Deepak Ram

b. 1960, Johannesburg, South Africa. An Indian flautist, Ram first began to explore the links between jazz and Indian musical improvisation while jamming with his brothers as a teenager. He travelled to India for the first time aged 17, studying under the famous flute maker Shri Suryakant Limaye, who bequeathed Ram his collection of flutes upon his death in 1986. Returning to India aged 21, he became a disciple of Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, with whom he composed and performed. In 1986 Ram was awarded a masters degree in composition from Rhodes University, South Africa. Subsequently he lectured full-time at the University of Durban-Westville. He collaborated with Darius Brubeck and Airto Moreira on the Gathering Forces project, appearing on Gathering Forces 2 (1993). Moving to London, Ram released Flute For Thought, his debut album, in 1998. Based around a series of tunes composed by Ram over the previous 10 years, the album featured a mixture of Indian, African and Western influences and included contributions from kora player Tunde Jegede and percussionist Thomas Dyani.