JOHN MAYER

John Mayer, who collaborated with Joe Harriott in developing a fusion of jazz with Indian musical elements, died on March 9, 2004, after being struck by an automobile. He was 73 years old. Born into extreme poverty in the Chandni Chawk section of Calcutta, Mayer played the violin for food as a child. His Roman Catholic family disapproved of him playing for Protestant churches and theater audiences, but Mayer did whatever he could to escape his destitution. In school he studied both Western and Eastern musical forms, knowing that a good, thorough base of knowledge would serve him best as a traveling musician. After studying with Melhi Mehta in Bombay and playing drums in a jazz band to learn more about the style, Mayer was granted a scholarship to Britain's Royal Academy of Music in 1952. His Academy studies included comparative religion and music courses, which furthered his interest in musically fusing read more...