TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'm DOING

Speaker 1 (00:00.782)
Hello everyone, I'm Ojas Adhiya, I a tabla player and this is Trust Me I Know What I Am Doing.

My name is Abhay Dhandekar and I share conversations with talented and interesting individuals linked to the global Indian and South Asian community. It's informal and informative, adding insights to our evolving cultural expressions, where each person can proudly say, trust me, I know what I'm doing.

Hi everyone, on this episode of Trust Me I Know What I'm Doing we share a conversation with virtuoso tabla artist, Ojas Adhiya. Stay tuned.

Speaker 2 (00:48.116)
So in the multiverse of choices that you made today, thank you for choosing Trust Me I Know What I'm Doing. It takes effort to engage here and make it part of your day and even a small part of your life. And guess what? Trust Me I Know What I'm Doing is homemade and has no added colors or toxins. I appreciate everyone listening on all the podcast platforms, rating and writing reviews, and sharing this with all your friends and family. This episode as always is also available on YouTube, so please check out the full video episode there too. Now if you've really got something to share, celebrate,

or just feeling friendly, send a message over to info@abhaydandekar.com as I'd love to hear from you or give you a shout out. You know, if you were getting introduced to Indian classical or light classical music today, you'd likely need a crash course in rag and taal and the science behind melody and rhythm, a bit of recent history maybe of some contemporary masters and a window into the present state of this living art as it sort of stands today.

And maybe right now, at least, there's no better way to get introduced to that intersection of past, present, and future than to spend some time with tabla artist, Ojas Adhiya. Ojas is truly a lifelong learning tabla virtuoso, having studied and trained from a very early age, growing up around renowned masters of a variety of instruments and genres, has definitely allowed him to showcase his technical mastery, spontaneity, and expression.

to a global audience on some of the world's most prestigious stages. He's a teacher, he's a student, he's elevating and evangelizing the meaning of rhythm in the world of music. And most importantly, he's here with us sharing some time in conversation. Ojas, thank you so much for joining me today. What a treat.

Thank you so much for inviting me here. Such a pleasure to connect with you sir.

Speaker 2 (02:35.17)
You know, so it's evening my time and morning your time. And we're both ending and starting our days in delightful ways, at least right now. I had to ask you from the moment you awaken, of course, when perhaps does the tabla actually enter your world on, a daily basis?

So, tabla always remains in my heart. So, I exactly don't know when it enters, but it always stays. The thinking process, the learning process is always on. I am always a student and I am always here to learn something from every artist and from every individual. So, the process is on all the time.

It never stops, I guess. Before I sleep, there is something which makes me think of music, which makes me think of certain bowls, which is the language of tabla. And as soon as I wake up, mean, there is something, there is some supreme energy in this, some power, there is some blessing of almighty which, you know, naturally I get into that mode and

Part of your consciousness almost.

Yes, part of my consciousness.

Speaker 2 (04:02.158)
Do you have a routine that you follow at all? Sometimes if it's part of your consciousness, it pervades your whole day, and then for others, they actually like that routine or that structure of practice, Is that something that actually...

There is, whenever I am in town, whenever I am in Mumbai, whenever I am at home, there is a routine which I follow regularly and that is my personal Riyaz, my personal practice which happens in the morning and it has become my day to day routine, right? Same way like for us, getting up in the morning,

following some kind of exercises, having your breakfast, going for a walk or whatever. Similarly, I sit for my practice as soon as I finish with all these formalities and day-to-day routine. And that has become a regular natural flow of the day for me. If I'm not able to sit for my Riyaz for some reasons, I feel...

you know that discomfort in my mind yeah and somewhere I feel that okay I'm not okay today I mean there is something missing there is something lacking in my day to day so that's when I realized that okay I have to somehow you know make sure that I sit every day of course when I'm traveling then I'm you practicing mentally every day

It's almost strange.

Speaker 2 (05:44.044)
It's the consciousness.

That's the consciousness. Yeah

Well, and I've asked others this, do you have an actual favorite time of day to sit either to practice or perform?

Yeah, for me especially my most favorite time would be later in the night. Yeah. When I'm mentally absolutely relaxed. Yeah. There are no phone calls. There are no messages. There are no emails. No distractions from anybody. Yeah. Or from anything, right? So...

No distraction.

Speaker 2 (06:27.094)
I imagine that there's a strange comfort and peace without any distract.

Certainly, certainly. you know to be... It doesn't matter how much time you give. But it's just the quality time. You know, it's just you with your own instrument, that connection. It has to be the connection between your instrument. That could be even for five minutes. That could be even for, you know, five hours.

If you're not connected, that five hours are not going to change anything.

So, you in that way, you sometimes, some people feel that whether it's five seconds or five hours, if they don't have that constant consciousness of the instrument, then they might need the five hours to feel that connection. But for you, sounds like that connection is always on.

It's always on. The thing is, the way I have been brought up, you know, my father noticed the talent in me. And I was never forced or asked to do anything. It just happened very naturally. And I would say that it's a God gift, a grace of Almighty, that it happens naturally. And of course, special mention here is to thank my Guru.

Speaker 1 (07:55.744)
who taught me how to begin your Riyaz when I was a kid. You know, there has to be some kind of a system where you should follow. A systematic way of practicing. Which is very important initially. Right. So Mridhangiraj Ji, my Guruji, who I've learned from since my childhood. Of course, at home my father

you know, would always sit with me whenever I was, you know, I mean, whenever I felt like playing at that time, he would always sit around me and just observe me what I'm doing.

would imagine that some of that structure, that companionship, that support allows for the consciousness to always be there and therefore make it so that whether it's five seconds or five hours, it feels quite natural.

It does. It does.

Let me ask you one thing. You've of course been around tabla and music your whole life and having your Guruji, having the support system, growing up with an upbringing that celebrated music and art and in a way kind of let the talent blossom and allow it some nurturing and soil to grow. You would think that one would potentially, in your case that hasn't happened, but others might get over-inundated.

Speaker 2 (09:23.146)
with the art and they wouldn't find peace or balance because they're focused so much on one particular aspect of their lives, but they haven't found balance elsewhere. But I'm wondering, there ever times that, like you mentioned, some days when you haven't sat for the eyes that you sometimes miss it, you feel strange. Do you feel sometimes the opposite where the pangs of balance in other areas are also calling to you as well? Or has that somehow

been made up through the different aspects of focusing and practicing on.

I guess somehow it has helped me to think better musically. Yeah. You know, because how should I say this? That craving of coming back to music. Yeah. Yeah. That intention of, okay, now I have to do something. I have to sit. I want to sit. I want to play. You know, that inspires me to come up with something.

different. Right. Right. This is what I have observed in me. But it doesn't mean that I should stop playing every morning.

Right. I don't think you're going to escape that, No, but you know, even even with that same level of consciousness where it allows you to actually think differently and even look at the world a little bit differently. Yeah. There have been times when you have said, wow, I'm missing out on something else at all.

Speaker 1 (10:58.51)
Not really. Not really. There was an instance where I had not played for a couple of days. I was just sitting very quietly just before going... I mean, I was just sitting quietly before going off to bed. I don't know what happened. There was this composition which was very very well known and which was popularized by great scholars of Tarlac.

And I have been playing that composition for a while. My Guruji had taught me. And I don't know what happened. I started reciting those compositions. And there was a thing which happened very naturally and which sounded very different. Some elements in those compositions which came up very naturally to me, which were never

been heard before by anybody. Right. And I was like, okay, there is something, there is some force, there is some energy, which is guiding me. Right. I observed that thing happening and then I was like, okay, let's practice this and let's see how it sounds. And I feel sometimes that space, that silence, that break for a while is also very important.

Yeah.

It helps you focus. helps you, you know, recalibrate, if you will. So in that same way, do you ever have Tabla dreams? Do you have Bandish dreams where you wake up and it's been, you know, you are like.

Speaker 1 (12:29.611)
as you focus.

Speaker 1 (12:43.534)
Sometimes, yeah sometimes like I was on the flight and I was you know, I was sleeping and as soon as I woke up there was some tune, a musical tune which was going on in my mind and I could feel that I'm actually you know harming it. So it happens because your mind is working right? Your mind is consciously into music.

So there is a possibility that you are getting into this mode most of the times.

Do you sometimes, know others wake up and they're like, my gosh, I had this most amazing dream. I want to write it down or I want to live it because it's so fantastic and it's just so wonderful. But then it's hard to remember exactly what it

Yeah.

Speaker 1 (13:35.534)
Sometimes it's very hard to remember. But sometimes they of course stay in your heart. And they stay in your mind.

It'll manifest someplace.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And when you think about it positively, you know, it just happens.

You know, when you practice or you perform, is tabla an escape for you or rather a bridge and an accelerator to connection with others? And granted, that happens when you're performing with an audience, maybe both of those, but particularly when you're actually performing with another artist. Does it require actually some balance between being an escape and also that connection that you get with others?

It's certainly a connection with others. Tabla for me is the medium of a huge, huge connection with other artists. Yeah. Especially when I'm accompanying them. Right. I would say a bridge of love and connection. Right. Because I'm known for who I am, right? That love, that affection from others have really helped me.

Speaker 1 (14:51.384)
to grow better in life. That love and affection has helped me to connect with them musically.

And I wonder if that same level of affection and respect and love that you have for the art and for the artists, when you're in, whether it's a very, very large concert hall or an audience of no one, right? In a way, that really, does that matter? mean, the audience is certainly a major part of it. And yet sometimes, the artists are in this

Right.

Speaker 2 (15:31.22)
state of almost isolation so much so that what they do is so mesmerizing. I've heard other people describe it as this kind of like state of ecstasy where you're just lost. When you feel that, it's kind of undescribable, I guess. But is that the escape that sometimes the artists really crave?

yes, sometimes. Yeah. Because, you know what, the energy, what we get from the audience that makes a performance better. Yeah. Yeah. If you have, if you have a very, very receptive audience, of course that's going to add a lot more to your performance. Right. Sure. And supposing if I'm playing at, say the town hall.

in New York with ever enthusiastic audience and you know that that energy people clapping people cheering you up that's definitely going to add more to your performance. Sure. At the same time if I'm playing at a bite like a very very small intimate sitting yeah having just 50 to 60 people in the hall in a small hall.

intimate.

Speaker 1 (16:53.558)
that's going to connect very differently.

And I guess the idea would be that hopefully the person who's in the Baytuk Hall and the persons who's in the town hall in New York feels the same with both of those performers.

Right, right, right. You know there is a difference if people clapping for you as a different response and if people are saying, from oh, that's great. That is different.

And that is a different relationship as you're on stage as well, I'm sure. It is.

Certainly. And of course the mahal, the energy of the auditorium or the hall or the people that really matters a lot.

Speaker 2 (17:42.028)
You're listening to Trust Me I Know What I'm Doing. After a quick break, we'll come back to our conversation with tabla artist Ojas Adhiya. Stay tuned.

Speaker 2 (17:58.488)
Conversation. It's the antidote to apathy and the catalyst for relationships. I'm Abhay Dhandekar and I share conversations with global Indians and South Asians so everyone can say, trust me, I know what I'm doing. New episodes weekly wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Speaker 2 (18:20.312)
Hi, I'm Krish Ashok, author of Masala Lab, the science of Indian cooking and you're listening to Trust Me, I Know What I'm Doing.

Speaker 2 (18:36.024)
Hello, I'm Zakir Hussain.

Hello Namaskar this is Kaushiki Chakraborty. Hi I'm Rakesh Chaurasia.

Hi everyone, this is Sid Sriram and you're now listening to Trust Me, I Know What I'm Doing.

Speaker 2 (18:53.218)
Welcome back to Trust Me, I Know What I'm Doing. Let's come back to our conversation now with Tabla artist, Ojas Adhiya. So I have two questions. mean, thoughts that just came to mind. mean, compared to when you were younger, even I've asked this to other artists before, do you ever get stage fright?

I still do. Yeah. Even if I started very, very early, I gave my first performance when I was four. And that was in my, you know, hometown, Akot near in Maharashtra. Yeah. But I was four years, I had no idea what is happening. I was holding my mother's hand and she was taking me on the stage and I like, okay, I just have to go and just play. Yeah.

but

Which is by the way, children do, right? mean, that's a playful.

I mean they just follow what their parents are doing for them and there's no fear, there's no... There's only one focus that, okay, I have to go and play, that's it.

Speaker 2 (20:00.974)
There's actually no sense of judgment.

There's no sense of judgment. was just coming to that. I have no fear of what people are going to think about you, how are they going to judge you or anything. But today, I mean, there has never been a moment where I have not prayed to Almighty and I have always thought of my Guru, my father and I've just prayed that whatever happens,

Please take care of it. Absolutely. And I feel that SEO is also very important. Otherwise, if you're too confident, if you're overconfident, that makes it difficult for an artist. Sure. Right. Sure.

almost this sense, good sense of humility with it. I was going to also ask that, you know, compared to when you were younger, how is listening to music, in fact, evolved for you? And does that evolution in how you listen to music, does it actually help you manage your learning and even how you correct your mistakes?

Certainly, certainly, certainly. So this has been my childhood practice of listening. Yeah. Right. I've always been taught of, you know, that listening is also a way of learning. You learn a lot. And since a music director, Kalyanji Bhai, Ananji Bhai, I was with them. I used to perform with them for Little Wonders. whenever I went to Kalyanji uncle's house,

Speaker 1 (21:42.446)
He always used to tell me that listening is also very important. Similarly with my Guru, Mr. Bridhing Rajji. He always taught me that, listen to this classical performances of great stalwarts, so many other tabla players. So I used to listen a lot. And then having my talim, whatever talim my Guru has given to me, I used to apply

in my way. Yeah. You know, that really helps. Even today, I take out time to listen to all these great masters. There is always a learning experience as a musician because that I guess that will never stop.

Does your ear pick up different things now that you're actually looking for? does. Right? That weren't there when you were younger and now you just have that much more experience and wisdom and yes, you're still learning, but you perhaps are listening a little bit differently today.

Yeah, I mean in today's time, there is always a scope of, you know, new things and people are waiting for you to do something different, right? They want something new every time. Yeah. And that's the reason I wanted to come up with couple of projects. Yeah. Right. And by God's grace, thanks to Almighty that it has helped me to work over it.

and to present it to the audience because see tabla as a solo instrument is so rich. It's just not an accompanying instrument. It hasn't evolved in so many years. There are so many concerts I have attended of all these great masters.

Speaker 1 (23:44.374)
I got inspired of, you know, presenting tabla in a different way. With the symphony, tabla with the symphony, which was my single released a couple of years back. And we recorded the symphony in Chennai with the Chennai Strings Orchestra. With the help of my dear friend, Ala Abdesai, who's a music director, who composed the symphony for me.

and we released a couple of years back, which was very, very well received by the audience. And then later, just a couple of months back, I collaborated with two amazing dholak players. So of course, keeping the tabla as a main instrument, I wanted to just explore more ideas on that and to give something different.

to the audience, which is very important in today's time. Yeah.

I mean, that evolution is hopefully allowing for there to be this great balance between what is evergreen and always changing.

That also defines the scope of tabla. And of course, tabla has been used in classical, basically, then it has been used for Indian film industry. And so many other genres for guzzles, for chumri, for Sufi, for qawwali, and then later jazz.

Speaker 1 (25:29.65)
blues, fusion, of course fusion has been happening for many many years now.

Yeah. And I wanted to find out, know, so because of all these, I wouldn't even say experiments. mean, great projects, right? Whether they be, whether they be orchestral arrangements, so many different ways in which tabla can enter the world of music in so many different arena, tabla enthusiasts who are new or who might be first enjoying tabla, many of them will equate speed and precision to be

the only markers of skill. Maybe for someone who is not necessarily a master and a novice in this, right? I'm curious from your vantage point, what else actually is going into a, a, not only just a master artist, but someone who, as I mentioned, listens so carefully. What else goes into a complete or a masterful tableau performance?

And I imagine that vocabulary, again, it changes and evolves depending on the kind of arrangement it is. in your eye is for someone who doesn't necessarily know what else other than the speed and the precision makes a tabla performance really complete and rich.

See, as far as my knowledge is concerned and how much I have learned from my gurus and how much I have got inspired from all these great masters, a musicality is very important. There is a term called Aswargyan, which is also a basic understanding of music. A sur, knowledge, basic knowledge of ragas.

Speaker 1 (27:23.158)
are also very important being a tabla player. I would like to give you an example. Say, I had an opportunity of performing with the great Ustad Rashid Khan Sahib for so many years now. He was a genius. He was a master. how much I have got to sit with him to understand his music, to understand his nature.

I have learned a lot from him musically. At the same time, I have played with so many other musicians, also vocalists who are instrumentalists. if I'm playing with Rashid Khan Sahib, the style of his singing, I'll have to accompany according to what his requirements are. Right? It's not going to be that okay. I've thought of a couple of things today. I've got thought of a couple of compositions and I'm going to go and just...

Right. First of all, I'll have to understand the nature of the artist on that particular day. Yeah. I have to understand what kind of a raga he's playing or she's playing. I have to understand whether that raga is allowing me

Zoom off on your own.

Speaker 1 (28:49.88)
to go and play solo in between the compositions or no. The combination of the sur, that scale, doesn't allow me and if I'm forcing myself to play a long solo, that's gonna make the performance go nowhere. That's not going to work out.

And me being a tabla player, I have to make sure that I am supporting the main artist completely. So that the main artist is comfortable. Other way around, if I'm playing with somebody who is like showing so much of a virtuosity in singing or playing, there I have to make sure that I'm following up perfectly so as to match with

his or her music. Yeah. Because that is what is required, right?

Yeah, it's a synchrony. It's a harmony. It's an integration, however ways you want to put that. But it sounds like that experience, that relationship, that vocabulary that you share has to be one that allows both artists to then really kind of complimentary, be complimentary and therefore be complete.

Absolutely. Absolutely.

Speaker 2 (30:19.246)
So as a jump off from that, that means that there are performances where you have to kind of identify the tone and the temperature of how that performance is going and where you can actually be speeding up or slowing down. Now, in an era where digital music and AI and all these things are really ever present everywhere, do those have

Does AI and digital music have a role to play as classical Indian music, again, evolves, especially with new audiences?

I haven't really thought of it to be honest. There are ifs and buts. There are of course advantages and disadvantages on this. But I feel what a musician can create, it's something unique. I don't want to say anything else.

I think that's enough.

That's enough. I just wanted to mention one thing. uh, you know, of course, uh, a digital platform is growing so fast. Yeah. I'm sure like we being a musicians are of course always, uh, uh, you know, attracted to such things. Sure. But that is producing what has been injected. AI is.

Speaker 1 (31:54.424)
producing what has been injected on that particular digital, what do call?

Just the whole repository. the system.

Yeah, right. What we have been injected is the knowledge and the ability to create something natural and the ability to create something different, which I feel a machine can't. Yeah.

I don't know if I'm sounding right or wrong but this is my way of understanding.

Absolutely. And the interesting part is that we are living in a world where the power of AI to duplicate art is growing in leaps and bounds every day.

Speaker 1 (32:51.73)
I was just sitting with one of my friends recently and I got to know that AI can create its own music. Yes. Yeah. Right. So I just have to, you know, tell AI that okay listen I am thinking of producing a song which, you know, contends Indian classical flavor along with a jazz element.

And I want it in Dadra Theka.

and so on and within a couple of seconds it creates something and it's there for you right but i was just thinking that is this a creativity it's just your thought process of what do you want but eventually you're getting it already made which is not we've expected being a musician right

Right.

Speaker 2 (33:52.218)
And the effort, in a way, there's the appreciation for the effort and almost even the imperfection that's involved with that. Because it's the little imperfections that we value as humans. You're listening to Trust Me, I Know What I'm Doing. After a quick break, we'll come back to our conversation with Ojas Adhiya. Stay tuned.

Speaker 2 (34:21.686)
Every story told is a lesson learned and every lesson learned is a story waiting to be told. I'm Abhay Dandekar and I share conversations with global Indians and South Asians so everyone can say, trust me, I know what I'm doing. New episodes weekly wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Speaker 1 (34:45.944)
Hi, this is Vidya Balan and you're listening to Trust Me. I know what I'm doing.

Speaker 1 (34:57.794)
Hi, this is Farhan Akhtar. Hi guys, I'm Ananya Panday. Hi, I'm Kani Kusruti. Hi, this is Madhuri Dixit and you're listening to Trust Me, I Know What I'm Doing with Abhay Dandekar.

Speaker 2 (35:18.134)
I'm Abhay Dandekar and you're listening to Trust Me, I Know What I'm Doing. Let's rejoin our conversation now with tabla artist, Ojas Adhiya.

Let me ask a slightly different question. I mean, we talked a little bit about tradition and legacy. That's such an important part of this as well. And almost the respect and reverence that you have, right? I mean, you're from the Ajrada Garana and there's such a respect that's placed with that. And with that idea of reverence to Guru and our upbringing and our parents, not only just as artists, but as people, right? Yeah.

How do you, you know, we kind of touched on this, but how do you balance that reverence for tradition with the real innovation and the evolution and presenting Tabla with an orchestral arrangement or as a jazz piece, but especially to keep it relevant and expansive and scaling to new audiences, because at the end, right, I mean, this is the world of discovery of Tabla lives.

It is, it is certainly. Yeah. So as I mentioned that, you know, I wanted to create something with the symphony, right? Yeah. Me being a student of Ajwala Gharana, I mean, you know, I've started learning at a very, very young age. So that tradition is always there. But I wanted to create something on the basis of tradition.

keeping the tradition in mind and keeping the aesthetic sense of traditional tabla in mind. Whether I'm creating it with the symphony, whether I'm playing a guzzle, whether I'm playing a tumri or whether I'm playing any other genres. So when it came to a symphony, I had one thought very very clear in mind that I'll follow the tradition of tabla.

Speaker 1 (37:19.84)
along with the symphony orchestra treatment, which is new to the audience. And I am not doing anything which distracts the tradition or the aesthetic sense of traditional tabla playing. And that has really helped me

to explore the different elements of tabla. Say like, we as a classical traditional tabla solo, we have this uthaan, we have peshkar, we have six compositions which are known as kaidas. And then we come up with different ideas with kaidas. And there are relas, there are chakradars and tukhadas and so on.

So I wanted to keep the this format as it is. Yeah. And having the symphony along with this treatment.

Now, I have to ask you, the purist would say that even that kind of expression strays away from the gharana and now just even the matter of playing with the symphony or playing in a jazz creation, whether it's a kaida or it's any of these expressions, right? It's straying from the pure version of that.

Now you've created potentially an Adhiya Garana.

Speaker 2 (39:07.752)
Different people have different boundaries for this as to what is pure and what's not.

Yeah, but you know, it's up to you what you present. Right? Recently, was... You have to be really comfortable with that and I'm sure that whatever you're going to present, people will listen to it. Yeah. The basic and very, very prominent Tala in Tabla is 3-Tal, which is a 16 beat rhythm cycle.

have to be comfortable with that, by the way.

Speaker 2 (39:30.606)
features.

Speaker 1 (39:42.49)
And recently in one of our concerts, was playing with Sri Rakesh Chaurasiyaji, absolute maestro. Yeah, a former guest on this podcast. So I'm sure he will like this. So we were playing at a gathering and they were not, the audience was not so classically inclined, but they were good audience. Yeah.

former guest on this podcast.

Speaker 1 (40:11.426)
They were very good listeners. And I just asked him, what are we going to play? And I thought he was going to play Tintal, which is very easily connected. I mean, it's easy to connect with the audience.

It's very listener friendly.

Yes, it's a listener friendly. So he had, let's do one thing. The time is short. Let's play Matta Tal, which is nine beat rhythm cycle. I was like, okay, it's an odd Tal. I don't know how audience is going to take this. Yeah. But he started off and he, you know, asked me to play a short solo. People were actually enjoying it.

And people, the audience actually started playing in that particular pattern which I was playing and they were enjoying it. And I was quite surprised and I was like, okay, now he's inspired me to, you know, cross my boundaries and do something different.

Get out of your comfort zone.

Speaker 1 (41:20.006)
Yeah, to come out of your comfort zone and you know, come up with something different. And I'm sure if you're positive enough, if you have that ability to, you know, connect with the audience, I'm sure people will get connected with you.

Thanks.

Speaker 2 (41:41.068)
Now, in that same way, right? I've heard you talk before about your guru reminding you to be in the moment at all times. Right. Right. Right. And you've performed with, you know, dozens, hundreds of different artists, masters, people who are prominent in their communities, in their genre of art. So with the Riyaz, with the practice, the preparation, the study, the listening,

how do you actually practice or prepare or train to be spontaneous and in the moment and tuned in and ready to express yourself sometimes in again situations where you are not necessarily as comfortable with and you haven't prepared for but still the idea and the real kind of like engine that drives this is being in the moment.

Yeah, see for a tabla player or for any musician, it's important for us to understand the artist you're playing with. I have to understand the nature of the artist.

And therefore yourself, I'm imagining too.

Therefore myself, of course, and I have to understand where this artist is coming from, his nature. Is he serious?

Speaker 2 (43:04.078)
playful.

Is he jovial? Is he playful? And that makes me understand his music as well. Sometimes, you know, I have my own band, right? We play a lot together. And whenever we plan for a rehearsal before a show,

We always talk about food. We always talk about, okay, what happened on this particular day and what happened on that particular day and so on. Right. So we never talk about music. We talk about everything else.

keeps it loose. And maybe in a way that's a great way to practice surprises in spontaneity.

Yeah, and then when we actually start playing, it just flows, right? Yeah. Yeah. And I feel that's the connection artists should have. And that's how you're going to show your affection towards the other artist, the understanding you've built in so many years.

Speaker 2 (44:19.362)
Let me ask you something, speaking of affection and for an artist and connection to an artist. We were so sad this last year to lose Zakirji. I'm just curious if you have a favorite Zakirji moment or a story that makes you always smile when you remember him and maybe something that might be surprising to others.

You know, I had an opportunity to play for Ustad Allarakha Khan Sahib's Guru Poornima. This was in 2019 here at Vaibhichawan in Bombay. And Fazal ji invited me to play my solo and I was like, okay, this is great. And it's a blessing to even go and offer my, you know, hasre. And of course, when I reached there,

There were so many great tabla players. Of course there was. Zakirji sitting in the audience. And as soon as I got onto the stage, the first thing I did was I went down where Zakirji was sitting. I took his blessings. He was like, had a flower, a bouquet in his hands.

You know, as soon as I touched his feet, he hugged and said, here, this is for you. It's like, used to call him uncle. said, uncle, this is for you, right? I mean, of course I would receive it. I would accept it with all the love and affection from you. But this is for you. So he said, yes, but now it is for you.

generous in the moment.

Speaker 1 (46:11.618)
generous in the moment and I was like, my God, this is such a blessing, right? Yeah. And he made me so comfortable and that fear of having a great stalwart, a genius of tabla sitting in front of you and listening to you. You know, that action of his made me so comfortable. Right. And by the grace of Almighty.

whatever I could play, you know, it helped me to do better. Yeah, that's what I feel. you know, the energy, the positive energy, he shared it with so many other musicians, you know, that is that is very important to have such kind of a feeling, especially when it comes from such a solid.

And it's such a trust accelerator, it builds confidence and you pay that forward to your audience, you pay that forward to other artists as well.

Right, right, right.

The idea of that is just so sweet and of course an important one for us to remember Let me finish with this, know, we're at the in the midst of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival of year and so we we're always thinking of knowledge and new beginnings and Breaking barriers and obstacles. So I'm curious in that spirit What brings you optimism and openness?

Speaker 1 (47:34.2)
Right.

Speaker 2 (47:49.492)
as a tabla artist, right?

Yeah. I feel the music is something which opens your heart. First of all. Yeah. I have been taught of always give yourself, open yourself. And that has reflected in my playing. Whenever I'm playing at a concert or whenever I'm sitting for Marias,

I always want to make sure that I'm playing better than yesterday. So either I'll listen to my own recordings sometimes. And maybe make some corrections and give a different thought to my playing. Maybe come up with something new. And of course, music is...

We always learn something or the other every day, right? Yeah. Absolutely. And I listen to so many other musicians, right? That really inspires me to do better. Every time. So whether it is jazz or whether it is classical, whether it is fusion or whether, you know, any any form of music. I was listening to Lataji.

the precision, the perfection she had in every single note.

Speaker 1 (49:28.992)
in every single, you know.

in every phrase.

Every phrase, every note and whatever and because she's, she always sang for Bollywood, right? Or for say like a bhajan or for any other genres. It has been always simple. Singing has always been very simple, which has helped to get her connected with the audience, right?

That inspired me to have that musicality in my playing and to have that virtuosity wherever is required and not all the time. Yeah.

Well, blending simplicity with virtuosity is not an easy task. Not at all. You do it so well, and yet with such humility and with incredible motivation and optimism for learning and constantly getting better. Well, just thank you so much for joining us for a conversation. This was really a treat. feel like we could have for a lot longer.

Speaker 1 (50:39.778)
Yeah, maybe we can plan it out when I come to US.

I was just gonna say, we'll save it for next time. But again, thank you so much for joining.

Thank you so much Abhayji, such a wonderful to connect with you and thank you for taking your time and connecting with me.

Thanks much Ojas and please follow him on social media and I've put some links in the show notes also. A couple of quick shoutouts now in this episode. First of course to Ganapati Bappa, next to one of the nicest listeners ever in Mrs. Madhuri Kolhatkar and her husband Kaustubh and last to all you fantasy football people out there as a new season begins and my own team, the Chaddi Patrol, sits out to win it all. Till next time, I'm Abhay Dandekar.