ASIT
KUMAR
DE
Reviews in print media
The Statesman, Kolkata Edition
6 August 2016
On Asit’s performance at the Satyajit Ray Auditorium, ICCR Kolkata on the evening of the Gurupurnima,19 July 2016, organized by Madhyami:
“Earlier, reputed physicist-vocalist Asit De enthralled with his version of raga Yaman, the oceanic evening melody that offers numerous varieties of the fifth-note samvaad-based combinations, so important for raga elaboration. De brought out the emotion-charged desolate temperament of the raga with "Jagi sari raina" in slow jhumra. The application of loving meends with a gentle trailing blend of notes, the bahalawa with gamak-laden rhythm-encrypted phrases, the well-carved taans with varied grains and patterns - all arrived on sam maintaining the same soulful but helpless mood. "Mori un sang lagi najariya" set to teental came studded with a few short, crisp taans, just enough to showcase virtuosity without disturbing the carefully chiselled persona of the raga.
Apparently, De has a many-faceted interest in music and he received taaleem from several gurus. The best thing is that, being an intellectual, he absorbed all and blended them to suit his aesthetic sense and evolved his own style. That he learnt Carnatic classical music as well (from the late Lalitha Swaminathan, a disciple of the legendary Maharajapuram Santhanam) was evident from his confident concluding piece in Yamuna Kalyani. Dilip Mukherjee (tabla) and Debashis Adhikari (harmonium) gave excellent support throughout." (Reviewer: Ms. Meena Banerjee)
The Statesman, Kolkata Edition
13 July 2013
On Asit’s performance at the Vivekanada Hall of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture Kolkata on 29 June 2013:
“Professor Asit Kumar De, the final artiste of the evening, is a physicist and an academician by profession, with a brilliant track record. He is currently senior professor and head, Theory Division, of the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata.
His musical profile is as impressive. Born into a musical family and inspired by eldest sister Sabita Ghosh (a disciple of Ustad Dabir Khan), De took lessons from Pandits Amiya Ranjan Bandyopadhyay and Ajoy Chakrabarty and continues to learn thumri from his sister-mentor.
Apparently, all these influences gave a curious character to his gayaki. The high pitched voice throw, the lower octave as his comfort zone, the selection of the ragas and compositions, the selection of talas and their tempos, the development of khayal angas - all displayed a calculated measure of a fine blend of diversely different styles. The total effect was quite pleasant and that is what that matters most. He began with raga Shuddh Kalyan and chose to sing Guru Jnan Prakash Ghosh's famous composition, "Aj ki ghari shubh ho", originally set to slow ektal; but De chose to sing in slow Jhumra, replete with bol-vistar, behlawa and gamak taans. He kept the sargam and fast taans reserved for the fast teental "Mandar baajo"; but after a few, reverted back to heavy-grained ones. This actually flattered the mood of this serious raga.
His next choice comprised brief but completely well-packaged khayal elements in Gaud Malhar with traditional slow tilwada and fast teental compositions, finely supported by Asis Paul (tabla) and Hindole Chakraborty (harmonium). With a more sensitive approach towards the lyrics (which were dismembered or wrongly pronounced at times) and their intrinsic philosophy, he is sure to win hearts with his music." (Reviewer: Ms. Meena Banerjee)
আনন্দবাজার পত্রিকা
১০ এপ্রিল ২০০৪
প্রবাদপ্রতিম তবলিয়া কৃষ্ণকুমার গাঙ্গুলির (নাটুবাবু) স্মরণে 'সঙ্গীত পিয়াসী' আয়োজিত কলকাতার উত্তম মঞ্চের অনুষ্ঠানে অসিতের গান সম্বন্ধে :
"এ দিনের অধিবেশনে সর্বোত্তম কণ্ঠসংগীত অনুষ্ঠানের শিরোপা অসিত দে'র প্রাপ্য। গেয়ে শোনান মারোয়া। বিস্তারের সুস্থিত মেজাজ, অলংকরণের সুমিত প্রয়োগ, তান-সরগমের লাবণ্য, সব কিছুতেই আমির খাঁ-র গায়ন শৈলীর আমিরি মেজাজটির প্রতি তাঁর আনুগত্য প্রকাশিত হচ্ছিল। শ্রুতিস্বাদ বদলে দিয়ে যায় শেষের বন্দিশটির সুন্দর চলন, মনোহর রূপায়ণ। বন্দিশটির রচয়িতা প্রবীণ শিল্পী অমিয়রঞ্জন বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়। আশিস পাল (তবলা) এবং হিরণ্ময় মিত্র-র (হারমোনিয়াম) সহযোগিতায় নিষ্ঠার পরিচয় মেলে।" (প্রতিবেদক - আশিস চট্টোপাধ্যায়)
Anandabazar Patrika
10 April 2004
On Asit's performance at the Sangeet-piyasi-organized musical programme at Uttam Mancha, Kolkata in memory of the legendary tabla maestro Krishnakumar Ganguly (Natu-babu):
"Asit De was the best vocalist on the night. He sang raga Marwa. His presentation - calm and contemplative in the raga-vistar, well measured in embellishments with fluidity in taan and sargams - followed in spirit the grand style of Ustad Amir Khan. The elegant and attractive last vandish composed by veteran artiste Amiya Ranjan Bandyopadhyay brought in a pleasant change of flavour of the presentation. Earnest and sincere accompaniment was provided by Ashis Paul on tabla and Hiranmoy Mitra on harmonium." (Reviewer: Ashis Chattopadhyay)
প্রতিদিন
২৬ জুলাই ২০০২
গুরু অমিয়রঞ্জনের পঁচাত্তরতম জন্মদিবস উপলক্ষে কলকাতার কলামন্দির প্রেক্ষাগৃহে আয়োজিত অনুষ্ঠানে অসিতের গাওয়া গুরুবন্দনা ও অন্যান্য স্তোত্র সম্বন্ধে :
"সঙ্গে সঙ্গে গুরুর মত তাঁরা কেউ কেউ 'প্রচার উদাসী' হতেও শিখেছেন সঙ্গগুণে। যেমন অসিত দে। অসিত খালি গলায় (শুধুমাত্র বৈদ্যুতিন তানপুরার গুঞ্জনটুকু সম্বল করে) গণেশ বন্দনা, আর গুরুপ্রণাম গাইলেন। আশ্চর্য তাঁর কণ্ঠের সুর, নিভৃত চর্চার অর্জন এবং অতি অবশ্যই তাঁর গুরুর শিক্ষা। আসরের গোড়াতেই অসিতের সুশিক্ষিত কণ্ঠের ওই একফালি ছায়াটি দেখেই আন্দাজ করে নেওয়া যায় তাঁর পিছনের 'আলো'র উজ্জ্বলতা কতটা।" (প্রতিবেদক - সৃজন ভট্টাচার্য)
Protidin
26 July 2002
On the Guru-vandana and other Stotras sung by Asit at the Kalamandir Auditorium in Kolkata on the felicitation function for Guru Amiya Ranjan Bandyopadhyay's seventy-fifth birthday:
"At the same time, like their Guru, some of them (the disciples) have mastered the art of being indifferent to self-promotion. A case in point is Asit De. Asit sang, in bare voice (using only the drone of an electronic tanpura), Ganesha- vandana and Guru-pranam. Amazing was the tunefulness of his voice, the accomplishments of his riyaz in seclusion, and certainly his Guru's talim. Glimpses of such a well-cultured voice as Asit's, right at the beginning of the function, makes one wonder about the brilliance of the light that guides Asit." (Reviewer: Srijon Bhattacharya)