International Jazz Day: Veterans handpick upcoming talent jazz lovers should listen to

Sunil Sampat

The curious story of how jazz music arrived in India begins with the racial persecution that the early African-American proponents of the genre faced in the southern USA in early 20th century. They fled to Europe hoping to find a more congenial environment, only for World War II to start looming on the horizon. Some of them set sail again, landing in Bombay, where they were elated to be greeted by both the British and the Indians. They started playing their trade-in nightclubs in SoBo, especially Churchgate Street (today's Veer Nariman Road) that became a jazz hub.

There was a resurgence of sorts, with jazz musicians regularly playing gigs before the pandemic hit. The independent music circuit has a bunch of bright sparks and on International Jazz Day, three veterans pick the brightest, and share three tracks that you should press play for.

Promising next wave

I think that there are some wonderful young musicians around at the moment, and that the next wave of jazz is extremely promising. But there is a difference between people who are playing well, and people who are likely to be at the forefront of the jazz movement. Ryan Sadri is a fine musician for example, but he is not going to take jazz by the scruff of the neck to take it forward. The one person who is doing that is Pradyumna Singh Manot, or Paddy. He is a guy from Kolkata who is doing something phenomenal. He plays Latin jazz, innovates with Cuban sounds and every time I hear him, he seems to have grown somewhat. I don't know if Kolkata will ever be at the forefront of jazz again, but if it is, Paddy will be heading it.

Pradyumna Singh Manot

Playlist:
.Manteca by Dizzy Gillespie
.Moonlight serenade by Kurt Elling
.Nigerian marketplace by Oscar Peterson
- Sunil Sampat, jazz aficionado

Rhythm is going to get you

Louiz Banks

My pick is none other than young guitar virtuoso, Rhythm Shaw. He is one-of-a-kind and is already making a huge mark as a gifted guitarist who can play anything from Chopin to Charlie Parker. He is a talent to watch out for because he is innovative and adapts himself to any kind of music. He is not a jazz guitarist per se in the accepted tradition, but a jazz guitarist of the future, mixing genres with ease and capable of producing modernistic jazz-influenced solos. In order to learn jazz, you need good ears, and Rhythm has that. I introduced him to some of my jazz music, and he did some amazing things with it. He is a young genius who will definitely go international in the near future and make India proud.

Rhythm Shaw

Playlist:
.Birdland by Weather Report
.Donna Lee by Jaco Pastorius
. Spain by Chick Corea
- Louiz Banks, pianist

Practice is key

Gary Lawyer

The younger generation consists of people like Gino Banks and Sheldon D'Silva. The two are bright sparks and the reason is the approach to their instruments (Banks is a drummer and D'Silva a bassist). They practise a lot, and you can tell that they enjoy what they do. Practising is a prerequisite for excellence. There is no substitute for that, and for loving what you do. If you don't work at it, your talent disappears. But at the risk of sounding cynical, I must also say that India as a country doesn't support Western music enough. There is no corporate support. There is hardly any press support. It's an absolute shame and if there is another Freddie Mercury somewhere out there in the country, is there a chance that we'll find him/her? You tell me.

Sheldon D'Silva

Playlist:
.A sophisticated lady by Duke Ellington
. Georgia on my mind by Ray Charles
. Come rain come shine by Ray Charles
- Gary Lawyer, vocalist