Manish Vyas

Manish Vyas is a unique phenomenon in the world of fusion music. A talented multi-instrumentalist and singer, over the last few years he has emerged as both an extraordinary performing and recording artist.
He grew up in a family passionate about Indian music and it was in this dedicated atmosphere that he was first exposed to its many different forms; from classical to ‘kirtan’to folk. Music, one could say, is quite simply in his blood.
Realising his talent at an early age, his mother initiated him into ‘Tabla’ when he was nine.
A few years of basic instruction led him to the feet of Maestro, Ustad Allarakha in Mumbai where his training continued for a further five years.
It was during this same time that Manish was exposed to a totally new genre of music – namely World and Fusion – through meeting a variety of musicians from around the world at the then famous, Osho Commune International, Pune. Continuous experimentation with these musicians expanded his musical horizons beyond Tabla and Indian classical form. During this time a new found passion for melody led him to pick up the ‘Santoor’ – a 100 stringed instrument - and from there he moved first to singing,
then harmonium and keyboards.
A dedicated involvement with these world musicians, in addition to Manish’s undoubted talents and versatility eventually brought him into the international limelight. Most noted was his collaboration with World famous fusion Maestro, Prem Joshua; first as a band member of the popular, ‘Hamsafar’ and then as a successful fusion duo, ‘East West Alchemy.’ Together they shared a musical partnership of over 15 years and toured extensively in Europe, USA, India, Israel and Singapore.
In addition to being a performer and recording artist, Manish is also held in high regard as a composer with a talent for creating beautiful melodies. Most notably, mantra queen, Deva Premal has featured many of his compositions in her CD’s.
Manish’s ability to blend his talents together with many forms of world music has brought him not only the appreciation of music lovers throughout the globe, but also to the eye of world-renowned celebrities in the music field. The year 2002 was particularly special, with Manish being invited by Sir Paul McCartney to play at his wedding in Ireland as part of the Celtic Raga’s Band. In addition he has performed in front of Paul Getty 3, Anoushka Shankar, Sir Jules Holland, Ringo Star and Dr. Brian Weiss.
Over the years, Manish has given countless live concerts and enthralled audiences of hundreds of people. The record breaking number so far was 50,000 in Coimbatore, India at the Isha Fest, 2004 where his newly formed band,
India Trance were billed alongside renowned classical singer, Vani Jairam.
With a fan base of both young and old, East and West, Manish Vyas has touched and inspired people in every corner of the globe and continues to bring his unique form of creativity to an ever more appreciative audience.
The music of Manish Vyas
Over the years, apart from being a recording artist for various musicians from around the world, Manish has 8 titles to his credit; Rejoicing, Sufi Splendour, Water down the Ganges, Sattva, India Trance Live, Healing Ragas series and just released 'Prasãd'.
Each one of these albums has a totally different flavour – an indication of just how versatile and far reaching his musical talent has become.
From the ancient spiritual roots of Sufism and Hinduism, to the pulsing beats of the contemporary dance floor; from music for relaxation, to music for dance and let-go, all these flavours have been explored, exchanged and expanded.
His first solo project was Rejoicing, a collection of simple, soft Indian compositions which featured his Santoor playing. Much to his surprise this production went to number 2 on the MP3 charts, (www.mp3.com) next only to an album by bamboo flute maestro, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia.
Following on from Rejoicing he created a Sufi based music along with a group of musicians with whom he had played for Sufi gatherings in India. This album, Sufi Splendour, continues to receive enthusiastic response from listeners around the globe and is especially appreciated by lovers of ‘Whirling Mediation.’
Bringing a 15-year musical relationship with Prem Joshua to fruitition, their joint album, Water Down the Ganges was created
(in a record breaking 2 weeks!)
This album which simply ‘flowed’ from beginning to end, has received high critical acclaim from Pandits and fusion music lovers alike.
After many years of collaboration and joint ventures, Manish’s first fully fledged
solo album (a long time wish) was finally born. Sattva, a beautiful collection of mantra and instrumental pieces with a contemporary twist was recorded over a two-year span in-between busy Europe and US tour schedules.
Sattva, which features Manish as a vocalist, finally brought him the recognition, name and fame that he deserved. Feedback from around the world continues to flood in on a regular basis. Most notably Manish was heralded as ‘The New Avatar of Devotional pop music,’ by the highly prestigious Yoga Journal in USA.
This recognition continues as just recently Manish’s Sattva was nominated for the
BEST INDIAN ALBUM category in the
JUST PLAIN FOLKS MUSIC AWARD 2006, California, USA.
During the same time, very quietly, in a small monastery in India, Healing Ragas – a relaxation album which has been especially appreciated by body workers and therapists – was conceived.
A joint venture between Manish and colleague, Bikram Singh, (talented bamboo flute player from the lands of Assam) this album has been very well received by listeners in the US and Europe and a sequel, Healing Ragas 2 has followed due to extremely enthusiastic response to the first CD.
Performances of Manish Vyas
Manish Vyas has performed live in concerts
all around the world touring extensively in Europe, USA, India, Israel and South East Asia. Within India, he has performed with his long time collegue Prem Joshua in prestigious venues. 2006 in particular was a remarkable year for the duo as they played at the Siddhi Vinayak festival in Mumbai, along with the line up of
Rahul Sharma, Aman Ali Bangash, Louis Banks, Hariprasad Chaurasia and Talvin Singh.
They were also invited to the Shaniwar Wada festival in Pune and the AUTO AWARDS INDIA function at the Grand Hyatt in New Delhi organised by CNBC. Manish has also performed in world music festivals.
In 2007, Manish extensively performed with Snatam Kaur and her CELEBRATE PEACE band all over USA, Europe, Canada and Bahamas. All together, they played in more than 100 events within a period of 6 months. At the end of 2007, Snatam Kaur released a live album, which is best of the 2007 tour, called SNATAM KAUR, live in concert. This album features the live version of 'SHIVOHAM', a very popular and favorite track of many, from his successful album 'SATTVA'.