It was a Sunday evening when I entered The Piano Man. A cluster of chandeliers resembling Gothic church candle-holders caught my eye. This was my first time listening to Jazz music, live. My introduction was happening through the Tamil Jazz Collective, who were set to perform that evening. Perhaps it is the peculiar condition of our time, to encounter cultures at such intersections, inspired by the increasingly mobile lives of people and knowledge. Did I like it though?
The Piano Man is known for hosting the best night in the capital, and on one such night, it brought two musical worlds together. As part of the New Orleans Live series, the Tamil Jazz Collective reimagined classic jazz standards in Tamil, blending bass, guitar, and trumpet with the mridangam. The result was more than a concert: it became a musical conversation between New Orleans and Tamil Nadu, showing how traditions from different continents can speak the same language.
The performance featured vocalist Harini Iyer alongside Sahib Singh on guitar and trumpet, Azan Sherif on bass, and Shylu Ravindran on the mridangam. Familiar melodies acquired new textures through Tamil lyrics, while Carnatic rhythmic structures slipped naturally into jazz arrangements. Nothing felt forced. Instead, it sounded like music rediscovering another version of itself.
That sense of familiarity is woven into the history of jazz itself. Born in New Orleans at the turn of the twentieth century, jazz emerged from a meeting of African rhythms, Creole traditions, European harmonies, and histories of migration and resilience. Yet it has never belonged to just one place. Defined as much by its journeys as by its birthplace, jazz has continually evolved through the cultures it encounters. India has long been part of that journey.
For generations, musicians have recognised parallels between jazz and Indian classical traditions: the freedom of improvisation mirrors manodharma in Carnatic and Hindustani music, blue notes echo the bends of gamakas, and jazz’s rhythmic conversations resonate with Indian percussion. These shared instincts made the evening’s collaboration feel less like an experiment and more like the continuation of a musical dialogue that has unfolded across cultures for decades.
Delhi’s Destination For Jazz Lovers
For Iyer, this conversation began long before the formation of the Tamil Jazz Collective, and it started with how she heard jazz.
In conversation with Outlook Traveller Eats, she said, “I realised I understood jazz through Carnatic music. Rather than viewing them as separate worlds, I began recognising shared instincts, especially their reliance on improvisation and musical dialogue.”
That discovery eventually led to the formation of the collective, bringing the shared instincts she recognised into a working ensemble. Rather than just translating lyrics, the group reimagines jazz standards in Tamil while keeping their emotional heart. Tamil poetry mixed with English lyrics, Carnatic phrasing changes the melodies, and Indian rhythms fit with classic jazz harmonies. The result is music that feels familiar to jazz fans but is clearly rooted in Tamil tradition.
For Iyer, language was never a barrier but a bridge that allowed her listeners to engage with unfamiliar musical traditions without prior knowledge. “Jazz listeners encounter Tamil literature and rhythm, while audiences who might otherwise find jazz intimidating discover an easier point of entry,” she said.
She remembers performing one of her own Tamil songs in Berlin, inspired by the poet and freedom fighter Subramania Bharati. Most people in the audience did not understand the language, but one person stayed after the show to ask about the lyrics and Bharati’s story. Moments like this remind her that curiosity often comes before understanding. Music welcomes people into new cultures even before they know the language.
The audience’s reaction shows that these musical connections work. At shows in cities like Delhi, Kolkata and Bengaluru, people often sing along to Tamil versions of jazz songs, even if they do not know the language. Melody gives meaning when words cannot, and rhythm acts as its own kind of translation. This belief, that emotion moves more easily than language, is central to The Piano Man’s philosophy, which introduced the capital to jazz and continues to be one of the most loved destinations for music lovers.
Building An Ear For Jazz In India
When founder Arjun Sagar Gupta launched the venue, there were few places for jazz in India. Attracting an audience took more than bringing in talented musicians. It was about making jazz more approachable.
He mentioned that guests are not expected to understand jazz but are curious to explore and understand it. He ensures that concerts are planned to include different languages and feature surprising collaborations and new takes on familiar songs.
This idea shapes everything at the venue. Since it opened, The Piano Man has hosted over 15,000 live shows, keeping music at its core rather than shifting it to the background.
While the OG outlet sits in Gurugram, Iyer was performing at the Eldeco Centre outlet. The music was the focus, while the evening also featured dishes such as Cajun potato skins, grilled halloumi with remoulade, fat city nachos, boudin balls, shrimp mini po’boys, and bourbon chicken. Behind the bar, classics such as the Sazerac, Hurricane, Vieux Carré, French 75, and Daiquiri completed the experience.
A look at the menu prompted a thought. “Why wasn’t the menu reflective of the marriage that the musical notes offered?” I asked myself first and the restaurant staff next. “That would have been intense fusion. We wanted the music to take centre stage today while the guests enjoy our classics,” they mentioned.
So, did I enjoy myself? Of course. Grooving to some Jazz classics like, Summertime, It Could Happen to You, and All of Me in Tamil, I realised how the blend of two cultures, can enliven each even more. Brazilian songs by Djavan sat comfortably alongside Carnatic-inspired pieces, and Harini Iyer’s original song, Micham, which means “what remains” or “what is left behind” in Tamil, added a personal touch. With sumptuous food, experimental music and gorgeous interiors, my experience at The Piano Man made for one of Delhi’s most memorable nights.
