What is Raga Jazz?

I use Raga Jazz to symbolize the symbiosis of influences in my music. Ragas are the core melodic forms of Indian classical music. Each raga has it's own personality that is created through what I like to call it's distinct musical phraseology. The very specific melodic pathways & stresses that must be adhered to are what creates the individual rasa (feeling) of each raga. What I'm doing is taking these forms, along with the rhythmic elements of Indian music, and putting them into contemporary pieces that incorporate various styles & grooves with improvisation to stretch and explore the territory of the raga & pieces. Some pieces have chord changes, but many are either modal (deeply exploring the raga sound) or utilize what I call tone changes, whereby the soloist will improvise around different notes of the raga as the band changes the tonal focus every 4, 8 or 16 bars, while driving the soloist in their accompaniment.

But really for me the jazz influence is like the spirit of jazz more than anything else if you know what I mean… it may or may not have recognizable 'jazz' features in a given piece but that doesn't matter. Without the history of jazz and my own study of it, along with these older world traditions and their common ground of improvisation, this wouldn't exist.

This is really what I believe is the future of music… and we're already here. It's not that this hasn't been done, it has, but there are infinite ways to keep pushing music into a global sound without diluting our traditions. What I don't dig personally is superficial fusion, just taking a tabla or a tanpura or sitar and strumming it along in your song without any good training or any knowledge or context because it sounds 'exotic'!

Click and listen to tracks while you read!

World Music Synthesis Concept

Why a global music program for High School students?

A program of this nature represents a new paradigm in music education.In the most diverse city in the world this is a time to empower music students with a program that truly reflects our own demographics and cultural heritage.

A cutting edge performing arts program with a global music program would emphasize a curriculum that educates and empowers our identity as a globalized city and the melting pot and immigrant experience that is Los Angeles.

Our students are thus prepared to be thoughtful,sensitive and creative citizens and 21st century artists of the world.

Pedagogy (Contemporary Applications of World & Crossover Music)

I am a music educator who has worked diligently in developing and implementing a curriculum that reflects the cultural makeup of our city as a microcosm of the world. Through an appreciation and understanding of the vital traditions of western music combined with a vista of international forms I believe that our youth will begin to see music making as a bridge to uniting cultures as global citizens in the 21st century.

My interest in developing a program for the music department of this extraordinary new school downtown stems from my commitment to creative arts communities and specifically to innovative music making and critical artistic thinking from a global perspective. I have dedicated the majority of my life to music education and the major theme in my work has been exploring our collective identity through the cultural tapestry of musical artistry in Los Angeles. My career has been stimulated by travel since my youth, originally as a student, then as a performer, composer and educator through the United States, Europe, India, South East Asia and Latin America.

I feel that a global approach is essential to a 21st century music education. Providing a comprehensive cross-cultural model alongside a solid and lively western music education will soon be expected from truly progressive arts programs. Students emerging from such an experience, having been exposed to and trained in such a diversity of musical frameworks will have an enriched worldview that informs all their further endeavors.

Sample music curriculum/class descriptions (High School)

Sample music curriculum/class descriptions (University/Conservatory Music Dept)