Arun Ramamurthy Trio Stays True to the Raga and Finds the Heart of Jazz

“It’s just in D.” “Really?” the bassist asked, skeptical. “Yes, the whole piece.”

Not your typical exchange for a jazz trio, but part of the compelling challenge of Jazz Carnatica (release: October 28, 2014), the dialogue of South Indian Classical music and jazz begun by Indian-American violinist Arun Ramamurthy.

By staying true to the raga, the modes which form the melodic foundation for Indian classical composition, but finding the full sonic identity of a skilled ensemble, Ramamurthy’s trio discovers new aspects of millennia-old pieces and moments of organic conversation between two traditions, both based on a balance of rigor and freedom.

“My concept with these pieces is to stay true to the raga, to stay true to the spirit of the Carnatic compositions,” says Ramamurthy. “We may deviate from conventional song stuctures, and sometimes what we play suggests chord progressions, but my melody always stays in the raga.”

Yet sticking to the raga does not mean stumbling into sterile technical showmanship or pedantic strictness. Ramamurthy’s instrument soars and growls, sings and dances, in beautiful tandem with drummer Sameer Gupta and bassist Perry Wortman (along with several guest contributors like keys player Marc Cary, fiddler Trina Basu, and mridangam player Akshay Anantapadmanabhan). With the perfect pitch of Indian classical violin and the gritty lilt of American fiddle, Ramamurthy goes to evocative places of longing and joy, sentiments common in Indian devotional music—and in certain strains of jazz.

“We’re playing from within. I learned that approach from my gurus in India, and it is still very upfront in my head,” Ramamurthy reflects. “You can play in front of 20,000 people or a handful, in any setting. It doesn’t matter; you center yourself and play from within—and nothing gets in your way.”

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Arun Ramamurthy is a gifted violinist who has made his mark in Indian Classical music.....

Arun Ramamurthy is a gifted violinist who has made his mark in Indian Classical music in the United States. Arun, born and trained in the U.S, excels in several genres of music. He is able to attain this versatility because of the solid grounding he received in Carnatic music.

Arun’s very first violin lessons were in western classical music under a distinguished violinist Jim Mate, who gave Arun his precise bowing and fingering techniques. Influenced by his family surroundings, Arun developed an interest in Carnatic music and his first guru, a much esteemed teacher and performer Anantha Krishnan, taught Arun from age 10. Later Arun got the good fortune to be taken as a pupil by the celebrated violinist brothers, Mysore Nagaraj and Mysore Manjunath who gave Arun rigorous advanced training in gurukula fashion.

Arun progressed quickly and started accompanying visiting artists such as T.V. Gopalakrishna, Trichur Ramachandran, Sikkil Gurucharan, Carnatica Brothers, and others. In 2005, Arun joined his guru Mysore Manjunath on a concert tour of the US. Nagaraj and Manjunath along with Anantha Krishnan continue to shape Arun’s music career.

Some highlights in 2009 for Arun include a brief teaching assignment in various schools sponsored by Carnegie hall under a project called “Global Encounters” which culminates in Arun performing in Carnegie Hall. Arun is also on the faculty of Indian Performing Arts program which is affiliated with Rutgers University Mason School of Arts.

Parallel to his career in Carnatic music, Arun has carved a name for himself in fusion music. Arun's interest in various styles of music led him to play with Western musicians and gave him a chance to perform Carnatic music in prestigious venues such as Lincoln Center, Juilliard School of Music, Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC, Kennedy Center, Gracie mansion and others.