A filepic of Lewis Pragasam during a jazz fusion showcase in Kuala Lumpur in 1986. Photo: The Star/Filepic
Lewis Pragasam, a longtime Malaysian jazz drummer whose powerful performances, deep knowledge of percussion, music history and inspiring educator spirit, made him an institution in his own right, has died. He was 66.
According to Lewis Pragasam Official Fanpage, he died from a heart attack at a private hospital in Petaling Jaya, at 3am Monday (Dec 18).
A local article reported that he passed away peacefully, surrounded by family and friends.
Just on Dec 16, the Facebook page had posted videos of Pragasam interacting with fans at an event in Shah Alam. There were also announcements that Pragasam was set to perform at a Christmas event on Dec 17 and a live music showcase on Dec 21.
The Kuala Lumpur-born artiste – who started out as a classic/prog rock fan before discovering the jazz fusion possibilities of John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra – was one of Malaysia's most highly-regarded percussionists.
With the ambition to create a fusion group driven by a cross-cultural music language, Pragasam founded the Asiabeat Project in 1979, that merged Asian and Western musical styles.
In 1983, the bandleader broke new ground in the local recording scene when major label CBS released Asiabeat's self-titled debut album, which offered a fusion of Asian ethnic rhythms and Western jazz.
The group, with Pragasam as the creative force, went on to release five more albums, including Dare To Dream in 1984, Drumusique in 1993 and Monsoon in 1994.
In 2021, he released the Lewis Pragasam's Asiabeat album titled Akar, a collaborative project reflecting how he was actively engaged in the contemporary pop fusion scene.
His energy, vision and passion for drums had largely contributed to the huge regional interest in drums and percussion.
Pragasam often lent his drum skills for top local artistes such as Sheila Majid, when she staged a jazz concert at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas (DFP) in 2000. He was also an in-demand session drummer/musician on hundreds of local albums, spanning pop, rock and jazz genres.
As one of Asia’s leading percussionists, Pragasam performed with renowned artistes such as Bob James, Nathan East, Paul Jackson, Tony Levin, Billy Cobham and Andy Sheppard, as well as at major regional jazz events and international festivals, including a royal command performance for HRH The Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1995.
He received a Fulbright scholarship from the United States in the early 1990s, where he researched ethnic music of South-East Asia and world music.
In the mid-1990s, the accomplished drummer added music educator to his resume, following his relentless passion to nurture young talent and to create a broader awareness about drum culture. He was a familiar and lively sight at drum clinics and percussion festivals across Malaysia.
In those years, Pragasam led his own Groove School, developed the “Drum Talk” educational series and was also the music director of the Centre of Performing Arts at HELP Institute (Malaysia).
