Flute J.A.Jayant
Young Carnatic Flute exponent J.A.Jayant, is an artiste, collaborator, teacher and composer performing across the globe and popularizing the art of flute playing. A prodigy - having started performing at the age of 7, Flute J.A.Jayant is a young musician of national and international repute with over 45 international tours in over 25 countries and close to 2000 solo concerts and jugalbandi/ collaborative performances to his credit. A wunderkind, affectionately called Flute Jayant by many, was born in a musical family. He was naturally drawn into early training on bamboo flute in the tradition of guru-shishya parampara, from age 4 under his grandfather and guru, late Flute T. S. Sankaran, a prime disciple of the legendary Flute Mali. Jayant is recognized as the torch bearer of Flute Mali style of Carnatic flute playing.
With his in-born talent, deep passion, primordial training and the ability to play Raagam Thanam Pallavi (RTP) in three speeds (Trikaalam) in his very first concert at the age of 7 surprised many senior musicians, co-artistes and audience alike.
Jayant has a unique, virtuoso fingering and flute blowing technique to present his music beautifully even in the very difficult lower octaves on the bass and double-bass, thick-walled bamboo flutes, while maintaining shruthi suddham (perfect pitching) and supreme tonal quality. His expressive, graceful (bhaava-laden) rendering bringing out the depth and soul of the lyrical aspects of compositions he presents (gaayaki-form), have consistently won him lasting appreciation from one and all, including senior musicians, co-artistes, connoisseurs and music lovers (rasikaas). His expedient playing and uncanny lyrical expressivity have inspired many flautists of the current generation and the younger crop to imbibe his style. He is the first carnatic flautist to unveil 106 cm long Double Bass (Bansuri) flutes in his performances casting a meditative spell on the listeners and also playing on 15 cm long piccolo flutes.
Regarded as a global ambassador of Indian Classical Music, Flute J.A.Jayant has performed at prestigious festivals worldwide, including The Theatre de la Ville - Paris, FEZ Festival - Morocco, Les Orientales d'anjou festival, Sodra Teatern - Sweden, The Darbar festival - UK, Milapfest - UK, Sydney Music Festival, World Sacred Spirit Festival, DUCTAC and QE2 in Dubai, Kennedy Center - Washington DC, SIRI FORT- New Delhi, Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival, Reitberg Museum- Zurich, Copenhagen Jazz Festival, The Madras Music Academy, Shanmukhananda hall, Sangeet Natak Akademi, ICCR, Festival des Sacrées Journées de Strasbourg to name a few. He has performed in the USA, Canada, Sri Lanka, Singapore, France, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Re-Union Islands, Netherlands, Norway, Mauritius, Australia, UK, Scotland, Dubai, Portugal, Kuwait, Indonesia, New Zealand, to name a few.. He has collaborated with renowned artists across genres, including Cristal Baschet artist Loup Barrow, Guitar virtuoso John Sund, and legendary flutist Pt. Ronu Majumdar. His jugalbandis with Shehnai maestro Pt. Ashwani Shankar, Chitravina Ravikiran, and Veena Sri Rajesh Vaidhya have further showcased his versatility. He has also recorded his flutes for leading music directors including Harris Jayaraj and several other documentaries.
Jayant is an empanelled artiste with the ICCR. He has been invited to perform for Sangeeth Sammelan and National program of music by All India Radio. He was awarded the prestigious “A-TOP Grade “ by All India Radio at a very young age. He also has the privilege of performing for the Honourable President of India in Daman Diu, Sangeet Natak Akademi and for the Indian Navy in Port Blair.
He has been accompanied by doyens of Carnatic music such as Umayalpuram K.Sivaraman, Vellore Ramabhadran, T.K.Murthy, T. V. Gopalakrishnan, M. Chandrasekaran, Trichy Sankaran.
Jayant has won numerous awards and recognitions including Kalki Krishnamurthy Memorial Award, THE BEST INSTRUMENTALIST AWARD seven times from The Madras Music Academy, The Bharat Ratna Dr. M. S. Subbalakshmi Fellowship Award and Shanmukha Shiromani Award from Shanmukhananda Sabha Mumbai, The MOST PROMISING YOUNG MUSICIAN award from TAG center, YUVA KALA BHARATI, Scholarship recognition from Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India, CARNATIC IDOL OF THE YEAR 2007, CHILD PRODIGY Award, Dr. M. L. Vasanthakumari (MLV) award from Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha.
Flute J.A.Jayant has a presence on Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, Apple music, Spotify, Amazon music, etc. He has many audio CD albums, online digital albums, online concert videos and DVDs to his credit.