Brown-skinned soul. That’s how Zeshan B describes his music — raised in Chicago with Indo-Pakistani roots, he fuses his Muslim immigrant experience, protest music and Bollywood scores and South Indian folk music on his forthcoming debut album, Vetted, out on April 7 on Minty Fresh. “It's a new genre altogether,” he says.
In Vetted, Zeshan — born Zeshan Bagewadi — performs soul classics and original songs in English, Urdu, and Punjabi — a sound that subverts the popular conception of American music and identity, and brings forth the country’s rich immigrant history.
His video for “Cryin’ in the Streets,” a harmonium cover of the George Perkins protest anthem from 1970, is a direct reaction to Donald Trump’s first few weeks in office — it shows footage of Civil Rights-era marches and recent Black Lives Matter demonstrations as Zeshan walks down the streets of Chicago.
He talks to Myspace about his musical heroes, why protest music is important, and his American identity. Hop to the next page to read the full interview.
Hometown: Chicago!
Homebase: I split my time between Chicago and Milwaukee.
How did you fall in love with music?
I discovered music from the records and tapes that my Mom and Dad listened to when I was growing up. I was always fascinated by different sounds--especially the voices of singers.
Bill Withers' voice stands out in my memory in that his song "Lean on Me" is the earliest musical memory I have from my childhood --and I'll never forget current of electricity that would shoot up my spine when I'd hear his voice. MC Hammer was important too because he is the first memory I have of hearing music ("U Can't Touch this") and wanting to move and groove!
Did you always want to be a musician?
I think I decided to be a musician when I got my first solo (of many) in my high school's gospel choir. I just loved the freedom I felt let go and let all of my energy and emotions out in my singing--and that people liked it. When I think back on it, I'm pretty sure I looked like an epileptic chicken doing that with all of my nervous, awkward energy! But in all seriousness, I think it's a rite of passage for a musician to feel like they can freely express themselves--and gospel choir gave me that.
Why is your album called Vetted?
I feel like everything I've done in my life in some way or the other has been vetted--whether it be something trivial like which cereal I should buy at the grocery store or something more profound like who I've chosen to be my life partner--it all goes through some type of vetting process.
Like right now, as an emerging artist, the power structures that be are sizing me up and vetting me on a daily basis--i.e. Does he have enough likes on Facebook or followers on Twitter to be offered XYZ opportunity? Does he sell out venues? Is his voice good enough? Does he have a compelling message? The list goes on.
To have come to this point in my life right now, I've been vetted in some way or the other--and I was fortunate to have made the proverbial "cut".
But there are others who are far less fortunate. Those who didn't have access to education as I did. Those who couldn't get that job they really wanted or deserved. Those who didn't have access to healthcare, wholesome nutrition or green space. Those who live in transit deserts. Those who are locked up in prison for the profit of someone else. Those who couldn't immigrate to America or could only do so underhandedly. Those who live in constant fear of deportation. Those (Flint, MI) who didn't have the even the most basic public utility--clean drinking water.
All of these precious souls have also been vetted in some way or another--yet the unfair scrutiny with which they have been vetted has yielded undesirable results.
This album is for them.
You've been pretty vocal against Trump. Do you think your music is the best way to protest against him?
Most definitely. Words, slogans and tweets all have limited impact. And not to mention, they're all very inexpensive. Music on the other hand, by its very fundamental existence, is something far greater: action. It stirs our souls to act. There is no music without action. And action is much more powerful than words.
All he really has are his cheap, empty words; and I say that music (or the spirit thereof) will ultimately win the day over those words.
Who are your musical heroes and why do they inspire you?
Louis Armstrong--He was baptized in fire (aka the Jim Crow South) and his music turned out to be the heaviest gold out there. I don't think anyone has shaped or influenced American music as much as Pops did. EVERY musician owes their existence to him.
Curtis Mayfield--One of the greatest, if not the greatest R&B/Soul artists of all time. I love his lush, orchestral compositions, his incredibly unique voice, and his poetic lyrics. He was one of a kind in that he could write observational, socio-political and/or protest music without ever sounding contrived. AND he was from Chicago...just sayin!
Bill Withers-- I adore his voice, his uncanny ability to write melodies, his grooviness, and his unapologetically simple yet soul-stirringly poignant compositional style. He just IS who he is and in all aspects of his career, he has done everything on his own terms--I idolize him for that, and I aspire to be just like him in that way.
Mehdi Hassan--The greatest singer that the Indian subcontinent has ever seen. He was gifted with a mellifluous, hauntingly beautiful voice and his vocal technique was impeccable. He was an excellent interpreter of music that was put in front of him, and I always have looked up to him. His style, technique and musicality are all things that I have aspired to achieve in my music.
Billie Holiday--Beautiful voice, equally beautiful expression. So much pain, so much melancholy! She knew how to tell a story and when I sing, I try to narrate things as she does.
John Coltrane-- Trane makes me feel a certain something--and often times, I don't even know what that feeling is. I think that the urbane spirituality in his music is very palpable and it feels like the man really had his hand on the pulse of what was going on during his time. Whenever I listen to "Giant Steps" or "A Love Supreme", I find that I'm ushered into a zone of productivity. In other words, listening to Coltrane makes me want to work hard at whatever task is at hand.
How did you end up in Chicago?
I didn't "end up" in Chicago. I was born here. It's funny how many people get surprised when I tell them that. My parents, on the other hand, did indeed end up here. They were beneficiaries of LBJ's 1965 INA Act that opened the doors--by abolishing certain quotas--for people to emigrate from India and Pakistan.
Being Muslim in India is a complex narrative, but in many cases it's a narrative of second-class citizenship and violent oppression. After blatantly being denied access to jobs --jobs that they were well-qualified for--on the basis of their Muslim identity, and after anti-Muslim riots rocked their neighborhood in Bombay, my parents decided it was time to peace out. They came to America, got work in Chicago and the rest is history.
Does being Indo-Pakistani-American influence your songwriting style?
Now being the progeny of these two immigrants has largely shaped who I am as a person, and through osmosis, I've absorbed so much of the rich musical heritage of India and Pakistan. The supremacy of poetry. The prevalence of improvisation. The supple dexterity required to sing/play scats. I love all of that good stuff it has heavily influenced the music I make. And I strongly feel that growing up in a bilingual household does wonders in strengthening one's intellectual palette. In my case, the plethora of different vowels and tones of Urdu/Hindi strengthened my ear by giving me a large sound inventory--which I think is very helpful for a musician. After all, music is all about turning ideas into sounds.
And when I went off to college, having grown up bilingual gave me a foundation in being able to learn, speak and/or sing in many different languages. In addition to English and Urdu, I can now speak Italian pretty fluently. My Spanish and Punjabi aren't too bad either!
Furthermore, Indo-Pakistani instruments like the harmonium and tanpura are staples to my sound. My harmonium has always been at my side--I use it to practice, compose and perform live. I've designed what is probably the world's only electric harmonium because I wanted to experiment with adding grunge to the saint-esque purity of the harmonium sound. And it sounds DOPE!
What's the craziest thing a fan has ever done for you?
I was on the road once and did a show in this small town in West Virginia called Thomas. We had SO much fun that night. After the show, I was hanging out with some of the townsfolk at a big bonfire when this one cat--who apparently worked in lumber--approached me and insisted that I take a bunch of cherry wood as a token of his appreciation. I loved it! Was so thoughtful of him to give me something that he had easy access to knowing that I didn't have access to it in the big city. Used it to smoke some meat when I came back home!
Thanks once again, Carl!
If you were a hashtag, what would you be?
#WhyDoWeHaveToIncapsulateOurThoughtsIntoShortCatchyMarketablePhrasesCalledHashtags
What’s your big 2017 goal?
To maintain sanity amidst my country's current socio-political climate.
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from Myspace - Editorial http://ift.tt/2ojCFOB
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