He is just not any other “white guy” performing ragas on the clarinet. He is Shankar Tucker, the artiste whose heart is bigger than the ensemble of instruments and artistes he tours with. He is the genius who is ready to use the best sounds and voices that cross him to create something entirely new, and to create something new out of the traditional Hindustani and Carnatic classical compositions. Tucker recently performed at the White House with co-artistes Vandana, Vidya and Akshaya over the Diwali celebrations. It’s a great opportunity for someone who was clueless about the musical path he had to choose during his days at the Boston Conservatory. He had performed with Amit Mishra, Nirali Kartik and Kartik Shah in a tour across India, and changed the way music was heard and sold. He put up his studio recording under the name Shruti Box on the YouTube to see the videos going viral. Though Tucker’s own troupe is popular, this shishya of Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia has performed with other well-known bands. Fans are waiting for Tucker to perform with the country’s most talented young instrumentalists, in a mix of ragas and jazz. It’s a long wish list, charmer Tucker.
