The Twain do Meet

Called Luminous Secrets (Music Today,Rs 299),it explores the sanctity of Meera bhajans and Sufi poems through electronica,urban jazz and other western rhythms. “ The album comprises nine tracks. We have been performing these all over the world and it took almost two years to put this album together. By the time we began to record,these tracks had matured into a fine sound,” says Joshua,who has worked on Sufi poetry and khadi boli verses by Hindu saints for the first time.

The album opens with a track called Meera,in which the bhajans are laced with interesting background vocals,darbuka beats and guitar riffs. Kabir bhajans and poetry by sufi mystic Hafez come soon after. One of the tracks Hele Mele,based on Raga Charukeshi is a courageous mix of Moroccan and Bulgarian influences with Sufi poetry. Nine Wonders and Kirwani Namaste also offer a mix of translated poetry interspersed with Indian classical ragas and western beats.

Joshua,who came to India after he stumbled upon a scratchy 72 rpm by Pandit Ravi Shankar,is today considered among the highest selling World Music artistes in this country. Private performances for Prince Edward at the Royal Palace of London and for the president of Malaysia,too,are part of his CV. Purists have,however,scoffed at his music,but Joshua,who trained with sitar maestro Ustad Usman Khan,is not concerned. “I call this raga arrogance. I do what appeals to my sense of music and my heart. Music is music,classical or not,” says Joshua,who also counts Osho among his influences.