Hello all, I'd like to share Nian Martyris Times of India article on goanet. As some of my friends have heard me say -- currently in India we have Madhav Chari; then we have our fine Goan pianists, Viyaj Iyer and Louis Banks. I have know Madhav for many years here in NY and recently met him in Chennai, where he daily pounds the baby Steinway at the Gothe Institut. Madhav and I have spent numerous hours talking on the confluences between art and music (jazz). I strongly recommend Madhav's plaing and urge Goans in particular to avail of any opportunity to hear Madhav talk or play. Way back in Kolkotta he studied under Tony Menezes. The way he approaches the piano -- as a percussive instrument and his ability to break the thought process down in his talks suggests a very egalitarian mind; which I have believed was a very Goan trait in days gone by.
This is a pretty straightforward piece but gives a sense of Madhav's perspective on life and jazz. Anyway. Read on! Venantius ____________________________ This appeared in today's Times of India 'Mumbai is nowhere in New York's cultural league' NINA MARTYRIS TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 2005 11:20:10 PM ] MUMBAI: Interviews conducted on traffic islands during rush hour are bound to be snappy affairs with more exhaust than conversation. We are standing on the cement bump on the wide road that runs between the Prince of Wales Museum and the National Gallery of Modern Art. Although not the quietest of spots, one has to admit that the two backdrops make it very artsy. Jazz pianist Madhav Chari, Kolkataborn, New York-based with strong Chennai ties, is a product of many cultures, to say nothing of his mathematical background which he jettisoned for jazz but which he says helps him structure his music. Chari is in Mumbai to lend his virtuosity to the KalaGhoda Festival—he conducted a workshop which unravelled the many skeins of jazz and delivered a fine performance at the Horniman Circle Gardens, playing from the classics and his own compositions. The evening had to be sawed off because of the 10 pmloudspeaker deadline, giving the audience barely an hour's listening time. But despite this, his worries of the iffy open-air acoustics and the paint >from the black keys coming off on his fingers (It was a Chinese piano called Pearl River, he grins), the evening was a hit. Excerpts: What is the best part about being in Mumbai? To see a cultural festival of this sort. The worst part? The senseless waste of time in commuting New York is bigger but has a better transportation network. Mumbai and New York are always compared. Is there an affinity? No way.Mumbai is not as multicultural, nor as cosmopolitan. Mumbai is nowhere in New York's cultural league. In Mumbai, as of now, it's only an external vibe, whereas in New York there is a thought process invested in culture. >How does one get into that league? The only way is to have a large >population of artistes here. The elite have to stop thinking that culture >is only entertainment. Look at Chennai—it has the best ratio of highly >developed musicians to the regular population as compared to any Indian >metro. It has 70 performing arts venues and 30 venues where regular lec-dems are held. Even the average clerk is knowledgeable about Carnatic music. Discussions on why a particular raag changed from 1920 to today are run of the mill. Which Indian metro has the most educated jazz audience? Frankly, I found the audience more or less the same in all cities. In Delhi, initially it was the cosmetic appeal, but I got lot of intelligent questions on classical music. More people in Mumbai are familiar with jazz than, say, Chennai, but in Chennai people are more familiar with technically evolved music, like Carnatic. Describe jazz in one line. We've heard you say that it's like "trying barbecue sauce and mango chutney". Jazz music is an engagement with life at its most profound level. It's my philosophy. Louiz Banks is regarded as India's king of jazz. There is no such thing as a king of jazz anywhere in the world and there has never been. This is not an athletics competition. It is about artistry. One can never say John Coltrane was greater than Charlie Parker or vice versa. By international standards, Louiz is a good musician. It is also true that he is a product of India's jazz scene, which is extremely small. Musicians need to look outside their country to great jazz musicians so that they are part of a history that goes beyond local heroes. You belong to the New York gharana of jazz. It's a bunch of jazz musicians like Wynton Marsalis, David Murray and Henry Threadgill who are pushing the envelope of sound. I'm happy to be part of the tradition that is carried by these three.