American Jazz institute offers scholarships to Indian students

Kolkata, Jan 16(UNI) The Lonious Monk Institute of Jazz, the Washington D C based world renowned institute of Jazz music, has decided to offer two year 'all expenses paid' scholarships to 25 indian students of Jazz music later this year, LMIJ President Thomas Carter announced here today.

Speaking to newsmen here this evening, a day after perfoming in the city and mesmerising the audiences, Mr Carter and two other leading performers of the group - Charlie Parker and Miles Davies - said the Jazz music in the United States was currently passing through a great transition.

"As a result a number of well-known Jazz music traininig institutes in the USA were facing closure on one side,while a number of others were coming into being simultaneously, thereby opening a new vista for further growth of the clarionet oriented music like Jazz, Raps and Blues, they said.

To a query both Mr Carter and Mr Davies, who was adjudged the best American black Jazz singer last year, highly praised the emergence of Jazz music and its popularity in India and said they were highly impressed with the available talents in major cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata.

"Our Institute has decided to introduce as many as 25 all expenses paid annual scholarships for budding Indian musical talents in the USA," Mr Carter informed and invited applications for the first batch of students till the middle of February. After thorough screening the first batch would leave for the USA in August to join the two year long session beginning in September next, he said.

" We are confident that after a few years India would be able to produce some of the greatest Jazz musicians in the world," Mr Carter emphasised and hailed the rich cultural and musical heritage of India, particularly that of Bengal.

The 25-member LMIJ performers who arrived in the city on January 13 and performed in a packed house last night, left for New Delhi tonight for a three day visit.

Before arriving here they also performed in Mumbai as part of an Indo-Americal cultural exchange programme.

UNI