Calling Elvis: A Personal History of Music Conversations

Calling Elvis: A Personal History of Music Conversations BOOK: 'Calling Elvis _ Conversations with Some of Music's Greatest, A Personal History' Speaking Tiger

Calling Elvis: Conversations With Some of Music’s Greatest, A Personal History

By Shantanu Datta

Shantanu’s career as a journalist placed him at the forefront of music reportage in India for much of the past three decades, and therefore gave him unprecedented access to the greatest performers from around the world who played in the South Asian subcontinent. This book compiles, for the first time

, the detailed interviews he conducted with seminal artistes like Roger Waters (Pink Floyd), Ian Anderson and Martin Barre (Jethro Tull), Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) and many others including Dr L. Subramaniam, John McLaughlin, Sting, Jean-Luc Ponty, Carlos Santana, Amyt Datta and Lew Hilt. His candid, informed conversations with these enduring legends provide a rare glimpse into the minds of those trailblazers who influenced entire generations with their music. Shantanu’s own life too emerges in vignettes throughout the book, as he deftly weaves together his professional life with the personal through shared threads of melody and song. Written with an exceptional depth of knowledge, Calling Elvis is an absolute treat for musicians and music-lovers everywhere.

There’s a symphonic element in Rohan’s compositions, moving from one melodic story to another, with carefully chosen ton...
06/04/2026

There’s a symphonic element in Rohan’s compositions, moving from one melodic story to another, with carefully chosen tonal variations. There’s disarming simplicity and emotional depth too, writes Shantanu Datta.

All three are in service of the melodic moments created with music that’s essentially improvised; Aakash Ganguly’s bass and Gaurab ‘Gaboo’…

In the years since Parekh & Singh, Jivraj is now leading a quiet but busy life pursuing a different calling. He’s seekin...
05/01/2026

In the years since Parekh & Singh, Jivraj is now leading a quiet but busy life pursuing a different calling. He’s seeking fulfilment in a kind of music that seeks to break barriers, both for the performer and listener, writes Shantanu Datta. Thank you Rolling Stone India, Thank you Anurag Tagat, Shamani Joshi.

It’s clear Jivraj Singh, one half of the now-defunct dream-pop duo Parekh & Singh, is now leading a quiet but busy life pursuing a different calling

Varun Desai, curator of JazzFest Kolkata , explains how he chooses bands for the annual 3-day music bash which was a gra...
30/12/2025

Varun Desai, curator of JazzFest Kolkata , explains how he chooses bands for the annual 3-day music bash which was a grand success this year. The Dalhousie Institute

Curator Varun Desai is candid as he explains how he chose bands for the 2025 edition of the annual 3-day music bash at Dalhousie Institute

Anjan Dutt reimagines his song with his very own all-star acoustic band. The result is a thoroughly enjoyable concert th...
22/12/2025

Anjan Dutt reimagines his song with his very own all-star acoustic band. The result is a thoroughly enjoyable concert that was musically rich and straight from the heart. Neel Dutt Amyt Datta Proshanto Mahato

Sinatra, Woodie Guthrie songs tie up the evening’s string of hits from Ami Ashbo Phire, Mary Anne to Chalo Let’s Go, Daak Peon

"It was deeply satisfying to experience a seasoned performer with killer chops give new life to songs that are embedded ...
04/08/2025

"It was deeply satisfying to experience a seasoned performer with killer chops give new life to songs that are embedded in his DNA," writes Shantanu Datta about Saturday's Gary Lawyer concert in Kolkata to celebrate the vinyl re-launch of his 1992 album, The Other Side of Dawn. India Rocks Someplace Else Gary Lawyer

Singer performs songs from his 1992 album, The Other Side of Dawn, relaunched on vinyl, alongside a stirring repertoire of The Doors

We ushered in World Music Day at Wisdom Tree Cafe last night. It was a blast. I did a couple of my favorites after which...
21/06/2025

We ushered in World Music Day at Wisdom Tree Cafe last night. It was a blast. I did a couple of my favorites after which Vajra took over playing Sufi music with flamboyance and feel. "Dam dam Mastakalandar" and "Aaye Na Balam" were absolute standouts. Thank you Soumya Das Gupta for the invitation to play. 🎶🙏❤️

The underlying theme of this electrifying evening of rock music, in most part celebratory but leaving room for moments o...
02/06/2025

The underlying theme of this electrifying evening of rock music, in most part celebratory but leaving room for moments of introspection, was its allegiance to humanity, the key tenets of which we are all moving away from at breakneck speed, writes Shantanu Datta IIndia RocksRRudy WallangKKeith WallangJJaiminBBabi Mitra

Back together after three decades, the ‘Bob Dylan of the East’ is joined by original bandmates Rudy Wallang on guitar and Ferdy Dkhar on…

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