Out-of-the-box music

Ahead of a concert this weekend, guitar virtuoso R Prasanna talks about how futile it is to compartmentalise songs into genres

In a segment called Jammin' with Hitlist that appeared in yesterday's edition of mid-day, percussion maestro Sivamani tells vocalist Kama Ramnath that when it comes to youngsters, fusion music helps give classical music the recognition it deserves. His point was that the former is a gateway genre for the latter. But in a much earlier interview that this paper had conducted with John McLaughlin, the legendary guitarist had said, "The term 'fusion music' was born as a marketing device for record companies. It's like, 'Do you want a hamburger or a cheese burger?'" His point was that the only purpose genres serve is to compartmentalise music into different drawers, so that you can pull one out at your own convenience. Want to listen to John Coltrane? Pull the one with the "jazz" sticker. Want to listen to Muddy Waters? Open the drawer that's marked as "blues".

Both those views are contradictory. But guitar guru R Prasanna is compelled to side with McLaughlin when we ask him to weigh in on the subject, ahead of a concert he'll play in the city as part of a festival called Splendor of Masters this weekend. Prasanna tells us, "I agree with John that these are terms that corporates use to box music. But that model has been disrupted by the fact that you can now make your own playlist. Let's say you take a 17-year-old girl in Mumbai. Her playlist might include an Ariana Grande song, one by an African artiste, a ghazal and a Rolling Stones track. So that person isn't looking for a genre. She is looking for a musical journey. The point is that audiences don't really look at things technically. They are instead going to sit and watch a concert as if it's a movie unfolding before them."

Shilpa Rao at a concert

That is why, he adds, he tries dipping his guitar into a pool of music that's as diverse as metal, rock, jazz and Carnatic. His set at the upcoming festival —which also features the likes of vocalists Shilpa Rao and Rashid Khan — will similarly cut across styles, creating a musical road trip where the landscape keeps changing. Labels aren't important for him. The experience is. Prasanna adds a caveat that Sivamani has his reasons for his viewpoint since everyone has their own way of looking at things. But as far as he's concerned, by making a term like "Indian classical" less relevant, we are actually celebrating its modernity, its resilience. "And that's the best compliment I can give."

On January 31, 7 pm
At Nehru Centre Auditorium, Doctor Annie Besant Road, Worli.
Log on to bookmyshow.com
Cost Rs 350

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!