REFLECTIONS

ON FUSION Striking new notes or making new music? P.K. Doraiswamy

n a Music Academy concert, Indian classical music in a new age and fusion is more a mechanical when T.M. Krishna did alapana package.” mixture than organic fusion. The in one raga and sang a kriti real indispensable need is for Finally, a gem: “A genre of music in another, a rasika asked me, “Is authentic Indian classical music to I where the brahmin Carnatic this a new kind of fusion?” The be documented and preserved to Gillette razor model Mach 3 with notes steadfastly refuse to mix and harmonise with the sudra Western prevent it being lost in fusion type of five blades is advertised as a fusion experiments and becoming extinct, razor. Restaurants organise Fusion notes and stubbornly live in their own agrahaaram of usual raga imposing an inestimable loss on Food Festivals. Pandit Ravi Shankar, posterity. L. Shankar and Zakir Hussain alapana and kalpana swaras while the rest of the group tries to figure started collaborating with George Issues regarding fusion music Harrison, Yehudi Menuhin, Bud out whether Am and Dm go well Shank and John McLaughlin in with Natabhairavi.” What is its authentic definition? Is the 1960s and 1970s ‘fusing’ Indian The following views were expressed it simply adding the mridangam or music with rock‘n’roll. Since then in a seminar on ‘Globalisation of ghatam to a trumpet and drum, or many such bands have been formed Indian Classical Music’ in November the sitar, the violin or the mandolin and such collaborations continue 2006: to a keyboard instrument or a piano even now. As top Carnatic musicians – adding Indian spice to a basically join the fusion bandwagon, the Sriram Parasuram: A unified system Western dish or vice versa? Or, is it subject warrants a discussion. of world music was neither necessary a khichdi into which any musical nor desirable. The aesthetic identity input goes? What is fusion? and individuality of each system should be preserved. Is it Carnatic music ‘adjusting’ (if “All music is fusion – of seven notes, necessary diluting) itself to the of the vocal with the instrumental, Sudha Ragunathan: In her fusion Western musical inputs (or the other of the melodic with the rhythmic concerts, she had always preserved way about)? and so on.” the Carnatic identity. “Modern fusion music meanders Aruna Sairam: Responding to a smoothly and cohesively from one French musician singing ancient Is it Carnatic music genre to another.” liturgical chants, one resembling ‘adjusting’ itself to the Kalyani and another Navroz, her “It is striking new notes and creating alapana of Kalyani and Navroz Western musical inputs new colours.” was similar to the chants, preserving or vice versa? the Carnatic identity and also “Not a cut–and–paste patchwork contributing to fusion. but a combination of guitar, sarangi, vocal, keyboard, cello, etc. taking you T.M. Krishna: Carnatic music’s core Can anything be called ‘fusion’ on a trippy, soul-soothing journey elements cannot be compromised unless the ingredients lose their of jazz, blues, funk, trance and just in order to appear different or individual identity and a new jamming in perfect harmony with modern or to become popular with alloy is created? If each system groovy Carnatic melodies.” (Wonder the West, nor should the Carnatic stubbornly preserves its identity (as what Tyagaraja would feel on system be allowed to be eclipsed by some panellists claimed about their hearing his kritis described as other systems. efforts), then it becomes a mechanical ‘groovy’!). Shubha Mudgal: Globalisation mixture (however clever the mixing) “The music is directand clear, offering of music is commercially driven and not genuine fusion.

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Is it possible for individual systemic Fusion practitioners claim sung in a pleasing but more plain, components to retain their identity unembellished manner than in the and still somehow jell together as a they are trying to use classical format and harmonic and composite musical entity? the best skills and insights insistent, repetitive rhythmic support is provided by Western instruments By what common standard are of each system and like the guitar, piano, keyboard, fusion concerts to be evaluated create a new unified system cello and drums. Well-known kritis – concert by concert (and item by like Akhilandeswari, Marukelara, item within each concert) by Jagadoddharana, Mokshamu galada each listener by his own standard, it is Carnatic or Western classical and even Endaro mahanubhavulu or, to be subjectively enjoyed or pop music. For the individual (the ultimate sacrilege?) have been at the level of pure sounds participants, fusion is no doubt sung as Carnatic fusion. There and phrases of each concert without exciting, adventurous and challenging is a recording of a Misra Gavati being fitted into any aesthetic and provides the thrill of exploration alapana by Moumita Chatterjee framework of reference as in a and an opportunity to match your with a rhythmic-cum-melodic classical system? virtuosity against that of experts background provided by piano, from other genres. However, to be santoor and cello. Anil Srinivasan Is it meant for listeners and a new system, the experiment must accompanies Sikkil Gurucharan on musicians who are too lazy to have a normative grammar. As it is, the piano providing soft, contrapuntal educate themselves on the core each fusion concert is a one-time, musical support to the latter’s vocal elements and nuances of each system stand-alone experience for the rendering of Carnatic kritis. Though and prefer an instant, high calorie, listener and, unlike other systems – the orchestration in such cases is low nutrient, forgettable, fast food Indian classical, Western classical or pleasing and non-intrusive, no version? special aesthetic enhancement of Will, in course of time, playing in To be a new system, the raga itself is perceptible. The impression is one of lightening fusion groups adversely influence the experiment must have classicism. Indian musicians’ style of playing a normative grammar Indian classical music? Music, or for that matter art, has no central authority to T.M. Krishna, in a Sruti article, made jazz, without any common standard allow or disallow experimentation. two interesting points : to judge any fusion concert. It has Everyone is, and should be, free Unlike Indian classical music, do a long way to go before it can claim to experiment with any system of listeners remember what they heard that it is a unified systemic music openly admitting that he is in a fusion concert? Many classical breakthrough with a distinct aesthetic doing so and every listener is free concerts leave an indelible aesthetic identity and validity of its own to enjoy or not any arrangement deserving to be treated in importance imprint and a nostalgic longing in of sounds he chooses to listen on par with any of the established listeners’ minds. Is there any such to. You cannot stop Kola veri di systems, or that it combines the lingering, haunting element in from becoming the rage simply by best from each of the latter fusion? We remember some classical advising its listeners to listen, (ignoring for the present the concerts as ‘great’. Is there anything instead, to Dikshitar’s chaturdasa difficulty in deciding what is the called a ‘great’ fusion concert? If ragamalika, or evaluate the former best of each system). This would by comparing it with the latter. so, what are the norms which make need much more than the present it great? acoustic and visual ensemble of Fusion practitioners claim that they virtuosity, novelty and glamour, Music or art are trying to use the best skills and or just ‘striking some new notes’. has no central authority insights of each system and create a to allow or disallow new unified system which listeners Its attractive features from any culture could vibe with In the sub-genre called Carnatic experimentation without bothering about whether fusion, Carnatic ragas or kritis are

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(Some of my friends even say that, lightens the classical weight of if you keep listening to the former, ‘Hard fusion’ is the main melody which is perhaps in spite of the mediocre lyric, the when each system what makes fusion attractive to primitive rhythm and the amateurish asserts itself equally some rasikas. But the enjoyment singing, the song sort of grows is superficial and passing unlike on you). It is, therefore, not the the deep, abiding impact of a good argument here that no fusion music classical concert. (Good for ‘chilling is worth listening to or that it is repetitive rhythm exploiting the out’, as the pop expression goes)! never pleasing or melodious. Some rich variety in instruments and the Ironically, not being a system or not fusion music is indeed extraordinarily potential of sound engineering. But having an authentic definition may be pleasant to listen to. there may be slight deviations. The dominant mode may be traditionally the very basis of fusion’s popularity. Many of us do enjoy classical classical (as in the song Kannanai Music lovers who may not take the and film music equally though in kandaayo sung by Janani Sankar different moods and of course, and composed by Lalitha Daasar) Not being a system applying different norms. or maintain some semblance of or not having Orchestration in Tamil film the parental system (as in the an authentic definition music, unlike the kutcheri-type fusion song Hey Priya by Siva and accompaniments in older films, has Soumi, Natabhairavi scale-based may be the very basis of become more and more “jazzised” but sung in a jazzy style to fit in fusion’s popularity though tunes often remain raga- with the orchestration). Satyajit Ray scale based. This, in a sense, is also introduced Western orchestration in trouble to familiarise themselves a kind of fusion. In fact, the fusion his film songs. Many of Ilayaraja’s with, or commit themselves to, any in film songs is stronger than in and most of A.R. Rahman’s film established system can still look Carnatic fusion songs. The lovely songs are examples of soft fusion. forward to easily perceived melody film song, Kanngal irandaal has a We may reserve the expression and rhythm and endless energetic melody which preserves the essence ‘hard fusion’ to a situation where experimentation, variety and novelty of Reetigaula (a raga rare in film more than one system is in play and in fusion. music) but the orchestration is not each system asserts itself equally. traditional Carnatic but Western An example is a polyphonic number Aesthetic delight is not just an aural and we enjoy both the tune and the of Colonial Cousins in which but a mental experience. In music, it orchestration. This may be called Krishna nee begane crooned by is deep and complete only when the soft fusion with one classical mode Hariharan is interspersed with a listener discerns the stylistic subtleties dominant and the other types of Western style pop song sung by and conceptual complexities of musical inputs non-traditional and Leslie Lewis creating a contrapuntal the music being listened to. In a contrasting, but consonant and effect. A more serious example is classical music audience, there are aesthetically supportive. The support Ilayaraja’s Tiruvasagam symphony. listeners at different levels of aesthetic may be melodic, harmonic and/or (Some critics claim that this is discernment. Fusion removes the contrapuntal, and the rhythm cross- not a symphony but an oratorio, need for discernment from rasikatva rhythmic and/or syncopated. a composition on a sacred theme and democratises the audience. No performed by soloist, chorus one listener is superior to any other; and orchestra). While the above everyone just listens. In ‘soft fusion’ one classical examples cannot claim to constitute mode is dominant a new system, such experiments are Fusion removes welcome and quite pleasant to listen the need for discernment to even for confirmed classical music In most cases of Carnatic fusion, buffs. In most of the above examples, and democratises the broad formula seems to be: soft there is a main, dominant musical the audience crooning of the Carnatic melody theme and the rest is exotic but or fast-paced swaras of the raga smooth, supportive accompaniment. (The author is a retired civil servant and accompanied by insistent, syncopated, The orchestral accompaniment connoisseur of music)

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