Born in a music loving family in 1964, K.V.Bala krishnan (alias)
K.V.Balu is one of the few percussionists with an aesthetic
sense of approach on Indian Percussion. He is residing
in Mylapore - Madras. He started his music career from childhood
and started playing in
the Ramakrishna Math for their Bhajans etc. Later after finishing
his graduation he became a full fledged professional musician.
He learnt Mridangam with Palghat Ramanathan Iyer, who was
a Professor in Kalakshetra College, Madras.
In 1992, one fine morning he received
a phone call fromthe great 'Vikku' Vinayaka Ram -
Ghatam Maestro and Great Grammy Award Winner, asking
Balu to play for his fusion band Sri Sri Maha Periyava's
- 'Swara Laya Mela'. That's how Balu and Vikku became
close friends. He has performed lots of shows and
recordings with Vikku uncle. Balu was introduced to
Ustad Zakir Hussain - A Veteran Tabla Player by Vikku
uncle. Ofcourse, Balu has been appreciated by Ustad
Zakir Hussain. Balu is capable of playing 10 Indian
Percussion Instruments. Balu is a session player and
devotes lot of time in developing new ideas, taalas,
etc. Balu is a very well renowned Indian Percussion
player and has given lot of solo performances with
fusion bands in Madras and far-east countries. In
1996 , Balu played Jugalbandhi with veteran mridangist
Umayalpuram K.Sivaraman .
Later
he was called as a Guest Artist in a Fusion Band - PULSE, who won
the Viewers' Choice Bill Board Award from Channel 'V' in 1994. Balu
is the first Indian Percussionist to play on Channel 'V' and 'MTV'
from South India. After that he joined with the great Symphony Composer
Dr. Maestro Ilaiyaraaja. Balu has played Indian Percussion's for
lots of feature film recordings etc. A new fusion band, 'BRAMHA',
invited Balu in 1997 for their live concert held at Gandhi Mandapam,
Madras. Balu lead the percussion side and brought the house down
along with the great 'Vikku' Vinayaka Ram. Later he was invited
to play with a Jazz cum Fusion band called 'FUNKY BODHI MUSIC'.
Balu is the main percussionist in all the bands he has worked so
far. In some of the Tamil & Hindi Pop popular albums Balu has
composed and contributed his percussion sounds very aesthetically.
