Welcome to Anuradha Pal's site

Anuradha Pal’s Fusion groups.......

1. Anuradha Pal's Stree Shakti- Asia's much acclaimed all female ensemble fusing percussion, instruments & vocal Indian music.

‘Anuradha Pal’s Stree Shakti’ is Asia’s most acclaimed Indian Percussion instrumental ensemble of Asia that reflects the emergence of strong womanpower in traditionally male dominated fields. Conceived and presented by the young Tabla Virtuoso & Music Director, Anuradha Pal, Stree Shakti combines the instruments and traditional repertoires of both North and South India in an exhilarating celebration of rhythm!

Stree Shakti has performed in some of the most prestigious festivals like the WOMAD festival, BBC Music Live Festival- Scotland, Rhythm Sticks Festival, Common Wealth Games Festival, City of London Festival, Cardiff Jazz Festival, Asian Music Festival to name just a few. In the world famous WOMAD festival, they performed to a record crowd of 1.5 lakh people!! Encore after encore!!

Anuradha Pal is the musical director of Stree Shakti, has been interviewed and featured several times on various Radio and TV channels like BBC world service, Carlton TV, Zee, Sunset TV, BBC Channel 4 etc. Infact, the BBC recording of their concert at the Womad Festival was shown live by the BBC World service in 56 countries.

Anuradha Pal’s Stree Shakti can be performed in 3 formats:

	A Percussion ensemble (Tala Vadya Kacheri) featuring a rhythmic dialogue between different 3 to 4 percussion instruments like Tabla/ Ghatam / Kanjira/ Pakhawaj/ Mridangam and sometimes with Western Drums.

	Fusion of Voice, melody and percussion featuring (6- 7 musicians) Vocal with Instruments like Veena, Violin, Guitar, Flute etc and Percussion instruments like Tabla/ Ghatam / Kanjira/ Pakhawaj/ Mridangam & sometimes with Western Drums.

	Indo – Jazz fusion involving a superb combination of Indian & Jazz instruments.

Some Reviews of Stree Shakti concerts:

	‘The hall buzzed when ‘Stree Shakti’ led by Anuradha Pal took the stage. .. And indeed looking like the heroine of a Bollywood musical, her waist length hair falling across her shoulders as she played her Tablas, Pal and her partners were sensational… as the Ghatam& Kanjira conversed with Pal’s Tablas… creating a spell. The first female group to bring together traditions from north and south, fighting gender and caste prejudices, Stree Shakti exuded physical confidence and joy.’ -The Scotsman,May 2000

	‘World class musicians prove Stree Shakti- stunning display by Anuradha Pal’- Maldon Standard.-July 1999.

	There were duets and solos of each of the performers, there were the smiles, the laughs, the head and hand movements in time with the beat, and there was the ecstatic game-playing. Designed good-naturally and spontaneously ending in enlightened climaxes. Enthusiastic applause…. the audiences had been bewitched!!!’ – Anglican Times, UK- 1999.

	‘Pure Music- what a storm!!’- ‘India weekly’ review of their performance at the World famous WOMAD festival in Reading, UK for an audience of 1.5 lakh people, August 1999.

	‘All female Stree Shakti group, led by Anuradha Pal, enthralled listeners with their exceptional percussive talents.’’ - Leicester Mercury – July 1999.

	‘Stree Shakti rebuffs the belief that the field of instrumental music is primarily befitting of male artists. Their performance in the Tagore theatre (Chandigarh) last night will remain in the memories of the music lovers for a long time as so mething unique where one could actually feel the upliftment of the senses to new heights. What was delightful was the rapport and spontaneous communication that the artists shared on the stage; despite their apparent diversity .The success of the event could be gauged by the involvement of the audience. Several of them could be seen clapping their hands and swaying’. -The Tribune-Oct 1998.

	“‘Stree Shakti’s live concert was an explosion of percussion at its best, mixing traditional music with a contemporary approach.’’ - July 1999.

	‘And here’s the difference between this music and Western music- the interplay within a tight framework, the dialogue between players, the shared enjoyment of the music and those wonderful instruments. The pace quickened as the three percussionists played in glorious union. It was a performance that took my breath away with its sheer virtuosity, exuberance and joy. More applause … then the finale with again the percussionists playing the rare six and half beat Tala together, each different, all aiming towards the same musical climax in their individual way, each with eyes focussed on the other, smiling, challenging, goading, encouraging, ending… A wonderful evening during an evening full of wonders. At Borroworob, great music is without cultural and linguistic barriers. And this was beautiful music in any language, a mix of Classical and modern Indian music, performed expertly by six diminutive ladies with music in their fingers and embedded deep within their souls.’ -Review of their Liverpool performance on www.borroworob.com

	‘Hypnotic taste of Indian Music – absolutely stunning performances.’- Essex chronicle May 2000.

	Alluring display of Indian girl power- simply magic!!’ - East Anglican Times- August ’99

2. Anuradha Pal's Recharge- is a unique World music fusion group combining various elements of Indian, African, Latin and Jazz music. A unique combination of Indian instruments like Sarangi, Sitar, Tabla along with Flute, and Vocals along jazz & western style Saxophone & Keyboard & other unique percussion of the world, create a celebration of different kinds of music, ranging from traditional, to folk to fusion. This music instantly calms our frayed nerves and leads to peace, which immediately moves into a higher gear of joy & happiness, thereby recharging us to take on life challenges again...