Avra Banerjee recently earned the prestigious Intercontinental Music Award, a significant honour for global musicians. He triumphed in two distinct categories: World Music and Asian Pop, showcasing his versatility across these diverse genres. The talented Avra received three more nominations from the Intercontinental Music Award in the categories of Asian Jazz Crossover, Hindustani Classical, and Best Production.
Team Raga2Rock met up with Avra Banerjee for a chat.
R2R : Congrats! Having won prestigious Intercontinental Music Awards. Your feeling?
Avra: Thank you, and I am thrilled and deeply honoured to announce that I have received the prestigious Intercontinental Music Award for two songs which are diametrically opposite in genres and categories – one in World music, the other one is Asian Pop. I also had nominations in 3 other categories.
Thanks to Intercontinental Music Awards for this recognition, musician colleagues for the collaboration and my listeners for supporting me in this journey.
R2R: Tell us something about these two albums that are submited for the 67th Grammy Award.
Avra: “Melody of Memories” is a timeless Fusion compilation with exquisite blend of Ghazals, Sufi, and Instrumental music, where Tradition meets soul and embodies the depth and serenity deeply rooted in Indian classical music.
“Resonance of Cosmos” also co-composed by my long term musician associate Tamal Kanti Halder would take someone to embark on a serene journey, a musical pilgrimage and immerse yourself in tranquil melodies crafted to soothe the soul and elevate the spirit to experience a realm of peace and spirituality.
R2R: Tell us about your earlier days and your preparation for this event.
Avra: Apart from the couple of releases that I have submitted for the 67th Grammy award, I have also released an album of contemporary songs that captures the essence and emotion of romance, aspiration, pain of separation and enduring hope.
I am very happy to inform that I have brought three brilliant musicians together for a piece predominantly on Sarod performed by all of them and infusing it with their unique styles, adding their individual perspective and colours to the narrative – Praashekh Borkar, Sarod Shrivastav (Pratik) and Apratim Majumdar ably supported by the wonderful artist Zuheb Ahmed Khan on tabla and Tamal Kanti Halder as programmer & arranger.
The sarod, with its resonant tones and intricate fretwork, possesses a unique ability to evoke a myriad of emotions, from profound melancholy to transcendent joy. This instrument has elevated to unparalleled heights in the hands of the legendary maestro, the musician of musicians Ustad Ali Akbar Khansahib – The Swara-Samrat, whose pioneering contribution has inspired not only every sarod player, but other Indian classical instrumentalists as well.
R2R: Your son has also taken to music following you …..
Avra: I am extremely glad to share that our son Aranya has received the winner award for his work “Silent Embrace” in the best instrumental category. Thanks to his one of the mentors, an accomplished pianist and songwriter Tamal Kanti Halder who has also played piano in this composition. I have played a small role playing a bit sarod as well.
R2R: Give us an insight about your latest composition ‘Harmony of Rhapsody’
Avra: ‘Harmony of Rhapsody’ featuring the maestros Shashank Subramanyam on Flute and Ambi Subramaniam on Violin is released and available in all the digital platforms. Accompanied by Bachospati with a brilliant bass groove and Tamal on keys & drums programming and arrangement. I have composed and directed the music for this song.
The composition begins with an 8.5-beat time cycle rooted in Hindustani classical music, transitions to a 9-beat cycle infused with Western musical elements, then shifts to an 8-beat cycle with the essence of Carnatic music. It ultimately returns to the main theme, featuring an incredible duet between the violin and the flute maestros in the original 8.5-beat time cycle.
Another recent work which is called “Classically Perth”, a collaboration by few of us like minded musician colleagues based at Perth, managed to finish the recordings, and the audio is released in all the digital platforms. Praashekh Borkar on sarod, Tasneemul Galib Amit on vocals, Gurpreet Singh & Sivakumar Balakrishnanon tabla…. and conceived & composed by me.
