String wisdom

Street smart musician

by RISHI AMATYA

FROM ISSUE # 146 (February 2008) | IN THIS ISSUE
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ANUP PRAKASH

Where do you go when you have nowhere to run to? Probably, you could try looking within yourself.

It was what Jyoti Ghimire did. After searching for answers all over the place, and in desperate attempts to cope with a sense of feeling that can be best described as an identity crisis, he turned to himself.

It all started with one nagging question – "Apart from having played for the lot, where is my personal musical mark in this industry?"

"That question forced a change in me," says Ghimire. "Sure, I've played for loads of artistes. I've been in lots of bands playing my heart out as the lead guitarist. But that was that."
Such an introspection changed everything. It forced Jyoti to take heed into making some noise- musically. And, while still holding a tight spot as a sought after live performer (till date, he has accompanied many artistes in their musical tours, be they in the national arena or otherwise), a session musician and an engineer (he's an accomplished engineer with Nepal Telecom), he started his musical sojourn.

Today, Ghimire's search for an identity has translated into two full-fledged solo albums and music videos to accompany them. Word's out that he's working on his third venture, which he says will take the listeners back to the basics of rock music.

"I'm very much influenced by the 70s and its music has stayed with me all the while," he says. "The creative energy of that time overflows into my work and most of my songs hum to it."

Indeed, his tunes carry within them intensity and a certain subtle rawness that you can easily identify with. It's pure foot-tapping music, with lots of guitar riffs all over the place – undoubtedly rock, sweet 70s rock to be precise, but done in a local Nepali style. And did we mention his blazing guitar skills? He's got smooth fingers and throughout the songs, you'll hear accompanying riffs, starting interludes, end of verse run-offs and sporadic cadenzas, not forgetting the trail-blazing solos that are simply breathtaking.

The question is: has he finally found his musical identity?

It's hard to pinpoint if you were to stand in his shoes. After all, he's played for a myriad of musicians that come from different backgrounds.

For one, he's played for Sanjay Shrestha and Bhim Tuladhar; saw them come to fame and slowly trickle away looking for other avenues. He's also played for old timer rockers like the Prism, Blind Faith, Legends and countless others as a back-up musician.

So, where does he really stand today in terms of his music, and has he been able to raise the roof with his songs? "I'm working towards it," he says. "From the first time I picked up the guitar, I knew what I wanted to do and where I belong. I'm a musician through and through, and definitely have the will to work hard to stay here for the longest time."

And that kind of determination was just the answer we needed.