Karma marks in 40 years of making music

At a Sector V pub, an electric evening unfolded less like a concert and more like a masterclass led by Subhen Chatterjee. Celebrating four decades of Karma, the performance challenged the idea that Indian classical music must remain confined to its inherited grammar. With Suvam Moitra on guitar, Bachospati Chakraborty on bass, Monojit Dutta on keys, Souptik Mazumdar on violin, Soumyajit Paul on sitar, and Sambit Chatterjee on drums, the ensemble functioned as a cohesive unit rather than a backing band, each musician shaping the evolving soundscape. Guest appearances by Amyt Datta, Mainak ‘Bumpy’ Nag Chowdhury, Sudipto ‘Buti’ Banerjee, Bodhisattwa Ghosh and John Paul expanded its sonic range.
Karma is more than fusion – it is what Chatterjee calls bandish fusion, where the bandish is reworked while retaining its core. “When I started conceptualizing Karma, the word fusion music didn’t really exist,” he says, adding, “I dreamt of a sound people could sing – fun, yet rooted in raag and taal.”

Karma’s identity
Chatterjee’s emphasis on melody over calculation defines Karma – accessible yet rooted. Recalling college influences, he said, “We listened to Deep Purple, Grand Funk Railroad, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Emerson, Lake & Palmer. It was discouraged, but here I am, 40 years later.” This idea of a unified sound sets Karma apart – less juxtaposition, more absorption. “As a composer, it’s not very difficult. Suvam, my second son almost, helps bring my ideas to life,” he said. “Our last track Samsara, the final music my brother Subhas Mondol played with us, is very special.”

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