City-based composer and guitarist Jagadeesh Ramanujam Mudambi and vocalist and songwriter Madhuri Jagadeesh founded the fusion music group MoonArra in 2006. The band blends together the interactions and collective influences of Indian classical, jazz and world music. MoonArra — meaning ‘three streams’ — collaborates and connects with musicians and audiences worldwide, with a mission to share the messages of peace and harmony, goodwill and tolerance.
The Watford Jazz Junction Podcast is one of the world’s most popular jazz commentary podcasts, with guests covering the breadth of the vibrant modern UK jazz scene — Grammy-winner Tim Garland, MOBO-nominated Camilla George, and Mercury Music prize nominee Elliot Galvin. International guests have included Australian trumpet legend James Morrison, conductor Clark Rundell (Wayne Shorter, Esperanza Spalding), Mauritian singer Rouhangeze, as well as Shri Sriram, a Mumbai-born bass player and composer now based in London.
Chris Newstead, host of the podcast, says, “The influence of Indian jazz has come up frequently in discussions on the Watford Jazz Junction Podcast, as well as directly in conversations with two musicians of Indian-origin who are based in the UK: sitar player Jasdeep Singh Degun and bass-virtuoso Shri Sriram.” He adds, “The power of ragas and the long history of Indian classical music are irresistible forces in modern jazz composition. Jagadeesh and Madhuri spoke about the influence of Western jazz within the India music experience too. MoonArra is an example of a true fusion band blending the traditions of music across continents and reaching new audiences.”
Mudambi said, “Chatting with Chris was an opportunity to share our journey, as we constructed and de-constructed our common experiences. It was lovely to reflect on the key musical moments in our lives; to pause, introspect and discuss. The conversation keeps a light-hearted and accessible nature whilst still holding a sense of gravitas.”
The Watford Jazz Junction Podcast is available for free on podcast players, Apple, Spotify and Google+.