankar Tucker was an invited speaker at TEDx Gateway conference in Mumbai and TEDxCEG in Chennai.^[12][13] On June 9, 2013, Shankar Tucker uploaded a new video titled, 'Shankar's New Album and Video Series' on his YouTube channel^[14] where he explained about his project to make a new album and video series for which he needs contributions from his audience. A link was provided to his Kickstarter page from the YouTube video, where people could donate to the project. The target was to pledge $20,000 before August 1, 2013.^[15] But due to his huge popularity, his project reached the target in just 6 days.^[16]

References