From Chopin to Charukesi: How Charu Suri is reimagining Indian ragas on piano

Charu Suri has loved the piano for as long as she can remember. As a child, she was drawn to the music of Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt, spending hours playing their virtuosic études. “I was mesmerised by their beauty and brilliance, from the phrases and cadenzas to the lyrical melodies and surprising harmonies.” But over time, she began to wonder what else the piano could sound like. That question eventually led her to Indian classical ragas and to Raga Etudes, her upcoming album exploring what happens when the two musical worlds meet.

Charu Suri on Raga Etudes and bringing Indian ragas to the piano

Journey, the album’s first single, is where that idea comes to life, giving listeners a first taste of Charu’s new musical direction.“All these études, popular and indispensable as they were, were still based on the 12-tone scale. I longed for something different and a unique sonic palette, and the ragas drew me in.” That curiosity became the starting point for Raga Etudes, her upcoming album of original piano études inspired by Indian ragas.”

Rather than simply combining two musical styles, Charu wanted to explore what could happen when the piano met the melodies and spirit of the raga. “I actually never seek to combine them artificially. They draw me in. All my music has germinated organically, either because I am inspired by a piece of music, an emotion, a raga, or something profoundly moving.” That approach is at the heart of Journey. Based on Raga Charukesi, the track brings together Charu’s piano with the rhythmic sound of the kanjira and the textured tones of the hammered dulcimer.

The idea for the song began with a meeting in Los Angeles earlier this year. “I was inspired by my meeting with V Selvaganesh (kanjira exponent) earlier this year in Los Angeles, when we performed together at the Art of Living DOME. I was mesmerised by his playing and really wanted to create something with him, so we decided to collaborate. He also said he was wowed by my piano playing. When I created Journey, I wanted to stay true to the raga while also making it an étude. In a way, I was subconsciously bringing two musical worlds together while staying true to both. The song began to unfold naturally, and when we improvised and recorded it in the studio, Selvaganesh instinctively responded to the music and really felt it. He has said several times that Charukesi is one of his favourite ragas.”

She adds, “For the song, I stepped away from my usual jazz approach and went deeper into the raga, allowing the music to unfold naturally. I had never created a track with just a duo before — it began that way before I added the dulcimer — and I had never worked with a folk instrument like the kanjira in this way. These were all creative risks, but they paid off beautifully. For me, the track is also a way of celebrating and paying homage to Indian musical traditions in a different way. Working with Selvaganesh was an absolute joy. For all his accolades and accomplishments, he did not bring any airs into the project, but approached my music extremely humbly and joyously, much like a child. His kanjira playing was just instant magic, and he moved to my music and all the phrasing. He later told me that he had never worked with the piano and ragas before, and he loved the experience so much that he wanted us to do a world tour together, which we are currently working on!"

She adds, "Max ZT, who handled the dulcimer, has always been a joy to work with. He has performed with me twice at Carnegie Hall and was on my album Shayan last year, which was nominated for a Grammy, on the track Raga Jog. I don't really have to communicate much with him since he knows both ragas and classical music so well. I just send him the track and let him do his magic!” Journey was later mixed and mastered by Grammy-nominated engineer Siddhant Bhatia.

One of the most exciting parts of the project for Charu is discovering how the piano changes the sound of a raga. “The nuances and layers unfold with great depth and fluidity, almost orchestrally, on the piano. Since Indian music doesn’t have harmony, the harmonic support that comes from the piano adds so much depth and texture to the raga. It is magnetic and deep, and can go on endlessly.”

At the same time, Charu knows that the piano cannot reproduce every detail of a traditional raga. “Because the music is acoustic, all the inflections won't necessarily be there as they will be in a raga. Purists might lament their absence, but that is the reason I often refer to what I do as jazz, and not a strict classical traditional style.”

The album is still taking shape, with Charu continuing to write a collection of virtuosic piano études. “I am in the midst of composing Raga Etudes, and they are all virtuosic in some way on the piano. The album will debut later this year and feature several musicians showcasing their prowess on various instruments. The idea for me is to show how brilliant ragas can be, in the style of Western classical études, using ragas. I’m really excited about it!

She adds, “I’m working concurrently on another jazz album called Bossa Raga, blending Bossa Nova and ragas, which will also launch next year. I recorded a few tracks with the legendary maestro bassist Ron Carter, and it was such an amazing experience.”

 For more updates, join/follow our

https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb677uz60eBXiDYheb0n

https://t.me/+qUK5DvyQQJI2NWFl

https://www.youtube.com/indulgeexpress