Louiz Banks: A Symphony of Love by Ashis Ghatak [Hardcover]

This book is a biography of Louis Banks, tracing the extraordinary musical journey of the Darjeeling-born Nepali musician who went on to become one of the pioneering figures of Indian jazz.

Beginning with his childhood and his demanding but influential father, Pushkar Bahadur Budapriti, the book follows Louis Banks’s evolution from a young pianist in Kolkata to a celebrated musician and music director in Mumbai. His association with R. D. Burman, his success in advertising music and his five-decade career reveal how he continually expanded the boundaries of Indian music.

Drawing on Louis Banks’s own anecdotes and recollections from fellow musicians, the book also explores the development of jazz in India, tracing its roots through the country’s colonial past and changing sociopolitical and cultural landscape.

At its heart, it is a story of musical apprenticeship, innovation, perseverance and artistic evolution, portraying Louis Banks as a major force in the development of Indian jazz.