Metrolife: On my pinboard

Bruce Lee Mani is a songwriter, musician and music educator. Bruce is the guitarist and singer with award-winning Bengaluru-based ‘Thermal And A Quarter’ and co-founder of the music school Taaqademy. His next album is called ‘A World Gone Mad’.

Inspiration
Pat Metheny

“I’ve been working on a small guitar project for the last few months, trying to write instrumental music in the same vein as some of my guitar heroes. I’m calling it the ‘In Your Heads’ project. My inspirations have been all these incredible musicians I’ve been listening to non-stop; from Pat Metheny, John Scofield to Steve Vai and Amyt Datta. There are a few videos of these tracks up on YouTube.”

Author
Christopher Brookmyre

“I’ve been buzzing through a bunch of titles by a Scottish writer called Christopher Brookmyre. I think he’s great - snarky, cerebral thrillers with an irascible protagonist are right up my alley. I have also begun reading Ashok Banker’s Mahabharata series, after really liking his Ramayana one.”

Travel
Langkawi

“I just got back from a short holiday in Malaysia with the family. We spent a few days in Langkawi, which was just so laid back and beautiful. That’s one place that I would like to go back to. The food and the weather were great. Tanjung Rhu beach is a must do. Kuala Lumpur was nice too, a
vibrant city with an interesting confluence of culture and food.”

Cinema
Star Wars series

“I’m a longtime fanboy of the whole Star Wars series. That is something I share with my wife Bindu. I have also enjoyed watching ‘Shape of Water’ and then ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’. I guess I have got some proper cinema under my hat for the immediate future. I also watched ‘Solo’ recently.”

Musician
Johann Sebastian Bach

“I started playing the classical guitar again after a long break, and I have rediscovered the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. He is an amazing musician. I have been playing ‘Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring’ every morning for the last few days, and it’s just great to start the day off with that piece. I hope to discover more of him.”

Food
Morkozhambu’

“It is always a pleasure to return to homemade food. My all-time favourites are ‘Tambram Morkozhambu’, ‘Vatha Kuzhambu’, ‘Poondu Rasam’ and ‘Paruppu Usili’. I can have these anytime and anywhere. There’s something absolutely incredible about this traditional food from South India — the range of flavours, vegetables, spices and textures is just fabulous. I’m lucky to have grown up with it I guess.”