As an artiste, I feel it’s my duty to show and remind people that we are all human first: Karsh Kale

The British-born, New York-raised multi-instrumentalist of Maharashtrian descent, Karsh Kale is a seamless melange of the East and the West. At his recent performance in the city, Karsh wowed the audience with his genre bending versatility. After a mesmerising jugalbandi that saw him weave magic on the tabla while a DJ spun alongside, the composer took on the console duties himself. His music is all about creating a perfect harmony by blurring lines between diverse musical traditions. The musician believes in bridging cultures with music is his artistic responsibility, more so today. “It’s quite scary to see how the world has been polarised into left and right off late. As an artiste, I feel it’s my duty to show and remind people that we are all human first. I love looking out into a crowd and watching their differences fall away as they groove to my music,” says Karsh as he settles down for a chat with Hyderabad Times. Excerpts....

I DO NOT JUDGE,MUSIC OR OTHERWISE
Initially, music for me was drums and drummers like

Bonham

and

Neil Peart

who opened my ears to the world of rock. I was also very much into comics, mythology and sci-fi and these influences became a soundtrack for my own imagination. I have always allowed my music to evolve and change over the years. I get bored doing the same thing so to keep it interesting I jump from one genre to another.

I try not to judge, because at the end of the day even the lamest music is still music. There is so much music being churned out everyday and we choose what we want from it. I for one don’t judge. Sometimes you want a gourmet meal and another time it’s fast food you crave. It’s never a good idea to make judgements.

The audience in Hyderabad is warm and receptive

After creating music that satisfies me creatively, there really is nothing like playing it for a live audience that knows it and gives all the energy back. That’s when the experience comes full circle. I have had a couple of fabulous musical experiences in Hyderabad in the past, including live concerts with

Shujaat Khan

and the Midival Punditz. The crowd here has always been warm and receptive.

Music for me is about harnessing madness

The process of creating music for me is about harnessing my inner madness and chaos and bringing it to order. It could begin while I am sitting at a piano or sometimes when I’m on a plane. The inspiration could be anything — a small sketch or even voice recording that I stumbled upon, it eventually manifests into a piece of music.

Yes, the older I get the more I realise that I need to shut off sometimes and a vacation is just the ticket. Even when I wish to unwind, I go home to my family. Being with my daughter brings me a tremendous amount of peace ’cos I feel that is where I belong. Travel and touring can truly make one lose themselves so for me family is the touchstone I go to for my solace.

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