In India, jazz music traces its roots to the ritzy lodges of port cities the place it regaled the nation’s elite within the early Twenties. That is sort of a detour from the style’s origin in New Orleans by the African-American group for whom it was symbolic of the cultural protest showcasing their artistic prowess and but the denial of alternatives. This paradox provides an fascinating dimension to the evolution of jazz in India, from uppity, classist quarters to Bollywood and now in a digital area. The one title that stands witness to the musical style’s transitional journey in India is Louiz Banks, who, by the dint of sheer expertise, earned the title Godfather of Indian Jazz and has shared the stage with the nation’s iconic musicians like director and singer RD Burman and sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar.
In his mid-80s now, Louiz continues to perform. His upcoming live performance is part of the jazz sequence hosted by an ongoing, eight-month cultural partnership between New Orleans & Company (the official destination-marketing organisation for New Orleans, Louisiana) and The Piano Man, Eldeco Centre, in New Delhi. Ahead of his present, Louiz talks about all that jazz is, was and will be.
Louiz has shared the stage with the nation’s iconic musicians like director and singer RD Burman and sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar
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Special association
“In today’s world, India’s jazz scene is part of a broader independent expression movement. Jazz’s freedom and improvisation appeal to indie artistes, who blend influences like R&B and electronic music, embracing jazz’s risk-taking spirit,” he begins. He is not only cognisant of Internet’s influence on music, which now permits a extra decentralised area for artistes on the lookout for platforms to be heard and makes songs and artists extra accessible to a wider viewers, however can be accepting of the adjustments. He has, in any case, witnessed the growth of labels and indie artistes within the mighty 90s and the Noughties. Before that, he composed the tunes to the honored Mile Sur Mera Tumhara, in 1988, a brief movie on nationwide integration for Doordarshan — India’s sole broadcaster at the time.
Keeping with occasions
“Digitisation has revolutionised jazz and music sharing and discovery. Initially, jazz records were scarce and valuable. Today, the internet enables a young listener in a small Indian town to instantly hear Miles Davis, Shakti, or a new Indian jazz quartet. The Internet democratised access, allowed independent musicians to release their work, and created global audiences. The challenge is to stand out amidst the noise, but the opportunity is immense,” he says.
Louiz strikes with the occasions and that makes him related and relatable. In 2024, he launched the album Jazz Standards and is now engaged on one other mission
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Special association
Louiz strikes with the occasions and that makes him related and relatable. In 2024, he launched the album Jazz Standards and is now engaged on one other mission, “a series of live videos at Island City Studios, featuring the Matrixx Quartet: Gino Banks, Sheldon D’Silva, and Rhythm Shaw”. He calls Matrixx his “dream band” and “a perfect blend of modern Indian jazz”. “After working with many musicians, I wanted a group that could really bring my compositions and improvisation to life. The name Matrixx represents all the different musical styles that come together — like different matrices of sound, rhythm, and harmony,” he explains of the band that has his son Gino on the drums. “We practised a lot, mixing hard-swinging jazz, Indian influences, and a modern fusion vibe.”
Indianising jazz
Louiz notes that Indian jazz transcends tabla and ghatam, incorporating ragas, tala, phrasing, ornamentation and dialogue
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Special association
Speaking of jazz’s interactions with Indian soundscapes, he notes that Indian jazz transcends tabla and ghatam, incorporating ragas, tala, phrasing, ornamentation and dialogue. “It encompasses both, classical and folk music; folk offers rawness and rhythm, while classical provides depth and structure. The key is to preserve jazz’s spirit — improvisation, conversation, individuality and freedom. When incorporating Indian elements, it’s crucial to avoid ornamentation and ensure meaningful expression. That, to me, is true Indian jazz,” he indicators off, hoping that movie composers will “embrace jazz directly” and desperate to see extra collaborations the place jazz “gains depth from other traditions without losing its essence”.
The live performance will be held at The Piano Man, Eldeco Centre on Sunday, 8pm onwards. Tickets begin at ₹1,499 on thepianoman.in.
Published – August 29, 2025 04:56 pm IST
