TRINIDAD NEWSDAY - By SEETA PERSAD - The Yankaran legacy lives on.
Naveen Yankaran, the grandson of TT’s top recording artiste, the late Isaac Yankaran, has taken on the family’s tradition of carrying the culture forward. As the only son of former chutney monarch Rakesh Yankaran, Naveen, however, is able to ring out the most difficult taals (rhythms) from his dholak (hand drum.
“I was born in a house where music and songs rule. The radio or CD player was always tuned in to songs from Bollywood and the local classical singers,” Yankaran told Sunday Newsday, adding he was just three-years-old when he started beating the drums.
Naveen lives in the very spot where his grandfather resided at 176 Brickfield Village, Waterloo Road, Carapichaima, a home that was visited by many promoters and music enthusiasts during the time his grandfather ruled the local airwaves. Naveen is now pursuing his degree in Business Studies in the hope of managing his own business soon. In reply to the question of what type of business he will be interested in, he replied,“The business of music.” He noted that he has attempted singing and playing the harmonium like his father, but said the demand for his drumming was far too great for him to settle down to play the organ and sing. He credits his mother, Sheila, and his father for supporting him in his career as a drummer.
Speaking about his grandfather, Naveen said he was lucky to be born in the Yankaran home.
“My grandfather set the pace for many generations of Yankarans, as the mention of his name at any Indian institution in the country can open all kinds of doors,” Naveen said, adding he was a celebrity at birth having been born in the Yankaran household.
He also had high praise for his father, saying it takes a lot to keep up with the Yankaran name in this country and many other countries of the world. Rakesh is an established singer in New York, Miami, Canada, the UK and the Caribbean. In his spare time, Naveen loves to surf the internet. “I have gathered many fans from my art through the Internet,” he said.
He said people often question him about the Yankarans on Facebook and Twitter.
