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Dec. 21, 2023
An American in India: Busting Myths, The Indian Music Industry & Music Education, Safe Spaces and Vocal Health w/ Zachary Ray
Boston-bred Vocal Coach Zachary Daniel Ray speaks to T.L. Mazumdar on his life in India
Boston-bred Vocalist and Music Educator Zachary Daniel Ray's move to India as an intern ended up being a decade-long, life-changing event that has informed his artistic journey deeply and left mutual imprints in its trajectory in a manner that now sharpens a unique profile and a rare sense of awareness of the subtleties amidst the arts and music industry in contemporary India.
The Berklee graduate believes that music has the power to transform and heal people around the world, and has been teaching and training aspiring musicians for twelve years.
In 2015, he founded Chaitown Creatives, which is now known as the Chaitown Community. His passion for music and lyrics led him to write and record his own music, collaborating with artists such as Jody McBrayer (Avalon), Nathan Walters (PlusOne), Angie Miller (Zealyn), and Brandon Bee.
He spent two years back in America writing and recording his own music, but is now travelling between Mumbai and Boston, working with a range of Indian artists, as well as representing the Global Music Institute.
In this long-form conversation, we get into the quirks of bi-cultural navigation, bust stereotypical myths about contemporary India, and talk about vocal health and the relevance of safe spaces.
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Episode Notes / Text : www.tlwrites.com
Zachary Ray
Singer/Songwriter/Music Educator
Having developed a passion for music and singing at a young age, Ray studied vocal performance and music business at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. Ray sees music as a tool of transformation and healing for people around the world. For twelve years, he’s been teaching and training aspiring musicians. For ten out of those twelve years, he has lived in India, teaching at the Calcutta School of Music. He started a company in 2015 called Chaitown Creatives, which is now known as the Chaitown Community. His love for music and desire to share his story through lyrics led him into song writing and recording his original music, working alongside friends and artists like Jody McBrayer (Avalon), Nathan Walters (PlusOne), Angie Miller (Zealyn), and Brandon Bee. He returned to America for two years to write and record original music, but he’s now back and forth between Mumbai and Boston working alongside multiple Indian artists as well as representing the Global Music Institute.
T.L. Mazumdar
Musician/Educator, Founder: Holistic Musician Academy
Indian-German Producer/Singer-Songwriter T.L. Mazumdar grew up on 3 continents and 4 countries.
Mentored by a series of iconic musicians like Kenny Werner, Kai Eckhardt, Dr John Matthias, and the late Gary Barone, his artistic journey has aptly been described by Rolling Stone magazine as one that ‘...personifies multiculturalism’.
Time Out Mumbai has referred to him as ‘’...amongst a handful of Indian (origin) musicians who don't have to play sitars or tablas''
He has been nominated for German Music awards
Bremer Jazzpreis and Future Sounds Jazz Award, and been called ''...a major talent'' by Jack Douglas (Producer: John Lennon, Miles Davis, etc.). .