Raghu Dixit Project

In Bangalore this morning at 6.00 am headed out for a jam session with a friends band called RaghuDixit Project . Our friend Raghu is a microbiologist who decided to pursue a  career as  full time musician.  I find his music moving and fresh. Integrates beautifully Indian Art Music, Indian folk, Blues, Jazz in a way that just elevates you. Has a wonderful pan Indian Global feel with meaningful lyrics, melody and rythym. He has been on the path as a musician for 8 years and working hard to get India to listen to the music. Currently he is popular in Bangalore among the younger generation of techies and professionals.

I for the first time saw how a melody evolves spontaneously. The lead guitarist mentioned he had a melody in mind and sounded the percussionist on the pattern and then got started playing snatches of the melody, and at a moment, Raghu picked up the melody and rythym and sang the latino melody with a Kannada lyrics. All this emerged in 5 minutes and lifted my spirits. Felt great.

Also reflected on our rich musical traditions but needs to go out!!..

On another note, have a new addition to my list of teachers - Ramachandra Guha. Ram Guha is a brilliant scholar, social historian, cricket historian, scholar of ecology and one of the best non-fiction writers I have read. I personally find his writing style clear, well researched and wonderfully anecdotal. A nose for tiny details that make prose interesting and alive. Pieces of what would be called trivia but with significance.