EastWards featured on Music Aloud's new album Strings Attached

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It was long before I met Suchethan when I first wrote the song EastWards. I made a small video with photos of Nagaland (a North-East-Indian state) and needed background music. I am a fan of American guitarist Eric Johnson and the music for the video popped in my mind after listening to Eric Johnson and Jeff Skunk Baxter's acoustic duet.

EastWards - Jim Ankan Deka and Suchethan Rangaswamy
EastWards - Jim Ankan Deka and Suchethan Rangaswamy
Later, when I met Carnatic classical vocalist and veena player Suchethan Rangaswamy from Bangalore, I thought of collaborating with him for my 2012 album Timeless. We made quite a few tracks before I selected EastWards for Timeless. As I already had the guitar part ready, I made him listen to it and asked him if he could strum his veena for the song. He showed his 20 years of devotion and magic as he went on playing the Indian classical instrument along with acoustic rock music.

According to people who have heard the song - EastWards sounds like Indian Blues - whatever that means. But yup, when I wrote the song, I kept blues along with little bit of eastern Indian folk elements in my mind. And when veena was included it became a fusion track.

Strings Attached by Music Aloud
Strings Attached by Music Aloud
So far EastWards is featured on many radio channels and collaboration albums including Radio Flote, and FroggStomp's compilation CD "The Art Of Rock - episode 2",
Monkey Radio

Very recently, the track got featured on Music Aloud's album "Strings Attached". You can download the track from OK Listen's website. The album also features 9 other songs which includes - Melting Strings by Jyotsna Srikanth, Prance by Arun Shenoy, Meeting of the Minstrels (Desert Jam #2) by Amarrass Records, Tune Tarantino by Drift The Trio, Promises by Jason Zac Band, Kohima Night Sky (Andy McKee Tribute) by Imli Imchen, Varsha by Tarun Balani Collective, Khaniker Dekha by Kendraka and Hilly Billy by Babu and Friends.


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