He is the “wonder boy of tabla”, and he is also a master percussionist. Bickram Ghosh has collaborated with some of the biggest names in the music arena, from George Harrison to Pandit Ravi Shankar, from Zakir Hussain to Pete Lockett. Kicking off the new year, Ghosh teamed up with Assamese folk/indie singer, Papon and Scottish singer-songwriter Rachel Sermanni to come together for “Troikala”, a concert organised in search of an exploratory musical synergy in folk music that can transcend borders. Curated and organised by British Council in association with Folktronic, “Troikala” will see the three musicians work together from December 2011 to May 2012 to produce an album and a concert tour in India and the UK to showcase their collaborative efforts.
You come from a seriously musical background. How did your childhood affect your musical journey?
Yes, I do come from a very musical family, with my father being the famous Pandit Shankar Ghosh and my mother, Sanjukta Ghosh, a Hindustani classical vocalist of the Patiala Gharana. My childhood was full of music, and I was surrounded by the stalwarts, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Zakir Hussain and so many more. I was part of a rock band, and I also trained with my father. I think I always knew that I'd be a musician. I love music, and my inspiration comes from everywhere. I borrow from life experiences, and my childhood is part of that. Growing up in Kolkata, my life was a juxtaposition of a yuppie school education and a family that was rooted in tradition and culture. It is really this juxtaposition that led me into creating fusion music. School influenced me to listen to Beegees, Beatles, Rolling Stones and in those days even Osibisa, and I would come home to singing lessons with my mother, and tabla with my father.
You've collaborated with some of the biggest names, the who's who of the musical world. Tell us a little about the different experiences?
I think this particular question needs to be segregated into three distinct spaces. Firstly, I've worked with the Indian classical artists, and there I revel in totally classical Indian music. I've trained in Carnatic drumming techniques and the mridangam under the renowned Pandit S. Sekhar. The second space is collaborations with Indian non-classical artists. I'm currently working on a project with Sonu Nigam, and the experience is fantastic. It's a creative space where we are free to experiment with different techniques and sounds. Both of us are writing the lyrics, Sonu the Hindi ones and me the English. The album is a commercial one, and we hope to bring together something great. The third type of collaboration is with foreign artists, which is essentially a live music space. For example, collaborating with an artist like Greg Ellis, who's a famous drummer and percussionist with movies such as 300 and Fight Club under his belt, has been brilliant. The music makes two very different cultures come together and create something new. The music is driven by the emotional quotient, and when artists from such different backgrounds come together, of course their experiences are different too. Your viewpoints are different, the music you make is different, but coming together, it creates something beautiful and creative.
Collaborating with so many different artists, experimenting with the tabla and the different sounds, you've been instrumental in bringing what is essentially a classical instrument to the forefront. Where do you think tabla stands in the musical scene now?
Along with being a tabla player, I'm also a multi-percussionist. When I play, I bring all that on the stage. But I think the tabla is one of the most versatile instruments in the world. In all sorts of songs, be it classical or Bollywood, the tabla is often heard. The right hand drum has a staccato sound, and is non-modulatory, the left hand drum called the bayaan is a modulatory instrument. It gives you versatility. Slowly, the tabla has evolved from being a mere accompaniment instrument to an instrument that can easily be centre-stage in concerts. The popularity of the instrument has increased a lot over the ages. Essentially, the tabla has entered the mainstream.
Tell us about Repercussion, your online course on percussion.
I've launched my own percussion course that's part of Ace (Art, Culture and Education) Open University. It's an online course, and anyone can be a part of it. My first video class will go online in early 2012. It's a great way to teach. I'm talking directly to the students in the video, as if they are sitting in front of me. And there is no age bar or location hassle, if you love music and percussion, all you have to do is log on and you can be a part of the class.
Your work in Indian cinema has so far been restricted to art films. Is it a conscious decision on your part, to steer away from mainstream movies?
Not really. Yes, so far, the movies I've worked for have been art films, but “Little Zizou” was also a commercial success in its own space. And next year, I'm involved in three movies, including “Jal”, a movie I'm doing with Sonu Nigam. I don't have any particular restrictions and am ready to work at any project if it inspires me.
