Meet the king of the stage

Building inspector by trade and musician by talent, Keeran Eshwarlall made KZN proud at the Cape Town Jazz Festival this weekend.

The KwaDukuza municipal employee of eight years had his heart set on classical music from the age of sixteen.

This was a passion that inspired the now 44-year-old Verulam resident to master eight musical instruments.

Eshwarlall said his first experience playing music was a ‘divine accident’ that he did not regret.

“It was 1990 and I was busy with homework when my dad was practising the harmonium on the terrace of my family home. He kept failing at playing it and I went out to ask him what that noise was. He then challenged me to play him a piece and I thought to myself ‘how hard can this be?’

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“Having never played an instrument, or had any prior musical knowledge whatsoever, I set my fingers on the harmonium and played out my dad’s music lesson correctly.”

A new talent had been born and with that, Eshwarlall also taught himself to also play the guitar, and Indian classical instruments like the santoor, tabla, dholak, Shai jabja and harmonica while taking up singing as well.

Travelling and performing took Eshwarlall to many stages, where he had the privilege of performing with several of the most renowned artists in the Indian musical industry, and has to date given over 5000 performances.

His natural rhythmic flair eventually saw him reach international platforms while collaborating with artists from around the world in the making of international struggle songs.

On March 23, the musician who specialises in a number of genres joined other international talents on stage at the Cape Town Jazz Festival.

“Music unites people and that we need to do.”

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