People who can turn their childhood passion into a successful career are the lucky ones. Musician Aavas is one of the few. Aavas taught himself how to write and read music as a young shepherd. He walked the hills on the Valley rim, playing his bamboo flute-a dreamer who preferred nature to people.

As he grew older, he realised he had talent. He got in touch with musicians in Kathmandu with a leftist bent who wanted to create something other than conventional lyrics and music. Even today, Aavas prefers lyricists with revolutionary, social and cultural insights with a real feel for literature. Among his favourites are Biplob Pratik, Tirtha Shrestha and Shrawan. Inspired by great Nepali maestros like Narayan Gopal and Ambar Gurung, what sets this pony-tailed, bespectacled composer apart from a breed of new musicians is his faithfulness to Nepali musical roots.

His unique music caught the attention of European documentary makers and that led to Aavas composing several albums for German and Norwegian filmmakers, even travelling there to perform. But at the end of the day, it is back home to Nepal and its music for Aavas. "I know it's a risk not to go digital, yet I always wanted to experience what our past masters did," he says. That is why his music is original, but with a traditional sound.

In many respects he is an 'old school' musician in a digital world of multitrack recording that produces seamless perfection. He shuns technology that tweaks or otherwise changes a singer's voice. Aavas dislikes the dehumanising effect of digitisation on something as inherently human (and thus sometimes flawed) as music.

In an analogue system, everyone must come together to make music. Aavas is now poised to become a crusader-a musician set against the soulessness of digital music. To prove his point, he recently organised a live concert to demonstrate a one-take recording in front of a large audience. "I'm not against the digital system," he clarifies. "What I dislike is that it kills the wonderful spirit of working together as real performers." Hear,
hear.

(Naresh Newar)