About

Every creative's journey is unique.

No matter where you are on yours, there is a balanced, sustainable strategy

that will serve your vision on your own terms.

I will help you build it.

My values: a personal message for you

I believe every artist can be successful.
But we've got the order all wrong.
If you are anything like I was, then you have never asked yourself the single most important question with this regard ⬇️.

What does 'success' mean?
Unfortunately, those closest to us—peers, family, the media, and even teachers might be too wrapped up in their own definitions, or lack the necessary knowledge to help you figure yours out.
That takes a certain degree of distance. Disinterest. Detachment.
So if you feel lost, chances are it's because you're not sure where you want to go in the first place.
Nobody told you.
So let's start there.

How would you like to define success?

My Journey

From Morbidly Obese to Healing with Music

I have a calling to help fellow artists.

My life has had its ups and downs - I grew up on 4 countries and 3 continents. Never 'belonged'. Music was the only constant.

As a teenager, I struggled with morbid obesity, a heart disease that almost killed dme, eating disorders, and suicidal mental health.

I transitioned from that destroyed kid, to a confident adult who lives and works independently as a professional artist & educator between global metropolitans today.

And music was always my guiding light on the journey.

It literally saved my life.

But I'm not here to play savior.

Instead, I focus on using an accumulated skill set combining music, yoga, movement, psychotherapy, critical thinking, and authentic relating, to help artists like you find alignment. And navigate your artistic journey fulfillingly on your own terms.

Rewind ⏪

As a 7-month-old baby, I left my birth city of Calcutta, India. My parents had moved to India as refugees after losing everything during the British partition of The Raj, and were now traveling doctors who were trying to rebuild their lives.

For the first nine years of my life, we constantly traveled and lived between the UK, Germany, and North Africa.

My father eventually, decided to move the family to India, exhausted after years of dealing with the glass ceiling that seemed to be the only option available to people of color in the West for his generation.

So, I returned to my ancestral country as a pre-adolescent, feeling like a complete alien.

My first stereo system.

How It All Began

By the time I was 14 years old, music was the nucleus of my life.

At 17 I told my mentor I would be a professional musician.

There were no fireworks. No hugs. No high 5's. No 'heck-yeah's.

No 'you got this'.

There wasn't any response. So I had to evoke one.

Ask for help.

So I asked him again.

''What now?''. ''What do I need to do?''.

This is the sobering reply I got:

''No matter what''.

This was not New York, Nashville, Berlin, Mumbai, or even my childhood hometown, London.

This was a long-forgotten ex-British-Indian world metropolitan. Calcutta.

A city that ised to be home to mystics, poets, and scientists. But one left in shambles by colonialism and the west was now labelling a 'black hole'. Mostly populated by nostalgic

pseudo-communists paralyzed in a time-warp of post-colonial upheaval.

And I was growing into a morbidly obese kid battling suicidal mental health, a heart disease that left me in bed for a year, feeling stuck in a city against his will.

I found a ticket in music. The only thing I felt at the time, I wasn't a complete disaster at.

Calcutta: Me at my first piano., which I could take with me from London.

London in the 80's.Me and mum.

When we left for India, I thought we were going 'on vacation' as usual.

When I had asked my mentor on how to pursue a career in music, I didn't get a specific 'what'.

Or a 'how'.

Forget a 'why'.

Just a 'no matter what'.

A poor man's version of 'Unconditional Love'.

Except, as I found out later, unconditional love for art does not equal a successful career.

Over the next 20 years, I played the quintessential immigrant who took off with 2 suitcases, ate into his mum's tiny college fund to invest in conservatory education, learned a new language, and dealt with toxic pedagogy that almost broke me. My extended family was spread out all over the world, and I joined part of them in Germany.

Jazzhaus Freiburg, Germany. My European debut-concert.

Frankfurt Germany: My arte Debut at the 70th anniversary Deutsches Jazz Festival.

L-R: Jonathan Cuniado, Torsten De Winkel, Karim Ziad, Kai Eckhardt, Gwilym Simcock, Rhani Krija, Kike Perdomo, Moi.

I took sabbaticals to play back-breaking residencies and tours for a start capital I used to build a six-figure music studio, released albums, got nominated for a few important awards, and eventually got invited for citizenship in one of the most powerful and socio-culturally controversial countries in Europe. And went on to collaborate with grammy-award winners and some of the most respected names globally.

Backstage: with the same band.

London: My Graduation Ceremony.

By this time I had been mentored by a series of iconic musicians like Kenny Werner, Kai Eckhardt,

Dr John Matthias, and the late Gary Barone.

I'd also started to build a reputation for myself. Rolling Stone Magazine described me as someone that ‘...personifies multiculturalism’.

Time Out Mumbai referred to me as ‘’...amongst a handful of Indian (origin) musicians who don't have to play sitars or tablas''

I'd also gone and upped my academic game and earned myself a Masters Degree in Music from the London College of Music.

Back in 17 yr-old-me Calcutta though, I was making a promise as I swallowed my tears, in front of my then mentor.

I had kinda run away from home. I wasn't talking to my parents and avoiding my (then) girlfriend.

And the only guy I thought was on my side gave me something vague and cryptic.

A somewhat generic and almost discouraging retort.

Like he wasn't convinced I had what it takes.

I made a promise to myself that day.

If I 'made it'; SOMEDAY, I will do my bit to help others make it too.

Calcutta: Me rehearsing with the school-band at 15. I knew music was what I wanted to full-time by this time. But had no clue how to make a career out of it.

Why am I doing this?

People say teachers are 'failed musicians'.

I say there are too many failed musicians because too many musicians believe that.

Where I come from, the ultimate purpose of an artist is to serve. Not just the art, but those who are part of the collective who want to serve it too.

'Dharma'.

You don't have to learn the hard way I did.

When I started my journey, I only had the 'no matter what' as my guide.

Today, I know better.

I wish I knew better when I started. But that's a rabbithole.

And I can certainly make sure you feel less that way.

My art is never separate from the eco-system it occupies.

When you get better, I get better.

Some People I Have Worked With As a Coach