EP 133 . 24 Jul 19

Jazz in India

With Denzil Smith

In the episode

  • I am a Hindustani classical listener and I see a lot of similarities between Jazz and Hindustani Classical – which has to do with concepts of solo expression and the links between composition and improvisation. So I want to ask how would you define Jazz? What all components constitute Jazz?
  • What according to you could be the reason why Jazz was so quickly adopted by Indians? Did it have anything to do with the social position of Indians in the 1920s or just because of talented people like Leon Abbey, Chic Chocolate, and others who influenced other people at that time?
  • Can you tell us something about the Bombay Jazz Club?
  • Who are a few of the all-time-top Jazz Indian artists whose music is available online to buy or stream?
  • The era from the 1930s to the 1950s is often called the golden age of jazz in India. Did Jazz play any role in the freedom struggle of India?
  • What is the future of Jazz in India?

About Denzil Smith

Denzil Smith is an Indian film and stage actor, producer and is known for his stage and screen roles as a character actor. He has a long-standing association with both Motley Productions and PrimeTime Theatre. He has a huge body of work from working in Bollywood films, to theatre, from television to being a voice artist and more. Today we are here to discover his relatively less know side which is love for music, especially Jazz. He has been the host for jazz festivals, concerts at NCPA, Bluefrog, and more…

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