In India, Jazz has had an intriguing journey—from port cities' elite hotels in the 1920s to Bollywood and now global digital platforms. Louiz Banks, the “Godfather of Indian Jazz” stands at the heart of this transition. He has performed with legends such as Ravi Shankar and R.D. Burman. Now in his mid-80s, Banks is all set to return to the stage on Sunday, 8 pm at The Piano Man, Eldeco Centre, New Delhi.

His upcoming concert is a jazz series part hosted by an eight-month, ongoing cultural collaboration between New Orleans & Company and The Piano Man, Eldeco Centre, in New Delhi.

“Digitisation has revolutionised jazz and music sharing and discovery. Initially, jazz records were scarce and valuable. Today, the internet enables a young listener in a small Indian town to instantly hear Miles Davis, Shakti, or a new Indian jazz quartet. The Internet democratised access, allowed independent musicians to release their work, and created global audiences. The challenge is to stand out amidst the noise, but the opportunity is immense,” he says.

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Louiz keeps on enhancing his skills with the times, keeping him relevant and relatable. In 2024, he released Jazz Standards and is now working on another project, “a series of live videos at Island City Studios, featuring the Matrixx Quartet: Gino Banks, Sheldon D’Silva, and Rhythm Shaw”. He calls Matrixx his “dream band” and “a perfect blend of modern Indian jazz”. “After working with many musicians, I wanted a group that could really bring my compositions and improvisation to life. The name Matrixx represents all the different musical styles that come together — like different matrices of sound, rhythm, and harmony,” he explains of the band that has his son Gino on the drums. “We practised a lot, mixing hard-swinging jazz, Indian influences, and a modern fusion vibe.”

Speaking of jazz’s interactions with Indian soundscapes, he notes that Indian jazz transcends tabla and ghatam, incorporating ragas, tala, phrasing, ornamentation and dialogue. “It encompasses both, classical and folk music; folk offers rawness and rhythm, while classical provides depth and structure. The key is to preserve jazz’s spirit — improvisation, conversation, individuality and freedom. When incorporating Indian elements, it’s crucial to avoid ornamentation and ensure meaningful expression. That, to me, is true Indian jazz,” he signs off, hoping that film composers will “embrace jazz directly” and eager to see more collaborations where jazz “gains depth from other traditions without losing its essence”.

Ticketsstart from ₹1,499.