How A Trip to Sri Lanka Led Mumbai Pianist Anurag Naidu to Work on the New Collaborative Neo-Soul-Jazz Album ‘Odyssey’ 

In January 2020, Mumbai pianist Anurag Naidu received a text from Spanish singer Alba Santos inviting him to Colombo in Sri Lanka to work on a music project alongside Cuban bassist Aniel Someillan and Brazilian drummer Isais Alves. That project has just been released in the shape of the eight-track album Odyssey.  

The trio had a residency at a restaurant in a hotel in Colombo and were keen on putting together material for an album that they could tour with and tapped Naidu for his skills on the keys. Despite being excited to be part of the project, Naidu does admit that he was filled with curiosity and anxiety. He says, “I was almost ready to assume that this was a well-thought-out prank. I was crashing with the musicians in the hotel. People I’ve never met, and having only seen their socials as proof of [them being] real humans and not bots. No Zoom, no Skype.” 

However, once he did arrive in Colombo, he knew that working on this project would be a breeze after hearing Alves and Someillan play. Naidu says, “90 percent of the work was already done.” The pianist adds about Santos, “Alba on the other hand is one of the most gifted singers I have worked with. [She has] incredible range, a melodious husky voice and she really knew how to use it to her advantage.” 

The now four-piece band began workshopping song ideas as they had only six days to finish the album. They wrote five tracks by the end of their first day together and had three more by the second day. “The whole experience gave me a residency feel; living, eating and chilling with the same musicians. So, you’re doing more than just playing music together; [you’re] talking about culture, likes, dislikes,” says Naidu.  

Odyssey on the whole is a beautiful concoction of Brazilian rhythms, jazz, R&B, neo-soul, Cubano, flamenco and funk music. The musicians on show deliver exceptional performances across the eight songs. Santos’ nifty and dynamic vocals add plenty of color to the tracks while Alves and Someillan are sublime with their solid grooves that lay the foundation for the songs, and Naidu is at his creative best with his deft touch on the piano, offering melodious moments and lots of dexterity.  

Naidu says, “We recorded eight tracks over a period of four days in Sri Lanka at Sound Asia recording studio. It was lovely to have an actual grand piano to play on. All the songs are recorded as one takes, no realigning or jumps. We had insisted upon that as a parameter at the start. It was complicated but also very enriching because you can really hear the synthesis among us and feel that it goes straight through to the end of the track.” 

A week after returning to Mumbai after the studio sessions, the pandemic hit and Naidu kept in touch with his collaborators throughout and helped with suggestions during the mixing of the album remotely. In 2021, while in Europe, Naidu caught up with Someillan and Santos to tour Spain. It was during this time that the musicians decided to release Odyssey in its entirety.  

“Odyssey was made because creativity needs an outlet; feelings we have as professional musicians that we nourish on the side as we go about our daily jobs. At night the artist comes on. Eventually, all it needs is a catalyst, the spark that creates a fire. And when kindled spirits from different places meet, with the same passion to do something different, you get something different, all in a span of six days,” says Naidu.  

Stream ‘Odyssey’ on Spotify below: