A Song for India

Those in line for the gilded gramophone include Debashish

Bhattacharya’s Calcutta Chronicle and Lakshmi Shankar’s Dancing in the Light in the BestTraditional Music Album category; the Bob Belden produced Miles From India,along with John

McLaughlin’s Floating Point under Blue Frog Records India,both in the Contemporary Jazz album category. “With Rahman’s win,all eyes will be on us,” says Louis Banks,co-producer,Miles from India.

The Grammys are not alien to us; few Indian musicians have managed to secure the trophy in its 50-year history. Percussionist Bickram Ghosh,four-time nominee says,“An Indian album has the maximum chance of winning a Grammy when it’s recorded abroad. Even when Pandit Ravi Shankar and I won the award,it was under the Angel Music label,” states percussionist and four-time nominee Bickram Ghosh,who feels that while we boast of our age-old musical legacy,it’s only collaborative albums that work. “For every musician—Indian or of foreign origin who earns his or her living being musician—a Grammy is a big achivement that earns him/her respect and acknowledgement,” says Bhattacharya,a first-time nominee.

The Grammy is given for albums released in America between October 1 and September 30 every year and,at most times,is directly proportional to the popularity of the artiste in the US,feels Banks. “If it isn’t popular in the West,an album won’t get nominated. If not in the World Music,there’s no other category where we stand in the Grammys,” says the jazz artiste,adding,“Bob Belden is a seven-time Grammy nominee and three-time winner who knows the tricks of the trade.” Belden on his part adds,“Louiz Banks will one day win a grammy for his solo recording. Indian musicians are not members of the Academy and thus do not benefit from the professional partnerships that arise from such an association. Maybe it would be a good start to get many of the recording companies in India to join NARAS (National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences).”

For Dhruv Ghanekar,composer and partner at a Mumbai live-music bar,it’s the association of Indian artistes like Ranjit,Shiva and Louis Banks that has got him the honour. “We don’t make music for the international market. Having four nominees this year shows that we are not piggybacking on Bollywood anymore.”

Emmanuelle de Decker,head of Blue Frog Records,that produced McLaughlin’s album,is expecting “worldwide recognition of the emerging jazz scene in India. Plus,Indians are expecting more than just Bollywood”.

Musical talent is not even categorised at our own

National Awards in India. But Ghosh says Rahman’s Globe may prove to be the turning point. “After all,Satyajit Ray first won the Oscar and then the Bharat Ratna.”