Charu Suri is a pianist and composer who seamlessly blends genres, drawing from the wealthy traditions of Indian ragas, Sufi music, and jazz. One of many few feminine composers from India to carry out at Carnegie Corridor, she has carved a particular area in up to date music together with her genre-defying albums, The E book of Ragas and The E book of Ragas Vol. 2.
A toddler prodigy who started enjoying the piano at 5 and acting at 9, Suri’s journey has taken her throughout 4 continents, shaping her musical voice into one thing deeply private but universally resonant. Her latest albums, Ragas & Waltzes and the upcoming Rags & Ragas, showcase collaborations with legendary musicians like John Patitucci, Steve Gadd, and Joe Lastie, bridging cultures and musical traditions in compelling new methods.
On this interview, Charu Suri discusses the inspiration behind her E book of Ragas collection, the challenges and rewards of mixing Indian classical music with jazz, her artistic course of, and her ideas on the evolving panorama of worldwide music.
Serenade Workforce: Your music seamlessly blends jazz, Indian ragas, and classical influences. How do you strategy bringing these various traditions collectively whereas sustaining their authenticity?
Charu Suri: I actually attempt to take the time to be taught every style fully. For classical music, I have been a live performance pianist since I used to be seven. For the ragas, I even have a raga trainer from the Jaipur gharana. And for jazz, I play usually with musicians in New Orleans and have a jazz trainer. I dedicate time to really understanding every style’s depth and intricacies.
ST: What impressed you to place collectively The E book of Ragas mission, and the way do you’re feeling your strategy has advanced from the primary quantity to Ragas & Waltzes?
CS: These are the sounds that got here to me after I was composing jazz. I didn’t consider jazz within the conventional means due to the best way I’ve lived my life on 4 totally different continents, mastering three totally different genres. I considered jazz in a really totally different means, pulling influences from my heritage.
I believe my newest album Rags and Ragas represents the height within the stylistic means that I consider raga jazz—true jazz and true ragas mixing in probably the most genuine and hip means potential, which I do not suppose anybody else is sort of doing.
ST: Your upcoming album Rags & Ragas options collaborations with famend musicians like John Patitucci and Steve Gadd. How did these partnerships come about, and what was the recording expertise like?
CS: I used to be very fortunate. I approached John Patitucci to report on my album, and he mentioned sure. Since he has recorded with Steve Gadd earlier than, that’s how that connection took place. I despatched them each the music first as a result of they needed to listen to it earlier than committing, and I used to be lucky that they liked it. Clearly, it was one thing totally different. Steve Gadd has finished a number of groundbreaking work and has taken many dangers—he’s labored extensively with Chick Corea. He’s a musician who loves studying one thing new, so I really feel extremely fortunate that they had been each a part of this mission.
ST: Your work has been carried out by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra at NJPAC. How did it really feel to listen to your compositions interpreted in an orchestral setting, and what was the method of adapting your music for an ensemble of that scale?
CS: It was completely unbelievable. I’ve been orchestrating, transposing, and transcribing since I used to be 9, so I’ve truly lived with symphonic scores in my head for a very long time. At the same time as a toddler, I’d take symphonic scores to live shows to discover ways to learn them whereas the music was being performed. In a means, I’ve at all times considered my compositions orchestrally, so the variation to a symphony orchestra felt pure. It was an exquisite expertise, and I hope to work with extra orchestras as a result of there is not a number of raga-based symphonic literature on the market.
ST: Your upcoming Valentine’s Day live performance on the Royal Opera Home, Mumbai, will discover the romantic aspect of New Orleans jazz. What impressed this programme, and the way do you strategy deciphering love songs throughout the jazz custom?
CS: I’m excited to return to the Royal Opera Home to discover the intersection of affection songs and New Orleans jazz. I’ve at all times considered New Orleans as a really romantic place—not only for jazz but additionally for the songs that emerged from there. La Vie en Rose, Louisiana Fairytale, Hi there Dolly—so many songs are romantic odes to the world. What a Fantastic World is one other instance. The entire concept of the New Orleans repertoire revolves round love songs. The town itself is unabashedly romantic, with its wrought-iron buildings, cobblestone streets, and lovely plazas. It feels just like the jazz model of Paris in the USA.
ST: Having lived on 4 continents, how has your multicultural background influenced your compositional voice and strategy to efficiency?
CS: As I discussed earlier, my multicultural background shapes the best way I take into consideration music. I don’t see jazz as a inflexible kind the place you have to strictly play Billie Vacation or Frank Sinatra. As an alternative, I see jazz as a cross-pollination of worldwide influences the place cultures borrow from one another whereas nonetheless respecting particular person traditions and kinds.
It’s exhausting nowadays to say, “That is the style, and you have to stick inside these 4 partitions.” Particularly in the event you’ve led an intercultural life, it’s inconceivable to not be influenced by totally different cultures. I at all times take into consideration connections—how can bossa nova work together with a raga? How can a raga affect tala, and the way can tala match right into a swing rhythm? I continually discover these intersections.
ST: Improvisation performs a key function in each jazz and Indian classical music. How do you navigate improvisation in your compositions, and does your strategy differ between solo and ensemble performances?
CS: Improvisation is certainly integral to each jazz and Indian classical music. Nevertheless, solo improvisation may be very totally different from band improvisation. In solo improvisation, like in an Indian classical music live performance the place a vocalist or violinist improvises melodically, the main target is completely on the person’s creativity.
Band improvisation, then again, includes a dynamic give-and-take between devices. You need to make area for every musician’s voice. In New Orleans, for example, the clarinetist takes a solo, then the trombone, the drums, the bass, and the piano. The interaction is essential—you must complement one another somewhat than overshadow. As a soloist, you are desirous about the way to be each a bassist and a vocalist on the identical time, whereas in a band, it’s about listening and responding. I solely actually understood this after I shaped my very own jazz band.
ST: With a rising discography and rising recognition on your distinctive sound, the place do you see your music heading subsequent? Are there any new genres or collaborations you might be significantly enthusiastic about exploring?
CS: I really feel very fortunate to have a rising fan base, and I’m at present engaged on an upcoming album referred to as Nidra. It’s my first New Age or ambient album—very totally different from jazz however nonetheless rooted in ragas. The music is designed to be therapeutic, and it is going to be launched in July.
I’m additionally receiving extra collaboration requests for Raga Jazz. There will certainly be extra Raga Jazz albums sooner or later—I really feel like I’m simply getting began. There are over 500 ragas to discover, and I need to maintain pushing the boundaries. Ultimately, I’d like to report an album with the Preservation Corridor musicians in New Orleans, however that may most likely occur subsequent yr somewhat than this one.
Charu Suri is ready to return to the Royal Opera Home, Mumbai for a particular Valentine’s Day efficiency on February 14, 2025. Mixing the timeless attraction of New Orleans jazz together with her signature world influences, she will likely be joined by Sharmi Surianarain (vocals), Shashank Das (bass), and Arjun Chakraborty (drums) for a night of soulful melodies and heartfelt improvisations. This guarantees to be an unforgettable night time celebrating the romance of jazz in considered one of India’s most iconic efficiency areas. Tickets can be found on district.in.
