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Discovering Music

Despite having a few music loving young friends in India, I did not know of Amit Trivedi being the tie that binds some of the recent music that I have enjoyed. It made me think about how we don't experience what is right in front of us in our immediate environment. To my friends and family, Trivedi is part of daily life - they don't need to pause and pay attention to music he is making. Over time, he may even come to define the standard by which other music being produced is measured. The novelty is reserved from those outside the eco-system and trying to stay connected best they can. 

One of my young friends is professional vocalist and performs on stage around India. She is not quite a big, household name but she has what it takes to join those ranks if the stars align for her. When I met her on my trip home earlier this year, music was a big theme. We recorded several songs - mostly songs that I love and requested her to sing. She had a few as well but minding our generation gap, she chose music I was familiar with. It was a great time. Both her parents are talented singers as well so they have influenced her taste in music a great deal. It made for a few wonderful evenings of music but none of it was modern. 

J and I parted ways in musical taste back in her middle school years. She could appreciate stuff I liked because it was so much part of her childhood. But the reverse was not true despite my efforts to find common ground. In later years, I was able to love some of what she did it was far from given that our likes would align. I had to wonder if this modern and alternative music from India might give us that missing piece of the puzzle. 

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