NDTV interview on Lehera winning the IMA

Stage Gear

Prakash Sontakke performing in the presence of

Pt Vishwamohan Bhatt at Jaipur .

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Prakash Sontakke

managementps@gmail.com
One of the only musicians from Karanataka playing the Slide Guitar and the only one to have won the INDEPENDENT WORLD MUSIC AWARDS USA and the NASHVILLE AWARD for composers where his composition was chosen over the maestro ILLAYARAJA and the phenomenal AR REHMAN .Prakash has toured extensively with his troupe THE PRAKASH SONTAKKE GROUP( NEO CLASSICAL FUSION ) , International Trio LEHERA(World Fusion ) ,MOONARRA( Jazz and Classical fusion ) .and more recently with"FOOD" (progressive Electronic Jazz crossover ) where he performs with British Saxophone Legend Iain Ballamy and the phenomenal Norwegian Drummer Thomas Stronen .Occassionally they also have Eivind Aarset a legendry Guitarist and virtuoso.

A Performer ,Producer ,Director ,Innovator Prakash Sontakke has also been a Judge for the "Idea Rocks India " Reality show along with Sinchan Dixit.Prakash Sontakke is one of the leading names in the field of Hindustani Classical and Fusion music .Prakash Sontakke an A grade artiste from the Akashwani and happens to be one of the very few people playing the Hawaiian Guitar and the Slide Guitar in the Hindustani style .
He has also innovated this instrument called SWAR VEENA on which he can play the INDIAN as well as western style .
http://www.gayaki-gayaki.blogspot.com/
Prakash prefers to play the Gayaki Ang (vocal style) which recreates the emotion of the human voice on the slide guitar. Prakash performs solo and with numerous bands and musicians in major concert circuits in India and internationally his Classical Guitar concerts have been broadcast on All India Radio, Leading FM Channels and All Major television channels around the world.
www.youtube.com/gayaki
He has directed several Movies, Documentaries and Animation films and Jingles. He has been a part of Award winning Productions in Jingles as well as All India Radio.
www.youtube.com/prakashnslyde
He is the recipient of the prestigious Aryabhatta Award, Ganayogi Panchakshari Gawai Award & Dr Puttaraj Gawai award.
His creative explorations in Jazz and world music are deeply underlined by his classical training.
www.youtube.com/shastriyasangeeta
Frequently performs with the
*Laya Vrushti an ensemble led by Vid V Krishna
*KARNATAKA COLLEGE OF PERCUSSION RHYTHM ENSEMBLE “TALA TARANGINI” LED BY VID TAS MANI
*“LAYA LAHIRI” A KARNATIC PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE LED BY VID ANOOR ANANT KRISHNA SHARMA.
*“LAYA TARANGA” A KARNATIC PERCUSSION & FUSION ENSEMBLE .COMPRISING OF VID GIRIDHAR UDUPA , VID ARUN SUKUMAR , VID RAVICHANDRA KULLUR ,VID JAYACHANDRA RAO , VID PRAMATH KIRAN
* AMIT HERI GROUP- JAZZ AND WORLD FUSION
* KARTICK MANI GROUP-KARNATIC & WORLD FUSION
* MOON ARRA- WORLD MUSIC AND JAZZ FUSION.
* THERMAL AND A QUARTER- PROGRESSIVE ROCK
* JUGALBANDI- WITH VARIOUS BANDS
* MANGAL DHWANI- PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE
* SATH –SATH – DANCE AND MUSIC FUSION
* N.A.D.A – A PROFFESIONAL MUSICIANS COMBINE
* FOOD- Progressive Electronic Jazz


Musical Albums

1. Inward Quest – A solo Hawaiian guitar CD which was released in Europe and has won critical acclaim at various international forums.

2. Moments of Melody- A jugalbandi of Hawaiian Guitar and Flute.

3. Mangaldhwani- A trio of Hawaiian Guitar, Santoor and
Flute.

4. VIPPASANA 1 & 2– A 2 CD set of jugalbandi of Hawaiian Electric guitar and Bansuri.

5. Thandava- A fusion album of the band “Layatharanga” based on the Fusion of Karnatic Music, Western music and Hindustani Classical Music.

6. Om – A fusion album of the band “ Layataranga”based on Carnatic Classical Taalas, Hindustani Instrumental and Western Orchestration

7. Search- A world music album based on the meditative powers of Hindustani Classical Music and the Healing powers of Ragas.Made for Swami Paramhansa Yogananda Ashram New York .

8. Instrumental Divine- A Instrumental music album featuring Bhajans played on various instruments for the
“ART OF LIVING”.


9. Sath- Sath- An Instrumental fusion of Hawaiian Guitar,
Mandolin and Pianos adapted for Kathak Choreography.

10. Sai Bhajans on Instruments –This a album featuring Hawaiian Guitar and several instruments performing the Bhajans in the praise of the Lord Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

11.LEHERA – The International award winning Indo Canadian trio comprising Prakash Sontakke , Kartick Mani and Prashant Michael John they just finished a tour of British Coumbia and various international forums.

12. Kamasutra Lounge Collective – Recently released by Universal Music USA has one track completely performed and composed by Prakash where the other musicians are Shivakumar Sharma, Ustad Sultan Khan, Hariharan and Shanker Mahadevan

13. Dhund – A hindi Pop album sung by Sriram Iyer and composed ,written and Scored by Prakash

14. Raghu Dixit Album– Where Prakash features on the track Ambar

15. Ricky Kej – A long working relation with Ricky kej with whom Prakash has done hundreds of Jingles and featured on several international albums and background score of the Kannada movie “ACCIDENT” starring Ramesh Aravind

16. BSNL HUTCH AIRTEL IDEA – For them Prakash has composed several ring back tones which have topped the download charts especially Malhar

17. Indian Accent - An album by Moonarra

Awards

THE INDEPENDENT WORLD MUSIC AWARD FOR WORLD FUSION

JUST PLAIN FOLKS AWARD NASHVILLE

THE ARYABHATTA AWARD

THE PANCHAKSHARI GAWAI AWARD

THE PUTTARAJA GAWAI AWARD

Recently released an album of Devotional songs on the Hawaiian Guitar for the first time Kannada Devotional songs performed on the Double Electric Hawaiian Guitar

Having performed with many international musicians on various international projects he feels that horizons are broadening and the importance of going deeper into ones own tradition has a never-ending appeal.

“To be able to do fusion better ones own traditional grounding should be strong”
Also added to his profile are explorations of Old Hindi and Kannada film classics .To view these go to www.youtube.com/mahasatya
Workshops and Presentations
He has given several Lectures on “Guitar and Gayaki”, “History of Indian classical music”, “Role of Classical slide guitar in the present context of Classical music”. “Music in the Vedic times and the main difference between Modern Indian Classical music and the Pracheen Sangeeth (Traditional) music”. “Aprachalit Raagas” (uncommonRaagas) and there usage in light music”. “Raga Aur Ras” are some of the few topics on which he has given lectures and presentations .He has organized several workshops for Appreciation of Classical music.
He also head “Aspirations” a team of artistes who give small concerts and demonstrations in various schools and colleges for the promotion and appreciation of Indian Classical Music.

INFLUENCES

Omkarnath Thakur ,Balram Pathak ,Kumar Gandharva ,Bob Brozman , Joe Wright , Jeff Beck , Lyle Mays, Richard Bona,Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Debashish Bhattacharya,Brij Bhushan Kabra ,

INNOVATIONS
Include the Swar Veena , Alaapini, Samvadini

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fax-26676737/9448357975
E-mail: prakashsontakke@gmail.com,