Jazz Legend Lewis Pragasam Dies After Collapsing At Concert

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Malaysian jazz drummer Lewis Pragasam, 66, died following a heart attack at a private hospital in Petaling Jaya at 3am today.

Before his passing, Pragasam reportedly collapsed during the Music of Christmas concert at Good Shepherd Assembly of God church, where he had performed along with three jazz musicians.

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His untimely passing certainly is unfortunate. However, Pragasam will forever be remembered for the impressive legacy he left behind for the local entertainment scene.

Pragasam was among Asia’s most esteemed percussionists and a trailblazer for infusing Asian and Western music.

He along with the members of the cosmic progressive band the Asiabeat Project became a household name in 1979, for their infusion of Malaysian, Indonesian, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Western music styles.

Apart from releasing successful music projects, the group toured and performed at various venues across the globe.

They even had collaborations with world-renowned artists like Paul Jackson, Tony Levin, Billy Cobham, Ernie Watts, Randy Crawford, and Bob James.

But aside from his work as a producer and performer, Pragasam also took time out of his schedule to conduct several workshops for upcoming artists throughout the years.

He, in fact, performed at the Eco Drum Jam at Plaza Shah Alam, last Saturday, holding an educational session with young percussion enthusiasts.

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