On my pinboard- M R Jagadeesh

M R Jagadeesh is the founder, composer, guitarist of world fusion ensemble ‘MoonArra’.

Along with his wife Madhuri Jagadeesh, singer-songwriter and co-founder of ‘MoonArra’, Jagadeesh has performed in major jazz and world music festivals in India and internationally in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, North Africa and concert tours in Austria, Hungary, Switzerland and Poland.

‘MoonArra’ has released a collaborative album with musician Peter Natterer of Austria, called Lily Walking and is also currently working on other collaborative projects with musicians in India and internationally.

Jagadeesh is also the director of The Bangalore School of Music.

Music

Miles Davis

“In the jazz world, it has to be Miles Davis. You can keep listening to him because his music has so much depth. In the Indian classical world, I would place veena maestro
S Balachander at the top. There’s something about his tonality and the way he plays the veena. He has a completely different style. It’s a very unique style and it has appealed to me since my childhood. In the world of fusion music ‘Shakti’ remains an all-favourite experience. Their music is timeless.”

Cinema

Alia Bhatt

“I find exceptional talent in actor Alia Bhatt. She is, in many ways, a natural actor. I recently watched ‘Dear Zindagi’ and I felt that she brought so much life into the role. Most of the movies that are centered around her are worth a watch. In Hollywood, I find the films by Coen brothers pretty interesting. Their work is truly outstanding.”

Inspiration

Madhuri Jagadeesh

“My wife Madhuri is my inspiration. From music to life she has always been my inspiration. We share a lot of common interests. She is a voracious reader and I read once in a while. She and I enjoy travelling. Even though we aren’t too similar, we share the same attitude towards life. And we are reclusive. Music has taken us to many places and our companionship has grown because of it. Madhuri is also a vocalist and co-founder of MoonArra.”

Travel

Budapest

“We travel a lot and sometimes travel on work as well. Budapest is one place that I would like to return to. It is illuminated at night and you can take endless walks on the street without getting bored. There is something mystical about that place. Closer home, we look forward to travelling to Pondicherry which is a six-hour drive from Bengaluru. We like staying at the guest house facing the sea. We have been there four times already in the last couple of months.”

Books

‘The Piano Tuner’ by Daniel Mason

“The one book that I couldn’t really put down was ‘The Piano Tuner’ by Daniel Mason. I am not a voracious reader but this was a book that I was hooked to. When we went to Pondicherry recently, we shopped the most for books. This book is a gripping story set in Myanmar. The classics always make for a good read. I also enjoy reading the works of Roald Dahl. I can read him all the time. I sometimes keep reading the same stories over and over again.”

Food

‘Idli’ and ‘Vada’

“I like to stick to simple South Indian food. Madhuri loves Kerala cuisine and I am most content with a plate of ‘Idli’, ‘Vada’ and ‘Dosa’. We are not fussy eaters and enjoy anything that is tasty and good. However, we try to stick to eating things that are safe. Thai vegetarian curry and rice is another favourite dish.”