We recently connected with Pritesh Walia and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Pritesh with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
Growing up in India, the concept of pursuing music professionally was very much looked down upon and belittled. Becoming a professional guitar player was a taboo subject for most of my life. I knew better than to take music that seriously until my parents came to me and told me they believed in me. I felt, and still feel incredibly lucky for their unwavering support. From that moment on, I stopped dreaming and got to work. I worked my way out of India and into the best music programs in the US. I worked my way in and out of every recording session and gig. I worked and set bigger goals for myself because I was and am very conscious of my privilege. I guess I get my work ethic from wanting to make my parents proud. I would never take the future only they’ve made possible for granted.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a jazz guitarist, composer, band leader, and educator from New Delhi, India. My musical journey began at the age of 13 when I immersed myself in the rich traditions of Indian Classical Music. I very quickly realized an insatiable curiosity for music, and initiated a lifelong pursuit of mastering diverse musical styles. I left India and moved to the US to further my education, earning an Associate of Arts Degree from the Musicians Institute College of Contemporary Music, a Bachelor’s Degree from Berklee College of Music in Contemporary Jazz Performance and Jazz Composition, and a Master’s Degree in Jazz Performance from the New England Conservatory. I’ve always had a spiritual connection to my instrument. Over the years, writing original music has come easily to me. I’ve always known what I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it. I’ve made evoking emotion through musical exploration my priority. I have an unwavering dedication to jazz, a genre that encapsulates not only my love for performance and composition but also my commitment to understanding its intricate harmony, theory, language, history, and voice. As I continue to evolve as a musician, educator, and collaborator, I hope to have a lasting impact on the jazz world.
I am set to unveil my organ trio, “PSA,” in my first ever album release on February 23rd, 2024. The singles “Onward” and “Troxyfot” have received a lot of love from Spotify’s Fresh Finds Jazz Editorial Playlist, and I am excited to see how the rest of the album performs.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
As a musician, being on time has been the most important quality. Another is being prepared. Not only in knowing the music, but going beyond and understanding the role you play in the bigger picture. Last would be the ability to get out of your own head. Don’t let other people’s opinions, successes, actions affect your creativity.
If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?
I live with constant, debilitating vertigo. Over a year ago, I experienced a terrible vertigo attack that I, unfortunately, never recovered from. This completely derailed my personal and professional life. I had to completely stop performing and playing guitar for the better part of a year. Modern medicine left me helpless with no answers, only the hope that years of physical therapy might one day bring some relief. My condition hasn’t improved, I’ve just had to force myself to keep living my life. I slowly started picking up the guitar again, playing for fun and finding the love I had for my instrument. My playing is different now, not better or worse, but different. Despite my condition, I push. As an independent artist, I am responsible for every aspect of making and releasing music. So I push. I play gigs, I hold down administrative duties, I have zoom meetings, I make art. Vertigo won’t run my life. I push.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.priteshwaliamusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/priteshwalia/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pritesh.walia/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PSA-Trio
- Other: https://www.gofundme.com/f/priteshrecovery?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer https://www.tiktok.com/@priteshwalia?_t=8jumydVbBT5&_r=1
Image Credits
David Kayne, Edward Boches, Raphael Lehnen
