Stephen Devassy is a name that causes excitement among those who follow the world music scene. The musician from Kerala is now causing a buzz with the first video for Aliens in the City from his album Project 70.
Project 70 is an instrumental album and Aliens in the City features Solid Band and Indian
A young prodigy
A classically trained pianist –he was a top scorer in the Trinity College of Music exams – Stephen announced his arrival while only 18, orchestrating the music for the album Ishtamannu. He then accompanied Hariharan on the keyboard on a European tour and also accompanied L Subramaniam at the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival.
Image courtesy: YouTube grab
Other albums
When he was 19, he started a pop band and cut an album, Yeh Zindagani. He’s also worked on Kosmic Chants, a collection of holy chants set to Western music. Stephen assisted Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan on Breaking Barriers, a collection of Christmas music. Another of his previous albums is Romanza, a a mix of world music, using Indian ragas treated with contemporary piano.
Image courtesy: stephendevassy.com
Film music
Stephen Devassy has scored for films such as Majaa, Azhagiya Thamizh Magan and KQ.
An artist on stage
With his audience-friendly manner and mind-boggling artistry, Stephen Devassy’s live performances – at youth festival, music extravaganzas and on other cultural platforms – are a huge draw. He’s frequently referred to as the ‘Fastest keyboard player’ and is always a treat to watch and hear.
