[78-L] fwd: New Theory of the Origins of Jazz

[David Lennick]

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 > Now we Know!!
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 > My Poppadam tol’ me
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 > Although jazz has thrown up an abundance of controversies over the years, 
the one element on which there has hitherto been universal agreement is that 
concerning the origins of the music.
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 > It has long been accepted that jazz evolved from a combination of African 
music, introduced into America by the slaves, and European dance music.
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 > Now, however, comes a remarkable book, “Jazz Is Where You Sikh It”, by P. 
Vencatachellum, which threatens to cause a gigantic upheaval in jazz circles by 
claiming  that jazz had its origins in India in the middle of the 19th century.
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 > In a fully documented survey of the beginnings of jazz, Venatachellum traces 
traces its origins to an eating house in New Delhi where the specialities were 
particular spicy jhals. The resident musicians led by Ali Zanda, specialised in 
syncopated improvised music which quickly became associated with the food being 
served. It became known locally as “hot jhals” musicand, as the musicians 
played the “l” out of it, this became corrupted to “hot jhas”. From there it 
was a short step to hot jazz or jazz.
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 > If this were all the evidence that Vencatachellum was able to provide, it 
would be derisory indeed. But he goes on to trace the spread of the music to 
other towns in India where, during the days of prohibition, musicians would get 
together for what were known as chutney sessions in the local Sikheasies.
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 > Meanwhile the original New Delhi band was gaining a wide following among the 
Sikhs who derived, it is said, great élan from the music. As a result of this 
the band became known as the Original Sikhs Elan Jhas Band and the leader 
achieved additional fame when he wrote Ali Zander’s Raga Time Band.
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 > Hand in hand with the evolution of jazz in New Delhi was a secondary 
movement emanating from a member of the British Raj in the northern state of 
Nepal. He assembled around himself a large orchestra of British and Indian 
musicians which became known as the Nepal White Man Band.
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 > Also contributing to the mainstream of jazz development was religious music 
and a number of gopal (gospel) singers were emerging, using jazz rhythms in 
conjunction with traditional hymns like “We Pilau The Fields And Scatter”. And 
from the workers in the cotton fields came the blues form, later taken up with 
some success by a titled woman in the Punjab known only as Maharanee (later 
corrupted by Western writers to Ma Rainey).
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 > But perhaps the blues movement, says Vencatachellum, came from the fakirs 
(including some elderly female ones known as mother fakirs) who roamed Bombay 
moaning laments as they walked through hot coals.
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 > Their wailing became so distracting that the authorities banished them to 
the municipal toilets where a special section was put aside for them. The 
lavatory seats each had a dozen spikes sticking up and the wailing that echoed 
through the place naturally became universally known as the music of the 
12-barb loos – perhaps the most fundamental form of Indian jazz.
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 > Vencatachellum traces the development of various forms of jazz – that of the 
West Coast stream evolved by a group of diminutive members of the aristocracy 
known as Shorty Rajahs, the bebop movement introduced by a number of seers who 
transformed the standard Whispering into Guruvin’ High and the rock ‘n’ roll 
style pioneered by Chuck Ber-Beri, who found fame with RagaBeating Boogie and 
Sweet Little Sikhs Teen.
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 > The Author is particularly interesting when he gives the stories behind such 
jazz standards as Low Down Dhoti Shame Blues, Poppadam Allow No Music Played In 
Here and You Korma Long Way From New Delhi. He also refers at length to the 
introduction of the electric sitar by Charlie Hindu and the contributions made 
by such Indian jazz greats as Vindaloo Donaldson, Rajah kellaway, Rupee Braff, 
and singers like Delhi Rice and Chappatti page. He also recalls the pioneering 
work of the dark-hued trombonist from the south known as “Tanned” Ory.
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 > Vencatachellum is convincing when he explains how Indian jazz evolved into 
rhythm and blues through the efforts of the Tabla Motown label. And he is most 
persuasive when he talks about the bosa nova influence from the former 
Portugese region, led by the talented Domengo Chutney. Domengo, he explains, is 
nicknamed “Mango” by his followers, and since he comes from the former 
Portugese region, is often referred to as “Goa Mango” – an appellation familier 
to jazz lovers throughout the world.
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 > However the author is on rather more treacherous ground when he sets out to 
prove that most of the American jazz standards are, in fact, based on original 
Indian tunes.
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 > He quotes the case, for example, of an Indian potentate who commissioned a 
song from a local composer. The composer completed the work and, to make an 
impression, rode to the palace sitting on the ear of an elephant and singing, 
Caliph, On Ear I Come. He has other far-fetched  explanations for titles like 
Ghee Baby Ain’t I Good To You, Whose Sari Now, DIG Urdu Urdu and I Call My 
Sugar Ghandi.
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 > Vencatachellum has written a recourceful and fascinating book, but I am 
bound to say that if you are a serious student of jazz, in the Brian Oxide 
class, you may find that Jazz Is Where You Sikh It, instead of helping you, 
tends to India.
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 > This article is reprinted from Melody Maker and is attributed by that 
magazine to “the almost totally unknown authority on Indian culture, Jean 
Elliot, who has made a bit of chutney in her time and once visited Southall”
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