Page 2
The Multi-layered Sound of Music
A friend sent me the Jazztronica playlist from Spotify. Jaga Jazzist opened with Lithuania and I was hooked. It’s a Chemical Brothers meet Weather Report kind of vibe, and it really works! I can even quote my immediate reactions as I heard it for the... Read more
My Favourite Five Takes on Take Five
Take Five, a song from Timeout by Dave Brubeck's quartet, is technically set in a five beat cycle, but it is so delightful and accessible! No wonder it became the first jazz single to sell over a million copies. I have run into several fascinating co... Read more
Walk and Roll in Delhi
Indian cities are not great for walking, and Delhi no exception. But on a hot October evening, with a six year old in tow, but with constant encouragement and flattery about our walking stamina, we quickly put 1 km under our belt. The air was not ter... Read more
The Reluctant Photographer
I had a pretty disastrous relationship with photography. I accidentally managed to open the back door, thus exposing the film to bright afternoon sunlight. Then once I enthusiastically grabbed hold of the camera and clicked about a dozen inspired pic... Read more
Memories are in bytes and Mind Palaces are subscriptions
We can record our lives and our knowledge with ever finer fidelity, and we can replay them. We see digital content as our appendage — something that should be always available to us, without which we would feel crippled. But it is not without consequ... Read more
Memories, Mind Palaces and Music
When we try hard to remember, our memories seem to capture us from a distance, almost from a third person perspective. But music has a knack of stimulating memories, taking us back to the time and triggering the same emotions we felt. Music can also ... Read more
Mercurial yet Everlasting
I first heard Queen on FM radio, in India. It is the song “The Show must go on” which really is Mercury’s swan song. Mercury was quite unwell during the making of the album and ended up dying within 10 months of its release. Listening to Mercury sing... Read more
Short but Bittersweet
I heard Emily Remler on air, gushing with admiration for Wes Montgomery. Remler carried Montgomery’s torch forward, while also giving it her own identity. But just when she had overcome the hurdles of gender bias, technique and the long shadows of he... Read more
To Envy is Human
Few can deny feeling envious at some point or another. But envy make us fundamentally human. It is an extension of the animal impulse to protect one’s territory into a heightened sense of awareness of disparity in possessions, capabilities and status... Read more
Memorable Munnar - A Travelogue
I have a somewhat academic relationship with travel. But I do want to get away from the madding crowd and their frenzied pursuits. You know that feeling when you are watching Planet Earth and you think, 'If that is planet earth, what planet am I on?'... Read more