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Todd Ferris Mosby - Indian/Jazz Guitar Virtuoso: Ensembles & Clinics

Clinic - East/West Lecture/Demo

 

 

East West Music Crossroads - Book Now


Overview

This lecture gives an overview of the development and rise of the two great music cultures at the root of music in the world today; Indian Raga form and European  Classical and its derivative American Jazz forms. As East West music cultures reach for their musical pinnacles, I offer an attempt to  bridge these two mountains of music using an instrument capable of taking the best from both worlds and give in depth explanations into the past, present and future of music improvisation and composition. Based on solid training with deep understanding and intuitive insights for history, tradition and innovation, I attempt to answer many questions as to improvisational similarities and differences, clear up mysteries and inspire new research into areas of improvisation over Indian Ragas and Traditional Jazz Standards. I also give suggestions on how to compose for both in the context of a western jazz ensemble. 

 

What You Will Learn

  • Extend your knowledge of improvisation and composition
  • Be comfortable with the Raga Form 
  • Be comfortable with the Jazz Standard Form
  • New Compositional Techniques for your music
  • New Performance techniques as applied to the Imratguitar
  • New chordal concepts for Raga and Tonal Music
  • Instrument design in relation to musical advancements

 

What You Will walk Away With

  • A new appreciation of your musical heritage
  • Know the Theory and Philosophy of a Raga Form vs A Jazz & Classical Form
  • Broader understanding of the roots of music in the world today
  • Begin to apply these concepts to your own compositions and improvisations
  • Be more confident as a well rounded musician of the world
  • Gain a deeper listening appreciation for Eastern & Western Music

 

 

Lecture Demonstration - Detail

 

Imratguitar Performance
 

  • In the East West Lecture Demonstration I begin with a short Imratguitar performance of Alap & Jhor as a foray into the world of Classical North Indian Music. I then walk the students through the unfolding tonal beauty of raga music discussing and demonstrating the philosophy and music inside the Alap and Jhor sections of a performance. I discuss tuning philosophy, resonance, natural harmony, melodic phrasing, note sequencing, pulling notes, timing and range the use of instrument range and the new introduction of moving harmony in relation to the rag. 


Lecture

  • A comparative survey will be given on the development of North Indian melody and Western harmony. I talk about a time when East/West cultures shared a common musical heritage, when the musical split occurred and how North Indian Music went into the highest aspects of melodic phrasing and Western European Music went into the highest aspects of harmony. References to early western tonal music such as Bach and Gregorian chant are used as well as more recent attempts by Miles Davis and Philip Glass. 


Guitar Performance

  • I then perform an improvisational solo Guitar on a jazz standard utilizing, rubato intro, chord melody, walking bass line, chord solo, stop time and single note line techniques. I walk the students through the concepts behind improvising vertically and horizontally over a series of chords with static and shifting harmonic tonal centers. I discuss target notes, chord scales and modes, chromatic scale and atonality as a way to negotiate changes.


Lecture Demonstration

  • The Imratguitar and Guitar will then be used as representative models to discuss how developing instrument design was required in order to accommodate the advancing complexities of Indian melodic phrasing and European harmony. I discuss the innovations required in instrument design for the Imratguitar and new concepts for finger style and pick style playing technique which creates a harmonious blend of both styles on the Imratguitar. 
  • I talk about the Imratguitar as the first instrument to allow a bridge between the two musical cultures. I give a history of its development from  the combination of Oud and Veena in India to create the Sitar to the combination of Oud and Lute to create the Guitar. Now we have a combination of Sitar and Guitar to create the Imratguitar. The Imratguitar sounds better than a Sitar and better than a Guitar according to its designer Ustadt Imrat Khan. Nothing is taken away from either musical culture or their advancements in music. Only a subtle blending of a new sound which will require a new music can be found in this instrument. 
  • For the composers and improvisors in the audience, I talk of the raga form and ascending/descending scale as a compositional tool for those wanting to explore the linear, modal, and melodic aspects this music allows and place it into the context of parallel moving harmonies and modes. I also demonstrate the use of the pentatonic and 7 note scales in relation to a Jazz improvisation.

 

Qualifications

  • My background studies at Berklee College of Music, 13 years study with the father of sitar, Ustadt Imrat Khan, 7 years private compositional studies under Dr. Roland Jordan and Jazz Guitar studies under Fareed Haque and Rick Haydon as well as 20 years inservice as a professional musician and educator offers a unique insight and ability to communicate to both western and eastern audiences. The importance and relevance of my instrument, the Imratguitar, in relation to the music of today and its impact as an east/west bridge instrument will be used as the basis for the lecture. I am able to bring into balance and the relationships Indian Raga Music has to Western Jazz and Classical Music in a way which is fun, entertaining, enlightening and memorable.