Indian pianist/composer Utsav Lal, often known as the ‘Raga Pianist’ is recognised 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, The Kennedy Centre-DC.

From his debut album ‘Piano Moods of Indian Ragas’ on Times Music (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’ (2016). Utsav, who has played many shows in India and abroad, 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.

Verus Ferreira spoke with the 28 year old New York based pianist to know more about the album and his musical journey.

Congrats on your new album Utsav. Tell us something about it.

Visangati as a word reflects an integral poly-semantic and ambiguous quality. It mostly translates as an “anomaly” but sometimes also hinting at absurdity or illogicality. When attempting to play Indian Classical Music on the piano, it is impossible to not acknowledge the contradictions at play in this endeavour. My goal is to embrace and revel in these discrepancies while trying to get as close as possible to eliminating them. This record represents a current snapshot, 17 years into  the everlasting goal of bringing this vast and vibrant art form to this instrument.  

What are the tracks about?

The first three tracks in this record are dedicated to exploring the beautiful Raga Lalit. I begin with a solo piano, in traditional Alap Jod Jhala form. This is followed by two tracks where I am joined on tabla by the renowned Nitin Mitta (of Vijay Iyer’s “Tirtha” trio). Raga Lalit is presented with two beautiful compositions set to a Vilambit Teental (16 beat cycle) and a Drut Ektaal (12 beats cycle). The record also includes a track on the romantic Raga Bihag composition Lat uljhi suljha ja re balam which brings forth how much Khayal and Thumri styles have been an inspiration for me.

You have a very interesting album cover. What does it depict?

The cover art was designed by Stevie Appleby, an Irish artist who is also a brilliant musician. Stevie has had a huge impact on my musical life since I was 13 and I'm really honored and happy to have him do the art for this record. I'm always interested when something means many things at the same time, none more valid than the other. This kind of ambiguity leads to a richer perspective. Especially, once it stops being uncomfortable, which is what usually happens because we want to put everything in one box for cleanliness. 

Could one interpretation be that the image sums up how the experience of the pandemic in a huge city like NYC has led to me being able to dive into my instrument without interruption? Could another be that the black and white windows relate to the black and white piano keys? Each window is a world into a huge incomprehensible life and each note on the piano a tiny glimpse into the world of swara? This incomprehension is a huge fuel for so much creative output - we are always just trying to make sense of things using different methods to express ourselves. The fact that each person I showed it to had a different lens through which they were viewing it was really pleasing to me! 

Did you undergo any musical training?

I did my musical training at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and New England Conservatory of Music. I am a trained Jazz Pianist and a certified Western Classical Pianist from Trinity School of Music, London.

How do you select or shortlist your music for your albums?

Records are always a snapshot of a much bigger end goal for me, particularly when dealing in Indian Classical Music. I make a list of options of ragas and compositions and slowly start narrowing it down. I consider what I've already recorded, but mostly go with what feels right at that point of time. Ragas are temperamental (or rather our minds are temperamental) and you can pour months of work for a recording only to have it feel dried out on the actual day. Spending time thinking and being hyper sensitive to what feels right is the most important thing for me. When recording, I always have almost two albums of material in my head which allows me to have the flexibility to go with what feels right out of that. And that way I don’t force anything, even if it was what I spent the most time working on! For Visangati, we recorded it in one day and got almost 2.5 hours of music that felt right that day. Then we picked and chose what felt right together in the big picture to include into the final album.

Your music is directed to very serious listeners, do you plan on bringing more contemporary sounds in the future which will appeal to a wider audience.

I'm not sure I agree with the idea that certain music is aimed for serious listeners and some for a wider audience. It all depends on how much nuance, detail and care is put into it. I don't think more popular music has less detail as some people seem to suggest. Everything can function at different levels and as a listener you can get back what you put into it. If you listen to things in the background, you could get a pleasing surface level juice out of a record which satisfies what you need at the time. If you put more care and attention into really listening, you can find a lot more. 

There's also so many different types of listening based on your own personal filters - some listeners focus on how the raga is being expanded, some listeners focus on the rhythmic side of thing, some listeners want to have a pleasing sound in the background, some listeners want to be challenged structurally in the construction of a piece of music and want that element of innovation and surprise, some just want to hear something they know already and really enjoy the familiar. All are equally valid and each type of listening has its own time and place within the same listener. 

I would like my music to be serious and light, transparent and opaque, innovative and familiar, traditional and contemporary and everything in between these. I think the goal is always to make music that is a true reflection of a musician, a hard goal to achieve! The things I love and want to put into my music lie all over this spectrum and I'd like to think that if I put myself as honestly as I can into the music, there is room for all of these depending on how you listen.

Interviewed by Verus Ferreira