Personal Agenda: “The most Marathi thing about me is lavni music,” says Karsh Kale


Plus, the musician says that the tabla was the first Indian musical instrument he has ever heard
All about Karsh
Date of birth: November 1
Sun sign: Scorpio
Place of birth: West Bromwich
School/college: New York University
First break: Signing a deal with Six Degrees Records in 1999
High point of your life: Becoming the father of an amazing daughter
Low point of your life: Needing a back surgery
If music had a chemical formula what would it be?
Music is like food to me and there are so many approaches and regional styles to cook it, that the recipe is ever changing and evolving.
If you had to save one material possession from a burning house, what would it be?
My laptop and hard drives. All my music exists there and losing all of those sessions would be a shame!
Which was the first Indian instrument that you heard?
The tabla. Whether in film music, classical music or Marathi lavni, it was the percussion, particularly tabla that stood out to me from a very young age.
And one instrument that you can’t play but want to...?
I have always wanted to be able to play the bansuri (flute) and have tried, but have never for the life of me been able to get a good sound from a simple bamboo flute!
Name the most underrated Indian musical instrument.
The veena. It’s such a majestic sound yet nowadays we don’t see many players on the scene.
What’s the most Marathi thing about you?
I grew up surrounded by a lot of lavni music and that is certainly a subliminal part of my musical sensibility.
Maestros in a word
Zakir Hussain: Master
Norah Jones: Voice
Sultan Khan: Heartstrings
Anoushka Shankar: Innovator
Alicia Keys: Soul
Sting: Eloquence
Pt Ravi Shankar: Trailblazer
A R Rahman: Composer
Tell us one millennial term you have recently learnt.
Sus – for when someone is acting suspicious.
What advice you will give your 10-year-old self?
Be like water.
List three things nobody knows about you.
I’m a bit of a foodie. I love Marvel Comics and all the films, and I love spending days on the beach.
If you could time travel, what era you would you pick?
The ’60s or ’70s... the most revolutionary time in music.
What should be the title of your biography be?
Empty Hands.
On music
Asian Underground scene: Nostalgia
Asli hip-hop: Homegrown
Global fusion music: Evolution
World Music: Sound of the planet
YouTube singer: Instant sensation
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From HT Brunch, June 14, 2020
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ABOUT THE AUTHORAnanya GhoshAnanya Ghosh is an assistant editor with Hindustan Times Brunch. She has 10 years of experience as a journalist having worked as a copy editor/feature writer in various publications.

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