In the star-studded venue that beamed with the glamour of the world’s music elite, Indian flautist Rakesh Chaurasia found himself surrounded by an air of anticipation and excitement at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena. Despite two Grammy nominations, Chaurasia humbly confessed he hadn’t anticipated actually winning. Nonetheless, destiny had a glorious surprise in store for him as he clinched not one, but two of the coveted golden gramophones during the illustrious ceremony.
This exceptional achievement marked Chaurasia’s first-ever Grammy nod, a milestone that in and of itself was almost sufficient for the 52-year-old virtuoso. His conversation with PTI before boarding a flight back to Mumbai from Los Angeles revealed his modest outlook. He recounted sitting among seasoned artists who had only attained Grammy recognition after multiple nominations, some even after six or as many as nine. He perceived his success as a divine blessing, as his album emerged in 2023 and swiftly garnered nominations and subsequently, awards, within the same year.
The first Grammy he won was as a collaborator on a project with legends such as tabla maestro Zakir Hussain, American banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck, and American bass player Edgar Meyer. They won best global music performance for the track “Pashto.” His second Grammy was for best contemporary instrumental album for “As We Speak,” which includes “Pashto” among its 12 tracks. At the glitzy Grammy ceremony, as conversations with fellow musicians unfolded, Chaurasia unexpectedly felt that perhaps this was not yet his moment for recognition. Little did he know, the night would turn unforgettable.
As he awaited his journey home, Chaurasia recounted the award experience, his musical influences, and his views on global music. Raised under the expert guidance of his uncle and flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia, and profoundly inspired by Zakir Hussain’s tabla prowess, Rakesh Chaurasia affirmed the profound effect these icons had in shaping his musical path. Hussain, a recipient of three Grammys himself, continues to share the stage with the Chaurasia lineage—the guru and his disciple.
For Rakesh Chaurasia, witnessing Hussain and his uncle perform together was akin to witnessing “magic.” He counts himself fortunate to have played with them and refers to these stalwarts as “gods in music.” However, carrying the Chaurasia name, synonymous with flute mastery, has its own set of challenges. Despite this, he utilized these pressures as a catalyst to push himself harder, continuously refining his craft and sustaining the family legacy through his dedication to the flute.
Even as Indian music greats like sitar legend Pandit Ravi Shankar and Hussain have been influential in bridging musical cultures, Chaurasia believes India is still warming up to the amalgamation of Indian classical sounds with Western genres. He points out the specific audience these fusion productions cater to, drawing from his experiences performing for vast crowds in the United States. Indian music aficionados have gradually learned to embrace jazz, blues, rock, and fusion, and this cross-cultural acceptance suggests that when prominent musicians globally unite, extraordinary results are bound to emerge.
The 2023 Grammy Awards were especially noteworthy for the Indian music fraternity as five of its finest including Hussain, Rakesh Chaurasia, vocalist Shankar Mahadevan, violinist Ganesh Rajagopalan, and percussionist Selvaganesh Vinayakram achieved Grammy recognition. These wins not only highlight individual talent but also underscore the richness of India’s musical heritage on the international stage.
Acknowledgment: The information in this article has been sourced from syndicated feeds provided by third parties. Mid-day has vetted the content for accuracy and credibility but assumes no responsibility for the dependability of the information.
