Dear all,
I have returned from India and am sat in the wonderful Grog and Gruel in Fortwilliam. I was hoping to keep you all regularly updated in India but my laptop refused to connect to the wifi and I have chronicled elsewhere the pain in the posteria of trying to update this blog on my phone. So here are my diary entries from my time in India, I hope you enjoy them.
Very best wishes,
Danjo
On Plane From Mumbai to Kolkata:
Well we’re on the way to Kolkata finally. By the time we get there it’ll be over 24 hours between leaving home and arriving with barely a wink of sleep. It’s felt like such an adventure already even before we’ve started what we came to do.
So observations about India already? People at airports expect to be tipped! All manner of customs people, luggage assistants, they all expect a tip. But generally everyone seems very friendly…apart from immigration staff. But they never are. Also, I hope to god the food improves from the quite disastrous ‘cheese burger’ I had at Mumbai airport. My understanding of a cheese burger was always that it involved cheese as an accompaniment to a meat or perhaps a veggie equivalent. So imagine my surprise when it was in fact a singularly dodgy tasting bit of bread with quite hideous plastic melted cheese inside. And nothing else.
Most striking was the bus journey from where we arrived in Mumbai to where we departed, looking out the window and seeing for the first time in my life, shanty towns. It was an illuminating experience and made me anxious to see more and uncomfortable at the same time. Particularly interesting was every home made from scrap was topped with a satellite dish.
Very tired, but excited about what’s to come and pleased we all seem to get on really well already. I’m missing Sarah already, but feeling her support.
Danjo
Sitting in hotel foyer pre-first meeting:
It’s fifteen minutes til we all start the process of collaborating! No music to start with I don’t think, just introductions. The car journey from the airport to the hotel was truly an experience to behold. It started with chaos and got more chaotic as it went on! Lanes, speed limits, caution – none of that. Loosely, you drive on the left but when you want to go past you just beep and do it! The number of seemingly near misses with cyclists, people, cars and god knows what else was very scary to a non-native but actually in a funny way it got less scary because it became apparent it wasn’t aggressive or angry driving. That’s just the way they drive and everyone seems to get that. It’s just alien to us.
What we drove through was very striking. Much of the area we went through was more akin to a 24-hour outdoor market. I’d have been scared walking alone out there and a rush of intimidation came over me last night at what a different world we’re in. But come the end, I know I’ll be grateful to have experienced such an incredibly different world first hand.
The people seem to me friendly and helpful but sort of no-nonsense and quietly scary! Everything is chaotic, utterly chaotic! I can’t deny it I’m scared and uneasy but I don’t intend to waste the experience and as this is the kind of trip I would never do otherwise, it’s important to make the most of it.
The musical prospect is very exciting and I relish that.
Danjo
In hotel room at 4.30:
Well I feel happy at the moment! We had a session today of just finding out what each other does and chatting over an amazing lunch. The fish curry was sublime as was everything else. I feel more at ease knowing that we’re basically spending more time at this complex soaking up all the music. I’d have been quite intimidated out on the streets but I’m sure that’s just my pesky caution.
The musicians are lovely, obviously incredibly passionate about what they do and the British council ( India ) reps are very friendly and obviously so glad to have us here. I have discovered what we drove through to here was the ‘interior’, an area with no infrastructure and not ‘the city’ at all which explains my previous log a little.
I’m feeling that like all places, India has such a variation of characters and my previous entries of trying to pigeon hole just show my nerves and anxiety at travelling to new places. There are many who are welcoming, some who are not so much. There is definitely a protocol of if someone offers to do something for you, they’ll be offended if you don’t let them.
Anyway must dash we’re off to a festival
Danjo
First day of planning – morning:
So finally we get to hear everyone today or at least start. I’m very excited, but inevitably nervous as well. The festival was very enjoyable hearing a Afro-Indian fusion band and unexpectedly a heavyish Indian rock band! The atmosphere was great and I enjoyed the drive as we saw a bit of the city which was typically fascinating. I noted the sight of huge, impressive buildings interspersed with obviously poorer areas with makeshift looking stalls. The festival also gave me the chance to buy a few gifts for Sarah which was nice. All in all, it was a good bonding session making this perhaps a tad more comfortable today. I again noted people’s desire to help. In truth, sometimes you just want to get on with it yourself but there’s a certain look of distaste if you don’t allow them to. I guess it highlights he difference in cultures but it’s not a problem, just a tad awkward at times.
Anyway best go and do some work!
Danjo
End of day of music making:
So a day over. It’s terrifically exciting playing with these astonishing musicians. First up was Moni, a singer with intense passion for his work. He devotes himself to collecting thousands of songs local to him and ensuring they don’t die. He told me a very full story of the music and I felt privileged and enjoyed playing with them. The session with Hannah and Suhail was fun. Suhail was intrigued by banjo funk after I mentioned it last night so we ended up composing funky tune together!
The real success for me was with Georgia and Suhail in the afternoon. Three great items came together really quite easily and were wonderfully different; fusions of bluegrass, Welsh and Indian! Suhail is a wonderful musician and terrific to work with while Georgia is a great discovery as she was the only Brit with whom I wasn’t musically acquainted.
A lovely evening was had too, with yet more sumptuous curry, games of pool with Neil and a nice little drinky to finish! I am very lucky to be here.
Danjo
Pre-Share on Tuesday:
Today has been so enlightening, fun and challenging all in great ways. The first session particularly so I guess. Shahid is a wonderful singer with an imposing personality and a friendly smile. He sang a lovely song and it sat very well with myself and Waqeel and it was magical. Waqeel then sang a song which was equally beautiful but I could not seem to get the hang of the rhythm for a long time which was uncomfortable for me but I persevered and it paid off in the end I think. Waqeel has an immense voice and the most endearing and gentle of personalities. He is so sensitive and passionate about music. I then tried playing a tune of my own, based in an Arabic mode, and the difference in cultures was again apparent as I very much expected the tune, solo, solo, back to tune idea but we didn’t click as that is not seemingly their way. But then I played an Appalachian song and again, magic ensued with stunning vocal solos from both.
I’ve worked with Patsy twice today and she is as wonderful a musician as I thought from hearing her on record, and then some. She is so empathetic and her cheery demeanour just makes it all the better. Shafique on the dohl is a virtuoso and Patsy, he and I enjoyed learning each other’s protocols on cues, stops and rhythms. I even sang a snatch of a Bengali song I remembered from a gig in London a few years ago and that was nerve wracking in the extreme but enjoyable!
The musicians are very different. Suhail is similar to me in that to him music is music – he’s not terribly into ‘genre’ as such and is eager to try playing anything and seeing what happens. Moni and Shahid were much more protective of their material and perhaps less willing to bend, but this is not a criticism at all and in fact it if anything heightens the feeling of their music.
Shame on me for not mentioning more of Hannah or Georgia. The former I have known for a long time and is incredibly talented and easy going with a great work ethic. Georgia is such wonderful company and a fabulous talent though modest with it. It is an incredible joy to be here and I feel blessed. I miss Sarah and familiarity of home; I feel very far away but I love this experience so much.
Danjo
Danjo