Blend it like Louiz Banks

The celebrated pianist, who just turned 80, was writing jazz compositions using Carnatic scales four decades ago

What could possibly be the sound of a musician who has been playing for over five decades and carries the mantle of ‘godfather of jazz in India’? “It is the sound of tomorrow,” says legendary pianist Louiz Banks, who still feels nervous when performing the opening song at a concert. His biography, Louiz Banks: A Symphony of Love, was released last month to coincide with his 80th birthday. Born into a musical family, Banks learnt the ropes from his father — trumpeter George Banks, who was part of Teddy Weatherford’s band in Calcutta in the 40s. Later, the family shifted to Darjeeling where Banks grew up and became an integral part of his father’s band at the local gymkhana club. “Jazz is freedom. It’s never the same twice. I’m not repeating myself and getting bored. It is constantly changing with time and is a journey of discovery,” he says.