Biography of Jay Dabgar – Indian percussion artist and Tabla player in Adelaide, South Australia.

Biography

Introduction

Jay Dabgar was born on 2nd December, 1981, in the country of music and culture, India. Born and brought up in a family of tabla-makers, Jay has been living in an environment of music and instruments since childhood.

Training - Taaleem under the traditional 'Guru-shishya parampara'

Jay started learning Tabla at the age of five. Initially, he learnt the 'Delhi-Ajrada-Gharana Style' under the tutelage of Shree Divyang Vakil, a renowned percussionist and teacher, who was a disciple of late Ustad Allarakha Khan.

At the age of nine, Jay's father took him to the 'Saptak School of Music' to further his learning of Tabla and also to render him a holistic idea about Indian music. 'Saptak School of Music' is an institution which promotes authentic traditional Indian classical music. Here, he started getting systematic training of the 'Benaras-Gharana Style' playing, from his gurus late Pt. Nandan Mehta and Pt. Puran Maharaj, who are both, disciples of late Padma Bhushan Maestro Pt. Kishan Maharaj.

Performing Indian percussion

With learning, came experience and maturity. As a learner, Jay started participating in events and competitions held at school, college, state and national levels. He then came to a stage where he started performing in respectable Indian music concerts, such as Saptak Annual Festivals, Sankalp Saptah and the Saarangi Utsav. He is an accredited "B- grade percussion artist" at the All India Radio.

While in India, Jay accompanied renowned artists such as Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and Smt Manju Mehta. He has also performed in front of maestros, such as Ustad Zakir Hussein, Pt. Kumar Bose, Pt. Jasraj, and Pt. Rajan & Sajan Mishra.

Jay practiced his Tabla with complete dedication and discipline - something he is admired for, by his peers and also his gurus. Often, he practiced his Tabla throughout the entire night!

Making Indian percussion instruments – a family owned business

Jay's family has been running a business of manufacturing and repairing Indian musical instruments, for more than 12 decades. Being brought up in a family of tabla-makers, Jay learnt the art of tabla-making from an early age, and is currently furthering the business of selling and repairing Indian musical instruments in Adelaide, South Australia.

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