Vishwa Mohan Bhatt

Acknowledged and recognized as one of India’s foremost slide-guitar players, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt has drawn the attention of serious musicians and connoisseurs alike for his innate artistry, tonal brilliance, intense melodiousness and the colorful feel for the depth and spirit of a Raga.

Vishwa Mohan Bhatt comes from Jaipur, Rajasthan, where he received his initial training from his elder brother, Shri Shashi Mohan Bhatt, a highly respected teacher and a brilliant sitar player. Since 1983 Vishwa Mohan has been receiving valuable guidance from the great sitar maestro, Pandit Ravi Shankar.

He has performed on such prestigious world forums such as Madison Square Garden on the 50th anniversary of the United Nations, at Royal Albert Hall in London, at the Lincoln Center, New York, on the 125th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, and the Festival of International Guitar Stars in Toronto.

Vishwa Mohan modified the Western acoustic guitar by changing the main strings and adding a number of “sympathetic strings.” He then developed his own technique of playing Indian classical music on this modified guitar, which he calls the “Mohan Veena.” His style of rendering classical and light classical compositions is a fine combination of the “gayaki” (i.e. vocal) and the “tantrakari” (i.e. instrumental) styles. Those who listen to him perform will be convinced that his efforts have been richly rewarded. Elijah Wood of Acoustic Guitar wrote, “with blinding speed and faultless legato, Bhatt is undoutedly one of the most expressive and versatile slide players in the world.”

In 1994 Bhatt received the Grammy Award for the Best Album of the Year in the World Music category. The award winning recording, A Meeting By the River, was the result of a musical collaboration with the well known slide player Ry Cooder. Bhatt’s more recent collaborative efforts include with American Dobro guitar player Jerry Douglas, with banjo player Bela Fleck, with chinese er’hu player Jie Bing Chen and with American Country music singer Taj Mahal, have produced a number of recordings that have gained wide acclaim.

In 1999 the President of India presented Vishwa Mohan Bhatt with the Sangeet Natak Academy Award.