Malayala Manorama
I was born in Kerala, India. at the age of 8 years my father after retiring from the Indian Navy got a post in Atomic Energy and our whole family shifted to Bombay. I completed my schooling at the Don Bosco English School and later on completed graduation at the Osmania university in Hyderabad.
In Bombay evey kid grows up with the film industry and I grew with a passion for Hindi films and film music. I was and still am a die hard fan of the singer Mohamed Rafi. Later on I was introduced to the English music of the Beatles by my uncle.I really started liking this kind of music and to cut the story short I was presented with a guitar and I started practicing day and night and later on formed few groups and won a few awards too. Later on after finishing my studies I formed few Great Bands called, Swingers The Vibrators and Crash.
We were rated as the Four best Bands of India at that time.
Apart from that though there were great Western Or Indian Bands we were the only Band capable of playing really well both westerne and Indian music at the top level. I am perticularly proud about this because we really worked a lot to attain that perfection whether it be songs by groups like, Santana, Earth Wind and Fire, Chicago, Beatles etc or Songs from Hindi Films. So while in Bombay we performed for two years at the Sea Rock hotel with India's first revolving restaurent on roof top.I was the Band leader and singer and this status permitted me to meet some Great people like Amitabh Bachan, Dilip Kumar,R D Burman etc etc. At that time me and most of my Band members ( We were Seven) used to work during the day as session musicians for the composers of those days. Me and my drummer Rajesh used to work for the not yet famous Composer Anu Mallik as arrangers.
Then went on an All India tour with the then famous Sharon Prabhaker
At the end of the tour I decided to go abroad, as at that time in India there were much less opertunities for any ambitious musician playing western music.
So I came to France seeking fame and fortune and I got a little bit of both and I am still continuing.
I will be writing a detailed article about my French and internationelle experience, but here is a short Resumé.
After an inital strugle for about one year or so I started playing in small clubs and then bigger clubs and later on big venues with famous singers like, Patricia Kass, Bernard La Villier and later on Johny Halliday. I also sang at the Moulin Rouge for about a year.I also had the chance to play few times in French Television.
I worked briefly for TF1 composing generics and background music for documenteries etc .The Famous Haut Couture Brand SWARVOSKY chose me as a composer for a short film they made for one of their products called LOVELOTS. I was also the music Directorof GREASE the French theater version.I had the opertunity to play in most European countries as a gutarist and singer and till recently as a DJ. Yes I am also DJing since last six years. That's it....till later.
Music was a passion and it still is. This passion has made me work hard to perfect songs of great artists from all over the world.Though there is nothing called perfection I try a maximum to perform the songs as close to the original. Through the years this passion has developed a repertoire of more than 400 songs from most famous singers and Bands in all styles of music wether it be Rock, Pop, disco, funk ,or jazz . I just learn any song that sounds good without bothering what style it is. If it sounds good to the ears it is good.I have been fortunate to have been selected to play in some of the best clubs in France and all over the world.
I also play several instruments like Guitar, Piano, Drums, Percussions; Bass etc.
I am also DJ'ing since last 6 years. I say..... Anything in music is good....John
Here is an article about me by a famous French magazine.
John Shyam is one of the most brilliant singer and musician at present performing in Paris at the famous Moulin Rouge .I had a chance to talk to him just after the New Year Eve show where he did a sort of one man show singing and playing several instruments like synthesizer, guitar, percussions etc.
He is originally from India but he is an Anglo Indian as his father is English and mother Indian.
I was amazed at the ease with which he performed different styles of songs from pop to rock,funk,reggae, rock n roll etc. He was equally at ease singing songs of stevie wonder or Michael jackson to Frank Sinatra or Elvis presley. He has the rare ability to get into the skin of the singer he is interpreting.
He is also a great guitarist and if you close your eyes you will think that it is Sntana .He later on confided to me that he is a great fan of Santana and knows most of his songs by heart . Apart from the latest songs we were also treated to few old classics of Rolling Stones and the Beatles . It was a real treat for our ears and I would say keep it up John!
Jean Louis (Paris Panam)
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