Rocky Mountain Way

I’ve collected a few stringed-instruments over the years and enjoy learning to play them a little bit. Now here in India, my attention turns to the sitar, that buzzing pumpkin gourd that enlightened 60’s pop tunes. We followed a recommendation from Elder Jensen to hit Reynold’s Musical Instruments on Brigade Rd. We went inside the small shop to see a couple guys muscling a large keyboard from its cardboard box while a few others stood in the back watching. Unlike the silk emporiums and handicraft stores, no one jumped to us. In fact no one seemed to pay us any attention. I wandered over to the guitars and picked up an acoustic. A young guy in his 20s who had been maneuvering the keyboard came over and asked if I played. He introduced himself as Melvin, an out-of-towner from Chennai (6 hours NE). He didn’t work at the store, but he liked to play blues. He too grabbed a six-string and we tuned. 12-bar blues in E it was… and so we jammed! Any store workers there continued to show indifference… then Melvin, who was already very excited, raised his eyebrows with a large smile: “Do you know any Joe Walsh?” Well, YEAH. So there I was, in India, screaming out ‘Rocky Mountain Way’ with Melvin--what fun!!!

As for the sitar, there was a slightly used one on display that I experimented with. So foreign to me: planes of strings running here and there, tuning knobs up and down the whole neck, sound chambers on both ends? I picked one string and tried to make some sound. Got some of that buzz going, but it certainly was tricky. Certainly didn’t feel pressured into a sale. I dragged very little info out of the shopkeepers and felt inclined to inquire elsewhere… We’ll see.