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{{Short description|Indian classical musician}}
{{cleanup reorganize |date=July 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{use British English |date=November 2013}}
{{infobox musical artist
| instrument = [[Jal tarang]], various Indian percussion and string instruments
| genre = [[Indian classical music|Indian classical]], [[film score]]
| occupation = {{hlist|Musician|teacher}}
| years_active = 1940s–1970s
}}
'''Rijram Desad''', often credited as Rij Ram Desad, was an Indian classical musician, [[multi-instrumentalist]] and teacher, based in Bombay. Beginning in the early 1940s, he performed on many Indian film soundtracks and in ballet presentations. He was known for his versatility as a musician and his ability to master a wide range of percussion and string instruments.<ref name="Collaborations p 46" /> According to cultural historian [[Naseem Khan (activist)|Naseem Khan]], his skill on the [[jal tarang]] had become "legendary" by the mid-1970s.<ref name="Collaborations p 46">Naseem Khan, "The Artists", in ''Collaborations'', book accompanying ''[[Collaborations (Ravi Shankar and George Harrison album)|Ravi Shankar–George Harrison Collaborations]]'' box set (Dark Horse Records, 2010; produced by Olivia Harrison; package design by Drew Lorimer & Olivia Harrison), p. 46.</ref>

Desad worked with the [[Hindi cinema]] playback singer [[Lata Mangeshkar]]<ref name="Collaborations p 46" /> and played [[santoor]] on recordings by the Hindustani [[ghazal]], [[dadra]] and [[thumri]] vocalist [[Begum Akhtar]].<ref>Liner notes, ''Lost Horizons'' LP ([[The Gramophone Company of India]], 1977; produced & directed by Murli Manohar Swarup).</ref> Among his contributions to orchestral projects, he played hand drums<ref>Credits, ''Raga: A Film Journey into the Soul of India'' DVD, [[East Meets West Music|East Meets West]]/[[Apple Films]], 2010 (produced and directed by Howard Worth; reissue produced by Shyama Priya & Cat Celebrezze).</ref> in an ensemble led by [[Ravi Shankar]] and filmed in Bombay in 1968 for the Shankar documentary ''[[Raga (film)|Raga]]'' (1971).<ref>Peter Lavezzoli, ''The Dawn of Indian Music in the West'', Continuum (New York, NY, 2006; {{ISBN|0-8264-2819-3}}), p. 184.</ref><ref>Howard Thompson, [https://www.nytimes.com/1971/11/24/archives/screen-ravi-shankar-raga-a-documentary-at-carnegie-cinema.html "Screen: Ravi Shankar; 'Raga,' a Documentary, at Carnegie Cinema"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', 24 November 1971, p. 23 (retrieved 26 August 2015).</ref> In January 1968, he was among the musicians selected by [[Shambhu Das]], who ran Shankar's [[Kinnara School of Music]] in Bombay,<ref>Bill Harry, ''The George Harrison Encyclopedia'', Virgin Books (London, 2003; {{ISBN|978-0-7535-0822-0}}), p. 61.</ref> to appear on the ''[[Wonderwall Music]]'' soundtrack album by [[George Harrison]] of [[the Beatles]].<ref>''[[Wonderwall Music]]'' CD booklet ([[Apple Records]], 2014; produced by George Harrison), pp. 8, 15.</ref> Desad's contributions to the album included [[Pump organ#In the Indian subcontinent|Indian harmonium]] and [[tabla tarang]].<ref>Album credits, ''[[Wonderwall Music]]'' CD ([[Apple Records]], 2014; produced by George Harrison).</ref> As a result of this project, Desad played harmonium on the Beatles song "[[The Inner Light (song)|The Inner Light]]", which Harrison recorded during the same sessions.<ref>Peter Lavezzoli, ''The Dawn of Indian Music in the West'', Continuum (New York, NY, 2006; {{ISBN|0-8264-2819-3}}), p. 183.</ref> In his notes detailing the contributions of the musicians he worked with in Bombay, Harrison listed him as "Rij-Ram (Everything) Desad".<ref>''[[The Apple Years 1968–75|George Harrison – The Apple Years]]'' book ([[Apple Records]], 2014; produced by Dhani Harrison, Olivia Harrison & Jonathan Clyde), p. 17.</ref>

In 1974, Desad was one of the musicians and singers handpicked by Shankar for his [[Ravi Shankar's Music Festival from India|Music Festival from India]] revue.<ref>Ravi Shankar, ''Raga Mala: The Autobiography of Ravi Shankar'', Welcome Rain (New York, NY, 1999; {{ISBN|1-56649-104-5}}), pp. 223–24.</ref> Sponsored by Harrison, the eighteen-piece orchestra toured Europe,<ref>Chip Madinger & Mark Easter, ''Eight Arms to Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium'', 44.1 Productions (Chesterfield, MO, 2000; {{ISBN|0-615-11724-4}}), p. 442.</ref> playing a musical program that mixed Indian classical and a wide variety of regional folk styles.<ref name="Collaborations p 31">''Collaborations'', book accompanying ''[[Collaborations (Ravi Shankar and George Harrison album)|Ravi Shankar–George Harrison Collaborations]]'' box set (Dark Horse Records, 2010; produced by Olivia Harrison; package design by Drew Lorimer & Olivia Harrison), p. 31.</ref> Among the percussion instruments played by Desad, he performed on [[Pakhavaj|pakavaj]] beside fellow drummers [[Alla Rakha]] ([[tabla]]), [[T. V. Gopalakrishnan|T.V. Gopalkrishnan]] ([[mridangam]]) and [[Kamalesh Maitra]] (tabla tarang).<ref name="Madinger & Easter p 447">Chip Madinger & Mark Easter, ''Eight Arms to Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium'', 44.1 Productions (Chesterfield, MO, 2000; {{ISBN|0-615-11724-4}}), p. 447.</ref> Harrison also produced a studio album by the Music Festival from India;<ref>Peter Lavezzoli, ''The Dawn of Indian Music in the West'', Continuum (New York, NY, 2006; {{ISBN|0-8264-2819-3}}), p. 195.</ref> released in 1976, it included contributions from Desad on pakavaj, [[madal|madal tarang]], [[dholak#Variants|dholki]], [[naqareh|nagada]], [[udukai|huduk]] and [[Indian musical instruments#Hand frame drums|duff]].<ref name="Music Festival album sleeve">Album credits, ''[[Ravi Shankar's Music Festival from India]]'' LP ([[Dark Horse Records]], 1976; produced by George Harrison).</ref> Following the Music Festival's European tour, he played on Harrison and Shankar's [[George Harrison and Ravi Shankar's 1974 North American tour|joint North American tour]] in November and December 1974.<ref>Olivia Harrison, ''George Harrison: Living in the Material World'', Abrams (New York, NY, 2011; {{ISBN|978-1-4197-0220-4}}), pp. 298–99.</ref><ref>Chip Madinger & Mark Easter, ''Eight Arms to Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium'', 44.1 Productions (Chesterfield, MO, 2000; {{ISBN|0-615-11724-4}}), pp. 446–47.</ref> For the finale to the Indian portion of these concerts, Desad and the rest of Shankar's ensemble performed with Harrison's band,<ref>Olivia Harrison, ''George Harrison: Living in the Material World'', Abrams (New York, NY, 2011; {{ISBN|978-1-4197-0220-4}}), p. 312.</ref><ref>Robert Rodriguez, ''Fab Four FAQ 2.0: The Beatles' Solo Years, 1970–1980'', Backbeat Books (Milwaukee, WI, 2010; {{ISBN|978-1-4165-9093-4}}), p. 238.</ref> which also included [[jazz]] percussionist [[Emil Richards]] and rock drummers [[Jim Keltner]] and [[Andy Newmark]].<ref name="Madinger & Easter p 447" />

Desad's versatility led to him redesigning old folk musical instruments for use in a more modern and varied musical context.<ref name="Collaborations p 46" /> Later a teacher, Desad was a mentor to tablist Lalit Mahant,<ref>Garima Mishra, [http://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/life-style/call-of-the-santoor/ "Call of the Santoor"], ''[[The Indian Express]]'', 8 June 2015 (retrieved 4 August 2016).</ref> whom he trained in tabla and the tantra vadhya vocal style.<ref>[http://www.santoortabla.com/biography "Biography"], santoortabla.com (retrieved 4 August 2016).</ref>

==References==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Desad, Rijram}}
[[Category:Year of birth missing]]
[[Category:Year of death missing]]
[[Category:Indian male classical musicians]]
[[Category:Indian percussionists]]
[[Category:Jal tarang players]]
[[Category:Santoor players]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian drummers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male musicians]]

Rijram Desad - Revision history

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