Jazz goes Ethno

HYDERABAD: Jazz is a genre of music that’s a niche, yet enjoyed by all. Since its inception in New Orleans and Louisiana in the 19th and 20th centuries, jazz music has seen a jump in popularity over the years. A 100 years have passed since the jazz movement of the 1920s and this passage of time allowed people to toy with the genre and add their unique twists. A notable one is the Kolkata-based musician Tazim Sheikh, who is en route to making his mark in the genre of Ethno Jazz, a fusion of traditional jazz with the folk music of various countries. Getting his taste of performing his compositions in the genre starting at Hyderabad’s Tangy Sessions Festival, he speaks to CE about his musical journey and how he came across Ethno Jazz. 

He narrates how he got into the music scene at the age of six on the piano and cited his brother who is a guitarist as the reason for setting out on his musical journey. He jokingly mentions how his parents were initially hesitant, because of the usual engineer/doctor route that one is expected to take. However, he was determined and eventually his parents gave in and allowed him to pursue music.

His hard work and determination landed him at AR Rahman’s KNM: The Music Conservatory. During his three-year tenure there, he mentions how, after being recommended by his teacher, he was able to work with AR Rahman on a few projects. After graduating, he started learning jazz under Pradyumna Singh Manot, aka ‘Paddy’, one of India’s leading Latin jazz pianists. This paved the way for him to explore his passion for Ethno Jazz and start composing his music. 

Starting at the Tangy Sessions Festival in Hyderabad, he started performing elsewhere. “I had performed across India. I had my first break at the Tangy Sessions Festival in Hyderabad but also performed in other places like Chennai’s Madras Jazz Festival. I was supposed to perform in Nagaland but couldn’t do so because of Covid-19,” says he, who is now working on his debut album.