Esha chaudhuri
An offbeat show titled ‘Stalwarts Of Music with Aditya Veera’ on 98.3 Big fm Shillong has completed Season 1 and has taken a dive into its second. Veera’s podcast has recently bagged the Hubhopper’s podcast award, 2023. In this period, some of the learnings as well as experience has been tremendous. In Veera’s words, “Stalwarts Of Music with Aditya Veera Season 1 blossomed into a melodious tapestry of over 50 episodes as part of Season 1 last year, each a unique chapter in an evolving narrative I have woven.”
Through in-depth interviews, engaging discussions, and immersive storytelling, Veera’s podcast takes listeners on a mesmerizing exploration of various genres, including Jazz Fusion, Blues, RnB, Soul, Funk, Classical, Pop and even Hindustani Music. Each episode shines a spotlight on a different musical stalwart, showcasing its ground-breaking contributions, innovative techniques, and profound impact on the music industry. Whether it’s uncovering the secrets behind timeless compositions, delving into the personal lives of musicians, or examining the cultural and historical context that shaped their work, “Stalwarts of Music with Aditya Veera” offers an enriching and immersive experience for music lovers and enthusiasts alike.
By delving deep into the lives and works of these remarkable musicians, the podcast aims to foster a deeper appreciation for their artistry while inspiring listeners to explore new genres and expand their musical horizons. Whether one is a seasoned music aficionado or a curious newcomer, this podcast promises to ignite one’s passion for music and leave the listener with a renewed sense of awe for the maestros who have shaped our musical landscape.
What makes some interesting takeaways are that Veera featured some of the top guitar gods who specialise in different realms include the likes of Eric Johnson, Joe Satriani, Guthrie Govan, and Mike Stern, to name a few. Veera also had an Indian premiere and press release for the Elephant of Mars 2022 album by Joe Satriani on Stalwarts Of Music. In fact, an episode with The Aristocrats ft. Guthrie Govan on Guitar, has topped the Spotify Catalogue of Music Podcasts from last year.
“The interview with Julian Lage proved to be yet another highlight where the interview focused on topics like Perspective and Attention, Julian’s Artistic upbringing, Pressure in Present Times, Aesthetics and Curiosity, Music as nurturing and Healing, Understanding Anatomy and Techniques, Cross-Cultural influences and his collaboration with Ustad Zakir Hussain and Charles Lloyd” says Veera, looking back at the first season.
In conversation with some of the tall musicians globally, what strikes as humane is that the conversations are focussed on music and the artists’ musical endeavours but they also share a thing or two on life and its ideals. Marking a shift in Season 2 (ongoing), there is a clear sense of turning multifarious with the inclusion of Indian artists and new topics for discussion. “As we step into Season 2, the stage is set for an even grander spectacle, where multiple guests converge in harmonious union to share their wisdom, experiences, and extraordinary stories within the same resplendent realm. One of them is an Indian guest with similar musical sensibilities and from a similar musical realm.” says Veera.
In many firsts, Veera further adds, “Season 2 has witnessed the emergence of Festival edition podcasts for the very first time in Indian and probably even Asia, where the podcast had some noteworthy Indian artists like Sanjeev T, Ranjit Barot, Kraken, Mohini Dey, Gino Banks, Lydian Nadhaswaram at popular Indian Music festivals like Bloom In Green, Mahindra Percussion Festival, Echoes Of Earth Festival, Oddball Festival.”
An interesting fact is that Episode 2 will be witnessing its 100th interview marker which will be a live interview with the Alfredo Rodriguez Trio live from NCPA Mumbai on November 26, 2023. Season 2 has had some very iconic names in the world of percussion like Dave Weckl, Stewart Copeland, Billy Cobham, Gary Husband, Ranjit Barot, Antonio Sanchez, Darshan Doshi, Gino Banks and several others. Other noteworthy artists include Canadian Hall Of Fame Singer-Songwriter (Bruce Cockburn), Bill Frisell (One of the most innovative jazz guitar players of our time and several others), Sting’s guitar player Dominic Miller, he has also featured in the making of the iconic Vande Maataram track with AR Rahman in 1997. One of the most popular composers in Hollywood is Harold Faltermeyer who has made the popular soundtrack Axel F for the Beverly Hills Cop Movie that featured Eddie Murphy and also made the soundtrack for Tom Cruise’s movie Top Gun along with Hans Zimmer and Lady Gaga.
Hosting one of the most prolific Guitar players in India and a music educator, Amyt Datta opened new doors for Veera. He says, “This collaboration helped me grow my reputation as an artist manager and I currently manage the Amyt Datta Electric Power Quartet and I also hosted the band at the Nita Ambani Cultural Centre on September 1st 2023.”
Overall Season 2 has witnessed a lot of progress in the world of podcasting with better gear, production quality and a stronghold in terms of audiences in Shillong and globally not just in India. Veera explains, “We have also figured out a marketing strategy appealing to all age groups wherein we promote certain interesting topics in an Instagram reel format with subtitles in multiple languages for people around the world.”
The Podcast that recently won the prestigious Hubhopper Podcast Awards 2023 for the category of Best Interview Podcast 2023 and had emerged as a finalist competing with 2 other podcasts. For future plans, Veera says, “I am gearing up for an incredible episode with the one and only Stewart Copeland (Multi-Grammy award-winning Drummer/ Composer – The Police, Animal Logic, Oysterheads). I will be covering the launch of his all-new project Police Beyond Borders featuring the Berklee India Ensemble, Ricky Kej, Salim Merchant, and Sulaiman Merchant. It is going to be a very compelling episode where we would be revisiting some of the classics he created with Sting like Every Breath You Take, Roxanne, and we might also revisit some fond memories of The Police Concert back in the day at Rang Bhavan and dive deep into his artistry.”
With the show’s expansion beyond the radio experience, onto Youtube in an audio-video format, it is also available on various podcast platforms too, making Veera’s footing in the field secure and stronger by the day.