At 82, Louiz Banks, the godfather of Indian Jazz, holds the same amount of charisma and love for music that he did at the age of five when his father introduced him to the piano. Ace percussionist Taufiq Qureshi, who pioneered and developed a distinct technique of playing the djembe, stresses on the importance of listening. A t2 chat with the maestros on the sidelines of the event, Confluence: Where Raga meets World Music, at Tollygunge Club.
How does it feel to be back in Calcutta?
Banks: Oh! Calcutta brings back all the joys I have experienced in this city. For one thing, I was born here and we later moved to Darjeeling when I was five. I have never refused a concert in Calcutta. I am a Calcuttan at heart and even if I live in New York that doesn’t change. But there are a lot of changes now. For instance, I made my name at Blue Fox where I would play regularly with my band. This time when I was crossing where Blue Fox was earlier located, my son told me that Blue Fox was no more there.
How did Blue Fox change your life?
Banks: The band I formed at Blue Fox in the 1970s was one of the best ones I ever had. That is when I started writing challenging pieces because I knew my band could play it. Peter Saldana on the bass, Carlton Kitto, one of the best guitarists I have ever known and the legendary drummer John Edmonds were primary band members and the experience I had with them was unforgettable. We used to play there every night and barely had a single day off.
How did the idea of Indianising jazz occur to you?
Banks: In the beginning, I played traditional swing jazz. I had once heard classical artiste R.A. Ramamani and her group perform in Calcutta. She was excellent with her fusions of raagas and improvisation. That is when it struck me that I could incorporate some of these tunes in the traditional jazz and it would be a different genre. However, the execution wouldn’t happen without someone as brilliant as Ramamani. So, I approached her and she being a free-thinker, readily agreed. That is how Indian jazz was born.
What about your stint with Shankar Mahadevan? You have travelled the world with him...
Banks: Once the contract was over, Ramamani had to go back to Bengaluru. I approached Shankar Mahadevan with this idea of Indian jazz and he said, “Definitely!” That worked like magic. We came together as SSILK, S for Shankar Mahadevan, the second S for Sridhar Parthasarathy (vocalist), I for India, L was me and K was Karl Peters (bassist). It was most definitely the best band I ever had. We did over 50 concerts in Europe and around the world. I still play with Shankar and he is one of our country’s most incredible singers.
How long back do your jazz roots go? How many years has it been now?
Banks: That’s a tricky question. It’s a better way to ask me my age! (laughs) Well, I was introduced to jazz by my father who was a jazz trumpeter and pianist. As a 12-year-old, dad used to allow me to sit with his band and that is where I learned how music works professionally. By now it has been over seven decades that I have been playing jazz.
Taufiq Qureshi enters...Banks: Ah! I am a big fan of this man!Qureshi: Areh! I am a fan of yours! He is the ultimate musician. I have learned a lot from Banks.
How old is this friendship?
Qureshi: He is more of a mentor to all of us. So, the friendship is there but there is more like a mentorship. Sitar player Niladri Kumar, flautist Rakesh Chaurasia and percussionist Sivamani, we have all been mentored by Louizji. We have been touched by this great man and that has helped our music mature.
You are both jazz lovers. Now, jazz like other forms of music has seen a stark evolution. From it being a genre that barely reached India to it evolving into hip-hop and changing an entire culture, jazz has seen a lot of change. What is your take on it?
Banks: Well, the change is inevitable. But that is the thing about jazz. It gives you a lot of freedom to explore and as a genre of music it gives you the space to try anything you want. That’s why I am still crazy about jazz! (laughs)Qureshi: There is no doubt that he (Banks) has developed jazz in an unimaginable way for India. There have been so many developments and additions in music at large. I remember Louizji’s band in the ‘80s, Sangam, with Ramamani and others. I was in a band called Divya back then and we both toured during the Indian Music Festival. Louizji has studied classical as well as jazz music. Naturally, when he collaborates with Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia or Ustad Zakir Hussain, he makes sure he doesn’t disturb the other musicians’ discipline. While music in itself has developed but the blend brought in by Louizji’s creations has not diluted over the years.
How has the presence of your father Ustad Alla Rakha and brother Zakir Hussain moulded your beliefs in music?
Qureshi: My foremost inspiration has always been my father and then my brother. Zakir bhai is not just an inspiration, he is also a mentor. They say God has 10 avatars, I feel I have seen Zakir bhai’s 10 forms in the same lifetime. Be it as a friend, brother, colleague or even God. Music takes time. There is no limit to riyaaz. You can ask him, how many hours he practices. (looks to Banks)
Banks: I have lost count! (laughs)Qureshi: So, you have to be continuously in music. When I used to see my father, he was probably watching a cricket match but some counting was going on (musical notes and taals). Listening is one of the most important forms of music. My father always used to tell us, “Whoever is playing, go listen!”
How did the idea to introduce the djembe in India come to you?
Qureshi: The tabla was already there in my family, quite literally the A to Z of the instrument was known to me. A for Alla Rakha and Z for Zakir Hussain and it’s over. I needed something new, so I tried to transpose all the knowledge I received from my father over to drums. Subsequently, I went on experimenting with congas, darbuka and so many other instruments. Finally, I came across the djembe and connected with it immediately. I am still trying to transpose the tabla knowledge on to the djembe. It is vast since it is 400 years of knowledge from various gharanas!
What is your advice to someone who wants to make a career in music?
Banks: It’s a one-liner for me. You have to love what you do, to do it for your whole life.Qureshi: One of the most important things is to listen. When one is collaborating or playing with others, one must listen to what the musician is saying. Secondly, irrespective of your musical background, you must be aware of what the other person is bringing to the table. Only then will the blending be successful. Most importantly, remember the definition of fusion — to melt and blend. You have to melt your ego and your music, only then will you blend and deliver in a striking way.