Naima

Connections

https://youtu.be/HCJg-C6AWVc @amanmhajan_, who wrote the song, played ‘Connections’ for me maybe 10 years ago and I loved it then as much as I do now. Had to write lyrics for it of course, so I asked him to give me a clue about the reason for the name and in his usual cryptic style, he […]

Soli Sorabjee — Life and Times, An Authorized Biography review: The man of law who loved all that jazz

In Abhinav Chandrachud’s retelling, the biography of the former Attorney General of India comes together like a puzzle By Radha Thomas The story goes that Soli Sorabjee’s life-long passion for jazz began accidentally, while he was in college. He was at Bombay’s Rhythm House, now shuttered, looking for Brahms’ ‘Hungarian Dance No. 5’ but the […]

Exclusive Premiere: Radha Thomas and Aman Mahajan’s Wistful Wanderings on ‘The Morning After’

Anurag Tagat Mar 15, 2020 Off their debut collaborative jazz album ‘Bangalore Blues’, the accompanying music video tells a story of a night out in New York City Radha Thomas and Aman Mahajan have released their first collaborative album ‘Bangalore Blues.’ Photo: Courtesy of the artist Bengaluru’s seasoned jazz voice Radha Thomas and pianist Aman Mahajan have been working […]

I love living here

On stage, under the spotlight, with an audience in front and a band behind me, that’s where I like living most of all. I discovered this when I was a little kid and would sing for my mom’s friends. Today nothing has changed. That’s still my most favourite place to be. I think i live […]

Letter to Dolly Finklestein #2

Someone must have left the gates in Raju’s house open for a moment because my silly sister, who may have seen it as a chance to go looking for her mommy (who was probably eating sushi somewhere in #NYC, not thinking of poor Brownie at all) slipped out when no one was looking.[…]

Getting Mosh Pit Access to the Beatles’ Experience in India

Back in the mid-70s, I was lead singer with the band ‘Human Bondage’, at a disco called Wheels at the Ambassador Hotel in New Delhi. One night, in the middle of our set, our keyboard player (the late) Steve Law became hugely agitated. This was not a good thing because Steve also doubled up […]

The rich and the ruthless

The Hindu, October 20 Back in the 80s when I lived in America, it was only by watching the original Dynasty — carefully observing and internalising every outfit worn by Linda Evans (Krystle Carrington) and Joan Collins (Alexis Carrington) — was I able to strut the streets of NYC boldly, with my very big hair, light-weight sweater […]

Dosai and Jazz

Radha Thomas, one of India’s well-known jazz musicians, on her first love, doing a Bob Marley redux, and singing to dhrupad taal Written by Andrew Amsan | Published:September 26, 2017 | 12:44 am She’s authored three books, hosted a radio show, held a senior position in a media publication house, and travelled the globe performing jazz music. Bangalore-based Radha […]

A Paean To The Kozhukattai

My mother used to call me “Kozhukattai” which could have meant “you sweetheart, adorable pumpkin pie” or depending on her mood it could have meant “fatso.” In Tamil, my mother’s tongue, “Kozhu kozhu” is an affectionate way of saying someone is chubby. The Kozhukattai is a fairly average-tasting delicacy that my brother Atul and I […]