Sharon Zachariah

In my life in Calcutta, there was music everywhere. I learnt from my grandmother, Sudarshana Bagchi, who was much admired for her spirit and her voice. I grew up with Jazz, Rock, Rabindrasangeet, Baul and Indian folk styles. Ella and Louis in Porgy and Bess, Joan Armatrading, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Bob Marley, sessions at my grandmother's, concerts and rehearsals - all these things were part of my life, and they sustained and inspired me.I left Calcutta at 19 to study jazz vocals in Rotterdam, to find my own musical identity and build up better vocal technique. I found guidance at a time where I most needed it in Sonja Genu, who sings Brazilian Classical music among other things, and she helped me create a basis that has brought me where I am today in more ways than one.My mother is a dancer. I have always danced and always sung, there never was a beginning. For many years I believed I could leave the field of dancing to others. Now I find I cannot, and am happy to say that I have a place there, too. I studied ballet and modern-dance as well as Bharatnatyam, learnt some Latin-American styles and now I love choreographing and dancing to the brilliant new music written for the Indian cinema. I also love singing and re-interpreting it.I went through several phases after Rotterdam, from living a barely artistic life to urgently searching for the right companions. Today many of my childhood dreams have come true. I find myself doing things that I yearned to do and never knew how.I cannot say to what or whom I owe these blessings, but I am very grateful.Boro asha kore eshechhigo, kachhe deke law.Discography: "Songs from the Musical Poker" by Ruth Sharon Koch (Tutu Records, 1996) "You and Me" Roman Chowdhury (Summer 2008)The vidoes below are from "You and Me"