SRI KESHAVA

SRI KESHAVA

Sri Keshava's current electronic expression, Global Party People (with Joakin Eskasan), takes her deep into the dance music genre. She DJs and produces Progressive Tech House & Trance, seamlessly weaving between global world cultures, celebrating Unity through Diversity.  Sri's live performances include expressive story-telling dance and connection with the audience.  Unity on the dance floor is more than a catchy phrase, it is a tangible feeling of togetherness Sri aims to inspire with every DJ set.  

Sri's current acoustic expression draws from her affinity with Bhakti Yoga, and her years studying Khayal / North Indian Classical Music.  These sister paths connect in the form of raga-based mantra music (kirtan).  What draws her to Kirtan is the audience participation, and in-the-moment creativity of taking the song structure to new territory.  No two performances are ever the same.  With call-and-response singing, her Kirtan events are beautiful co-creations with the audience.  It's only natural there are times where the electronic and the acoustic collide, resulting in ecstatic electronic Kirtan, when the specific event is appropriate.      

SRI’s career reflects her eclectic artistry.  As Co-director of Taal Dance Collective she performed with the best of the South Asian Progressive DJ scene (Karsh Kale, MIDIval Punditz and the late, great Cheb i Sabbah).  

With punk rock outfits Baby Gopal (vocals/guitar) and Shelter (rhythm guitar) she released several albums and toured across Europe, U.S.A., Middle East and Japan.  Her more intimate soul meditations are expressed in her Kirtan and raga-based mantra performances and recordings. 

Her desire is to bring people together to dance and be joyful, to feel the bliss of positive vibrations through body, mind and soul.  At risk of sounding simplistic, Sri believes music and dance can bring peace and love to the world.  The more we sing and dance, the happier we feel - it is as simple as that.  

 

Sri's Bio in her own words...

I was destined for dance music, but I got here circuitously.  My father had a disco once - yes a disco; with dance floors sectioned into smaller individual squares that lit up in different colors - a quintessential Disco.  After that he renovated and ran The Capitol Theatre in Sydney, a live music venue that hosted amazing international acts.  Perhaps because of these formative influences I went on to be guitarist and front person of the Krishnacore Pop Punk band - Baby Gopal.  We played at various venues, festivals, night clubs, Youth Centers and even squats.   But especially in Europe, once our early punk show was over, the venue would morph into a full on Night Club with dance music.  As much as I love the energy of a live punk show, there is equally such beauty when we come together to simply dance.  

I wrote a bunch of my band’s songs in entirety, but I was most comfortable and most confident when I co-wrote with a band member.  I so admired their taste and their talent, in my opinion the sum of all parts was always greater than the whole.  I didn’t know I could feel that same magic of songwriting from DJing.  

The two bands I was in, and Taal Dance, a classical Indian/modern dance troupe… came to an end, for no reason other than people who share a love of art, don't always share longterm goals.  But I couldn't stop.  Meaningful music and dance is and has always been the love of my life.  The need to create, to be independent, to enjoy the collaboration and company of great talent but not to depend on it… that led to SRIdj and Global Party People.  This has evolved to where I experience that same creativity; it’s different but there is the same satisfaction and organic quality where I can say, I wrote that - and more enjoyably… I co-wrote that.  What started out as me being a jukebox, albeit with some kick-ass remixes… evolved to creating and re-creating. 

A strength that I often thought a weakness, is my love of just about every genre of music - as long as it touches my heart.  SRIdj and Global Party People has allowed me to pull all the crazy elements of my life: my Aussie flavor, from Indigenous to Rock to Melb Bounce; my Indian love affair with Classical, Folk and Devotional music; a deep love for Jazz (and Blues, Disco and Latin) thanks to a father with impeccable taste in music; my appreciation for African music - the rich percussion, rhythm and authentic vocals that evoke the origin of man; a love for middle eastern vocals, haunting prayers that waft from the mosque tower, and around the globe... to Spain, France, Brazil, and England whose punk edge still nags at me until I add a little something rebellious to the mix.

I found a vehicle that not only tolerates, but depends on all my loves working in concert.  Greater musicians have come before me to pave this genre… Iberican, Afro-World, Tech House, Progressive, Melodic, Nu Disco… call it what you like, all I care is that it makes you happy, makes you dance and inspires you to celebrate life.  Happy people are nice people.  An ancient Vedic text called the 'Brahma-samhita’ describes the spiritual world as a place where, "Every word is a song, every walk is a dance.”  Maybe that’s why music makes us feel so alive.

 

Baby Gopal 1995  Baby Gopal Advance Album  Baby Gopal Milano

Shelter London  Shelter Japan  Shelter Europe

Taal     Taal  Taal