Dallas Smith: ‘Indian Classical Music Is Close To My Heart’

Music is something magical that touches the soul and heals you. One such experience was when we tuned into the soulful music being played by husband-wife Dallas Smith and Susan Mazer, renowned musicians in the world of jazz.

Hailing from Reno, US, the instrumentalists are currently in Mumbai to perform, connect, and celebrate. Interestingly, the couple celebrates 37th wedding anniversary on March 29, which also marks their 40 years of playing music together.

Excerpts from the interview:

Can you tell us more about your 2024 India tour and your performances in the city?

Dallas Smith: We recently played at the Royal Opera House. It was a unique repertoire, a mix of American jazz and our original compositions which were influenced by my study of Hindustani classical music. We also performed at the Prithvi Theatre alongside tabla player Unmesh Banerjee and Kathak artist Aditi Bhagwat. On March 31, we will perform at the Indo Jazz Gig being held in Juhu. I’ll perform flute and my wife, Susan, the harp. Tabla player Anuradha Pal will join us on the stage.

We have a few more performances as we spend seven weeks in the city during our tour, alongside spending some time meeting our friends and enjoying every meal as an adventure.