The spark for *Treekam*, a groundbreaking instrumental album, ignited two years ago over a dinner conversation between musician-producer Sandeep Chowta and Carnatic guitarist Abhay Nayampally. What began as a brainstorming session quickly evolved, leading them to collaborate with Nagaland-based guitarist Arenlong. Their vision was to craft a truly unique soundscape, blending Carnatic melodies and traditional Naga folk tunes with jazz and world music elements. The result is the five-track album, *Treekam*, proudly released under Sandeep’s Namma Music label.
Treekam, the five-track album was released on Sandeep’s Namma Music.
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Sandeep Chowta, alongside cultural curator Arpito Gope, helmed the production of this ambitious project. The album boasts an impressive international lineup, featuring British bassist Seb Read, American drummer Jerrod ‘J-Rod’ Sullivan, and American keyboardist Tom Schuman, celebrated for his work with the iconic jazz fusion band Spyro Gyra. Adding another rich layer to the sound, two tracks incorporate soulful chants performed by Mengu Suokhire and the Nagaland Folkloric group.
American keyboardist Tom Schuman.
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Abhay Nayampally, a protégé of the legendary Carnatic mandolin maestro U. Shrinivas, brings his deep classical roots to *Treekam*. His previous collaboration with Tom Schuman on the track ‘Comfortable Silences’ from Schuman’s 2024 album, *I Am Schuman*, paved the way for their synergy on ‘Swan Song’ in *Treekam*. This composition, based on raga Hamsadhwani, truly shines with Schuman’s touch. Abhay notes, “He heard a few songs and particularly liked this one. He added his beautiful vision to the track. Hamsadhwani, by itself, is a simple raga, but he added just the right amount of nuances.”
The album also features British bassist Seb Read.
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The album’s title, *Treekam*, is a Sanskrit-derived word meaning “triad” or “convergence,” perfectly embodying the three core musical traditions at its heart: Carnatic music, enchanting Naga tribal chants, and diverse global soundscapes. Arenlong candidly shared that his greatest challenge lay in adapting traditional Naga music to the guitar. He admitted, “Carnatic music was totally new to me, but I heard a lot of Abhay’s work and found the genre to be rich. The combination worked out well.”
American drummer Jerrod ‘J-Rod’ Sullivan.
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Abhay’s compositional contributions include three compelling tunes, among them the aforementioned ‘Swan Song’. The album opens with ‘Spunky Town’, a dynamic piece rooted in raga Abheri. Abhay explains his choice: “It’s one of my favourite ragas and though I have recorded it before, I wanted to do something different. The thing about Abheri is that despite being a traditional raga, it has got more contextual value even in the modern setting. It just fits in with what we wanted to do, which was something catchy and a little faster.”
Another highlight is ‘Divine Directions’, a raga-infused piece elevated by Arenlong’s improvisational flair. Abhay elaborated, “I started with raga Arabhi but thought I’d switch it up a bit. So I got the completely different Sindhu Bhairavi in the solo. The contrast went off well.”
Arenlong, the Nagaland-based guitarist, said his biggest challenge was to translate traditional Naga music onto the guitar.
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Arenlong shed light on his own compositions, noting, “Nagaland has many tribes which have different types of chants. Yet, by the way the notes are articulated, you can make out it’s a Naga tribal song.” He further explained that ‘Blending Tunes’ draws from a chant of his Ao tribe, while ‘Zakto Tssoa’ finds its inspiration in the Lotha tribe. “We added chants as they provide a good layering,” he concluded.
Arenlong, a celebrated multiple guitar competition winner, is renowned for crafting evocative soundscapes that conjure images of forest rhythms, ancient spirit dances, and communal storytelling. Abhay, on his part, has masterfully adapted U. Shrinivas’s mandolin technique to forge a distinctive Carnatic guitar style. For both artists, *Treekam* stands as a truly unique and special musical experiment.