BOSTON–“Indian classical music on the saxophone” that is how India’s prominent daily newspaper Time of India once described Phil Scarff, who has pioneered the performance of North Indian classical music on soprano saxophone. He exquisitely captures the music’s subtlety and depth.
Mr. Scarff says that music is his passion. “Music, with focus on improvisation,” says Mr. Scarff. “It works best for me. Feeds my right and left brain and my soul.” For him, success in music and everywhere else is a moving target. “Success is meeting/surpassing one’s goals, keeping in mind that goals may evolve,” he says.
On Oct. 29, 2023, Mr. Scarff will be honored for his groundbreaking contribution to Indian music at the annual New England Choice Awards gala at Burlington Marriott Hotel in Burlington, MA.
In an exclusive video interview, Mr. Scarff talks about eastern and western music and challenges of learning Indian music. To watch the full interview, please click here, or on the image below.
For a musician, persistence and flexibility are also important. And for today’s musicians learning necessary related skills are essential: copywriting, marketing, publicity, organizing, communication, sound system operation, managing mixing/editing/mastering, managing graphic design, audio and video recording and editing, he adds.
Mr. Scarff has performed at the famed Tansen Samaroh in Gwalior, India. His other Indian classical appearances include India’s Nehru Center and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (Mumbai); Saptak School of Music (Ahmedabad); Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture (Kolkata); and ICCR Theater (Delhi). He is a master jazz saxophonist, and leads world-jazz ensembles, Natraj and the Lewis Porter-Phil Scarff Group. World-jazz appearances include India’s JazzYatra, and Prayojana International Music Festival; Ghana’s PANAFEST; and Boston Globe Jazz Festival (USA).
Mr. Scarff, who enjoys biking, swimming and woodworking, says that he has been most inspired by his mother and his Boston music teacher and musician Warren Senders. Key ingredients of the success of his musical journey? He says three: Discipline, conviction and confidence.
His favorite books are: The Raga Guide: A Survey of 74 Hindustani Ragas by Joep Bor, and Raganidhi: A Comparative Study of Hindustani and Karnatak Ragas (4 volume set) by B. Subba Rao.
Mr. Scarff lives by the timeless wisdom of three quotes: 1. “A penny saved is a penny earned,” 2. “Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish,” and 3. “The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks and starting on the first one.”
If Mr. Scarff got a second chance, what would he choose? “I chose the right path this time around – don’t need another shot at it,” says Mr. Scarff, whose favorite jazz artist is John Coltrane, favorite Indian musician is Bismillah Khan. His all-time favorite song is: Nefertiti by Wayne Shorter.
Mr. Scarff is featured on over 40 acclaimed CDs/DVDs. He is featured in the music video, “Vaishnav Jan To” (music director Dhruvit Shah), awarded “Best Music” in the Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival and “Best Music – Jury” in the Kolkata Shorts International Film Festival.
Mr. Scarff has performed with icons of Indian classical music including Ronu Majumdar, Shashank, Kadri Gopalnath, Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman, Trichy Sankaran, Chitravina Ravikiran; as well as African master drummers Godwin Agbeli, Abubakari Lunna, Nani Agbeli, and Lamine Toure. He performs and records with creative jazz ensembles including Aardvark Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Composers Alliance, Filmprov, and OddSong.
He received extensive training in Hindustani music in Pune, India, from vocalist Pt. Shreeram Devasthali, leading sundri artist Pt. Suryakant Khaladkar, and shehnai master Pt. Shyamrao Lonkar, and in Boston, from sitar master Peter Row, and vocalists Kalpana Mazumdar and Warren Senders.
Mr. Scarff has presented workshops at institutions such as New England Conservatory, Indian Musicological Society (Mumbai), Berklee College, Tufts Univ., Kalakshetra Foundation (Chennai, India), Univ. of North TX, Univ. of OK, Lawrence Univ., Bowdoin College, Dartmouth College, Guelph Jazz Festival, Univ. of RI, MIT, LearnQuest Festival, Boston Univ., Berks Jazz Fest, College Conservatory at Univ. of Cincinnati, and North American Saxophone Alliance conferences.
