Mumbai has had the rare opportunity to host during pre Covid day’s American jazz singer Loretta Holloway when she performed at the historic Royal Opera House in August 2018. Critics from around the world have dubbed her the singing actress with a captivating and mesmerizing presence.

Holloway is often confused with disco artiste the late Loleatta Holloway; Loretta Holloway is from South Carolina (US), which boasts being the home state of jazz great Dizzy Gillespie. The singer’s biggest influences have been Nancy Wilson, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, and Aretha Franklin among others. 

Holloway has been officially proclaimed by the Senate in 2011 as "South Carolina's First Lady of Song”. Her impressive career has taken her to a Royal Command Performance for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in Australia to the showrooms as opening act for Jay Leno, Whoopi Goldberg, Bill Cosby, and Jerry Lewis with two appearances on the Jerry Lewis MDA National Telethon. Holloway recently received the "Las Vegas Legend Dream Award" for her 21 years of entertaining in Las Vegas.

Holloway is no stranger to the theatrical stage and adds a special theatrical element to her live performances, having starred in the New York off-Broadway production of "Mama I Want to Sing II." Loretta's movie credits include, ‘Pure Country’ with George Strait’ and ‘Elvis and Me’. She also sang the soundtrack for the United Artist movie ‘Black Jack’ and made a cameo appearance in the feature film ‘Clipped Wing's, They Do Fly’.

Holloway was voted "Jazz Artist of the Year" by the South Carolina Music Awards. Other honors include Holloway as "One of "25 Notable African Americans from South Carolina" and the Anderson County Council proclaimed Holloway as “An Anderson County Treasure." She was honored as one of "South Carolina's Women of Substance”while Mayor Sharpe James presented her with the Keys to the City and proclaimed "Loretta Holloway Day in the city of Newark, New Jersey. 

Holloway's recordings include her debut CD, "Loretta Holloway...Quietly", "Ordinary People", "Kisses in the Dark" and her DVD ‘An Evening with Loretta Holloway’. 

Do visit – www.lorettaholloway.com

⬇ Loleatta Holloway - Love Sensation (1980):

⬇ Loleatta Holloway - Cry To Me:

India’s most loved blues band Soulmate, released an album ‘Give Love’ during lockdown and by the sound of it, you bet it’s another chartbuster that is loved by all their fans all across the world. For guitarist – vocalist Rudy Wallang it was nothing really different from the usual. “Except of course we didn’t play a real ‘Live’ gig to support the album release. We did play a live stream though” says the Shillong based vocalist who along with Tripti Kharbangar form Soulmate.

The album released in August this year has a mix of their earlier hits with a few new tracks thrown in. They also collaborated with 3 musicians namely, Hmingpuia who is based in Aizawl, Mizoram and played the slide solo on Hole in Your Soul. Ron Cha from Guwahati, played organ and the organ solo on Do You Miss Me Baby and last but not the least Raveen Panday from Bangalore played the Hammond organ on Troubled Times.

Why did they choose the name ‘Give Love’ for an album? Wallang states that this was exactly what the world needs in these dark uncertain times. “What with this Covid thing and all our infamous politicians and businessmen/women who want to control the world by trying to impose their dirty doings on us, the people, and our Mother Earth. The world needs Love and a lot of healing”.

The darlings of the North East, who are seen at every major music festival in India, took on a bit of political overtone in their song Hole in your Soul. Wallang recalls an incident that happened in 2018. “Around 15 coal miners were trapped in one of the mines when they hit the bed of a river trapping and killing all of them. This tragedy could have been averted had the owners of the mines taken adequate precautions..

It’s been a long but eventful journey for Soulmate who began in 2003 and have been blessed abundantly. They have had the fortune and honor of playing in quite a number of countries all over the world as well as sharing stages with the best in the Blues music world. Nothing can top that feeling that continues to grow.

⬇ Soulmate over the years at BACARDÍ NH7 Weekender:

⬇ Soulmate - Set Me Free:

Dimapur based couple Moa and Arnela Subong who are also part of the band Abiogenesis, have been making short films through Abiogenesis Films since over two decades. ‘Enter My World’ their latest film is set to the tunes of a homegrown genre of world music that infuses jazz, rock and pop with tribal Naga chants. It’s a sound Arenla has grown up hearing: “how-ee, how-aa, how-ee, how-aa”. For her ancestors across tribes in Nagaland, this was the go-to chant for any group activity, be it farming, fishing, or even dancing. Today, the chant has evolved into a genre of world music.

The film is a 75 minute Howey musical and has the unique and colourful Naga costumes and culture, along with the picturesque location of Nagaland that makes this film a real treat. But the highlight, admits the duo, remains the music. “It is a Howey musical while the spoken dialogues are in English, the tunes are all Howey. If you listen to our music, you will feel like singing. It’s fresh and it comes from the heart. Howey has the potential to energise both the listener and the singer,” says Arenla who has scripted, directed and acted in all the films they’ve done. ‘Enter My World’ is available on Amazon Prime Video.

The music of Abiogenesis is nothing short of exotic, something we have never heard, wholesome music that soothes the mind and fills the soul. Abiogenesis to a science student would be a biological term, but to Moa who founded the band, it is a Rock – Folk - Fusion band formed in 1992 that has been performing since 2005. They describe their sound as a form of world music called ‘Howey music’. They are the only band in the world that plays Howey and Bamhum, the latter a bamboo wind instrument created by Moa that produces unique indigenous tones that blends well with traditional Naga folk music.

The band has four albums to their credit. Last week, Moa was inducted as Programme Committee member of the North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC), Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

⬇ Voices In Kisama - Abiogenesis Official Music Video:

⬇ Abiogenesis Band From Nagaland Performs In Delhi:

Jambili is a folk – rock band that was formed mainly to preserve and bring back the long forgotten Karbi folk songs that were almost forgotten by the people of Diphu in Assam.

Daniel Engty Kathar of Excruciator fame is the force behind Jambili. He brought together a few friends and formed the band in 2007. Though there have been many band members who have come and gone, the current line-up comprises of Daniel Engty and four others.

Daniel recalls how the band came into being when in 2007 he accompanied some scholar friends who were recording folk songs and stories for archiving and research purpose to the rural part of our district and found that only few elderly people knew their folk songs and many of them didn't even know the complete versions of many songs which meant the extinction of the cultural songs which had no written or recorded preservation.

“Jambili repackaged the age old traditional Karbi folk songs with modern equipments and sounds. That’s how Jambili got ensembled and played its first gig in Diphu the same year in the famous Roots Music Fest of Northeast India”.
Jambili uses traditional locally made instruments, plays fusion of only Karbi folk songs and music, though on many occasions they have also performed Bhupen Hazarika classics and Bihu in their own style.

Their first song to be recorded was a single Drums Struggle Movement. Though they've not released any full length album as of yet, they have songs like Kingchili Liberation Front (a song protesting the use of Kingchili gas to put on protesters in place of rubber bullets) and Kaziranga (protest song against the poaching of the rare one horned rhino in Kaziranga National Park).

In 2018 they were selected alongside 5 other bands from North East India to record two tracks for a compilation album 'Brahmaputra Raga Jazz'. In February 2020, they released Dei Arnam (a prayer of the Karbi pagan faith). Most of their songs are protest songs and involves myths, spiritualism, brotherhood, nature, peace and justice to address Karbi culture and tradition in its lyrics.

⬇ Jambili in Brahmaputra Raga Jazz Gig:

⬇ Root Folkways 2018 | Jambili Band:

If you love the soothing music of a piano, you should add Nise Meruno to your playlist. Meruno is from Dimapur, Nagaland. Surprised? This artist has had the honour of performing for dignitaries such as the President and Prime Minister of our country, playing for socialites such as Aamir Khan and the Ambanis, and if you talk about awards, well the list is endless. He has played all across the world and also composes for and directs choirs, and mentors musicians.

Meruno first sat at the piano at the age of six, and since then it has been a journey between him and the ivory keys. Meruno’s connection with classical music is deep-rooted; his great-grandmother was trained by missionaries to play the piano, and his father is a classical guitarist. Besides his own compositions, he also performs songs from music soundtracks, pop and rock ditties.

The star pianist won the Governor's Award for Excellence in music and currently helms an all-male choir called Zowe Madrigal. Meruno is cultural ambassador of music in his hometown and shares his expertise on music by teaching and training musicians and artists. A conversation, however short, is sure to leave you with a message of hope, for Meruno is a motivational speaker who inspires young people to follow their dreams. “There is so much music talent, they need good teachers,” he says, adding that he wants to start a community choir where families can come and spend the day tinkering with music. “I do not always sing Gospel music, but I am careful about what I sing. I write school anthems, even the Hornbill theme song is my composition”.

A few years ago, Meruno was approached by Yamaha to endorse their musical products. “Maybe because I look a little Japanese,” jokes the 37 year old. Meruno is also Brand Ambassador of AKG Microphones, Austria. Currently, he is working as the Artistic Director at RS Academia of Music Performance at Dimapur, Nagaland.

⬇ (For)EVER JOY - A 'Song of Hope' by Nise Meruno and Friends:

⬇ Nise Meruno: The Piano Maestro from Nagaland:

The North East has consistently produced music that is synonymous with brilliance.
Besides soloist and groups, several all-women bands are proliferating.

The Tetseo Sisters are a household name that performs traditional Naga music. They hail from the Chakhesang tribe; the sisters come from a small village in a town called Thüvopisü in Nagaland.
The quartet consists of four sisters, Mütsevelü (Mercy), Azine (Azi), Kuvelü (Kuku) and Alüne (Lulu). Their genre is folk – traditional Naga folk songs in particular. They are trained in performing Li songs of Chakesang tribe by their parents who have been actively involved in the cultural revival movement of Nagaland.

An ‘a cappella’ style of singing combined with storytelling and the occasional use of one-stringed instrument 'tati' or 'heka libuh' (mithun horn), their compositions are mostly lores on Nagaland. Some of the folksongs they sing have been compiled in the traditional songbook, ‘Li kukre kutiko’.

The Sisters continue to find and learn Li and and also perform folk fusion and a bit of English pop, choral and gospel music, including original compositions as well.
Their journey started with learning folk songs to dance to for a cultural dance competition in school and from there on it took off to appearances on local TV, school functions and eventually official state programs, cultural exchange programs and festivals, performing the beautiful folk songs of their land for the world to hear.

Besides a large discography of music over the years, their EP A Slice of Li released in late 2019 features some of their concert favourites. During the pandemic they released 2 singles in English and Chokri Naga, Say yes to life written to commemorate the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Trafficking, and Road to Somewhere their first trilingual rap song about friendship, travel and zeal for life. Latè Ve té ho (Stop! Enough) an anthem of protest against violence especially sexual violence against women.

2020 saw Mercy Tetseo being awarded Women Super Achiever at the World Leadership Congress 2020 and Northeast Young Hero 2020 in Music & Entertainment.

⬇ Tetseo Sisters - Paani Lizo (Lyrical Video):

⬇ Tetseo Sisters - O Rhosi : The Dance Edit (Official Music Video) feat. United for Dance:

Awards, citations and accolades are not new to independent artists like Alobo Naga. At the 6th edition of the Artist Aloud Music Awards, Alobo walked away with three awards - Best Song for Chasing Ghosts, Best English Song for Wolo and Best Artiste from North East India.

Alobo Naga and his Band (ANTB) are a must see act at music festivals for they have wowed audiences not only in India but abroad too. Winner of 2012 Best Indian Act at the MTV European Music Awards, their song Painted Dreams went up to No.4 spot at the International Top 10 charts on Vh1 and was successively announced as one of the top 50 videos of 2011 by the music channel.

As lead vocalist of the band who is from the Sumi tribe of the vibrant hilly state of Nagaland, Alobo took to music at the age of 5 and started singing and performing and writing songs by age 11. But he was never encouraged to take it as a career. So like any other Naga kid, he pursued his studies, finished his Masters in Political Science from Delhi University, Post graduate in Tourism Management from IITTM Delhi and went back home and took up a job, but didn’t find any joy in it. In 2008, he quit his job and went into formal training for music. He enrolled into Hope Centre of Excellence (Music Academy) and also trained under fellow Naga pianist Nise Meruno, later securing a Licentiate in Music Performance in Contemporary Vocals (LRSL) under Rock School London. Alobo also has his own music school Musik – A (Alobo Naga School of Music).

Alobo released his debut album ‘Road of a Thousand Dreams’ (2010) and his second ‘KINI’ (2012), the latter that has a song Never let you go for the Bollywood film ‘October’. He also released a song 'Let her Live' on the horrific gang rape in 2012.
Alobo released a new music video 'Wolo Wolo' in the New Year with another video 'My Pomegranate' Girl in February, and a third album in April. Besides his solo projects, he is also working on an EP with his band ANTB. 

⬇ Father's Love | Apuh Kikimiye | Alobo Naga:

⬇ Wolo Wolo | Alobo Naga (Official Music Video):

When we first conversed with for this post, he was quite taken up with The Revolver Club selling vinyl records. “Maybe I could bring out one of my albums on vinyl” he excitedly told me, adding that he was quite amused on how the format has been received over the years and making a comeback once again. He is quite bent on bringing out an album on vinyl not only to showcase the century old format, but to give it to his fans as a memento of his body of work.

Hailing from the tribal region of Arunachal Pradesh, India, Takar Nabam has managed to forge an identity firmly in the vanguard of innovative artists while respecting and building on the deep roots of his culture. Nominated as one of the India’s “Top 5 Guitar Players” by Guitar Player Magazine in 2020, he utilizes his firm command of both voice and instrument to convey deeply personal narratives of introspection.

Takar developed his signature sound in the fertile independent music scene of New Delhi, incorporating multiple aspects of the sounds and culture he was exposed to. His resulting body of work shows a young artist eager to learn from his heroes like John Mayer, Derek Trucks, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Steven Wilson, while building his own musical legacy which he says “always original, always musical’.
Takar’s 2016 debut album ‘Same Sky’ is filled with a very simple approach, but he surprises with some unconventional melodic changes, some juicy harmonies and eccentric progressions.

His 2018 album ‘This Home, That Home’ was released to rave reviews, and was featured extensively on multiple playlists, including “Top Ten Indian Releases” on Apple Music. Highlighting it on its “Top 10 Summer Songs” playlist, Rolling Stone India called it, “adrenaline-fed rock… The Jazz influence is very much ever-present, as is playful guitar, but he shines best when he amps up.”

Nabam’s music has taken him throughout Asia to perform, including major festivals in India such as NH7 Weekender, Ziro Festival of Music and in neighboring countries of Bhutan, Singapore, and Myanmar.

The young singer surely has a promising future in front of him.

⬇ Takar Nabam - Quiet A Story (Official Music Video):

⬇ Sang Be Yu Rey (Shall I Live) - Takar Nabam | NYISHI Song:

Carolina Norbu is an upcoming, passionate singer-songwriter from the picturesque hills of Arunachal Pradesh who also doubles up as a dentist by profession. She plays the guitar and besides her original compositions, she also does cover versions of artists like Coldplay, Kina Grannis, Ed Sheeran, Kodaline who inspire her.

Norbu first started playing the guitar when she was still in high school and has never stopped since then. She enjoyed listening to music and started writing poems at a young age. She is a self taught musician who wrote her first song Almighty at the age of 16 for a gospel album. This overwhelming response to her songwriting, led her to pursue music along with her studies, which eventually saw a rising spate of her musical virtuosity. An artist with a sublime emotive and melodious vocal, her songs are enamored with human emotions and are a clear narrative of how and what she feels. She believes music is a language that has no boundaries.

Her first performance was at The Urbane Solace, Bangalore in 2013, after which she went to be the finalist at the K-Pop Contest the same year. She has since performed at the International Jazz Day in Itanagar, Ziro Festival of Music, Orange Festival and Arunachal Literature and Art Festival to name a few, carving herself a place in the hearts of her audience.

Her songs Learned, The One, Spring were well received. Fall is said to have a cheerful infectious rhythm with soothing very melodious vocals that wins the heart of a listener. Norbu also collaborated with Kabir Jamatia (from Yesterdrive) on the song HIM which was released on the eve of World Music Day 2020.
 
Her latest R & B smooth single Waiting, was released in December 2020 in collaboration with producer Zen Clef and rock artist The Earflower Experiment. Norbu has also been an active part of Arunachal Independent Musicians Forum (AIMF) and has collaborated with various artists from the state (The AIMF Collective) for an awareness song Will you care?
 
Norbu is currently in the process of recording her debut album and also working on some new projects which will be coming up soon. Surely an artist to watch out for.

⬇ Carolina Norbu - Last Lullaby (Official Music Video):

⬇ Carolina Norbu- Fall (Official Music Video):

Ever heard Indian ragas played on the Piano? Meet Indian pianist/composer Utsav Lal, who has been labeled as the ‘Raaga Pianist’ amongst music lovers in the international concert circuit and has been recognized as one of the most talented musicians of his generation. Choosing to perform ragas on the piano, an instrument that has traditionally been considered unsuitable for Indian Classical music, Utsav's creative musical genius, unfailing clarity of technique and rhythmic virtuosity has led him to an impressive career performing at leading global venues like Carnegie Hall-NYC, Southbank Centre-London, and The Kennedy Centre-DC.

From his debut album ‘Piano Moods of Indian Ragas’ on Times Music in 2008, Utsav has come a long way with six subsequent releases that include a historic solo recording on the world’s first ever 'Fluid Piano’ ‘The Fluid Piano Album’ in 2016. 

The New York based pianist, is all set to release ‘Visangati’, his seventh record of pure Indian Classical Music on Piano tomorrow. Visangati, a hindi-sanskrit word, in English it literally means Anomaly, a deviation from the norm. Having gained international recognition over the past 17 years for his groundbreaking work, this record signifies the 28 year olds unending pursuit of walking an untrodden musical path that has been laced with contradictions. Visangati presents Lal’s (accompanied on tabla by Nitin Mitta) distinctive, unapologetically original take on Indian Classical music and the music represents a truly unique and original voice on the piano. 

Utsav, who has played concerts in India over the years, leaves you mesmerized with his repertoire of music compelling many to think how the piano which is considered the backbone of western music, can be used for Indian raags. Originally from Gurgaon, Haryana, Utsav grew up in Dublin, Ireland where he was part of an alternative rock band called the Little Green Cars consisting of close school friends.

In an interview with this writer some years ago, Utsav had said that his ambition was to take ragas on the piano to music lovers across the globe. Surely he has achieved what he set out to do.

⬇ Enchanting flute and piano duet - Rakesh Chaurasia, Utsav Lal, Vijay Ghate:

⬇ Yaad Piya Ki Aaye | Piano Improvisation (2020) | Utsav Lal: