She's sassy. She's funky. And she's oh-so-cool, man. She can spin a mean tune, scat like a cat on a hot tin roof, and simultaneously drum up a thunderstorm on a set of congas. All with perfect tuning and spunky chutzpah, combining grace with rhythmic sanity.

I met Paula Jeanine to riot of turquoise and fuschia colours against a bright Goan sun. A Billboard award winning songwriter, lyricist, singer and percussionist from New York City, whose great Indian dream was accomplished following an invitation from Niranjan Jhaveri - the head honcho of Jazz India Vocal Institute (JIVI). The scholarship sponsored by JIVI in December 2001 offered the artiste five months of intensive voice and percussion explorations, as well as a series of jazz concerts throughout Maharashta.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, now residing in Brooklyn, Paula is a versatile conga player who is equally at ease with a range of exotic instruments. Raised in a family who were singing all the time, Paula opted out from a promising career in architecture to embrace the conga. So strong was her passion that it took her academically inclined family totally by surprise, she laughs. Today, she is admittedly one of the few women percussionists in the world, in an otherwise testosterone infused all male gig.

Her musical passions have led her to Egypt, France, Brazil, Switzerland and Morocco. The latter rings special because Paula performed for the King, playing with the El Rhaouni Abdelali Ensemble and the Tombouctou Gnawa Brotherhood. Besides being a member of many prominent New York bands - the Alessandra Belloni Ensemble, Didjworks, the avant-groove trio Wildlife 3000 and guest artist work with Medeski, Martin & Wood and Trey Anastasio, Paula has led her own groups in NYC over the years. And since music naturally leads to dance, Paula is a master-class teacher and a staff musician at the Alvin Ailey School of Dance and the Paul Taylor School in New York. “As an artist I want to experience the mood. Dance gave me expression”, she emphasizes, having performed at the prestigious Guggenheim Museum, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Lincoln Centre and Carnegie Hall, NY.

But this girl is an Indophile at heart, too. A self-published poet since seven, Paula claims her first-time brush with India has been a “third eye” awakening of sorts. “India is the holy grail. I've always aspired to come to India, to find out who I was. It has been a dream come true. India's spirituality forces you to confront yourself and your feelings. My feelings about humanity are much stronger now., As a woman artist, I feel creatively and emotionally enriched. I think I've opened up the top floor of my brain with this visit”, she confesses.

Inspired by ghazals and thumri, Paula has new idols as well. “I've listened to Mehdi Hassan and Gulam Ali, they're awesome. I'm also trying to incorporate the ghazal style of writing couplets into my songwriting. And my Indian vocal teacher, Dhanashree Pandit-Rai is something out of this world. India women are so amazing. I've never seen so much beauty, character and colour in my entire life,” Paula enthuses. “I'm absolutely, head-over-heels, a newly born Indophile.” So, whether it is frolicking with the desert women of Rajasthan at a Camel festival in Bikaner; talking in the multicultural excitement of Mumbai; lending a hint of sophistication to the social chatterati gathered at the Oberoi; or soaking the sun in balmy Goa, she's on a solo roll.

Paula is high on Indian writers as well. “Women writers of India know how to pack a punch,” Paula says of authors Geeta Mehta,Arundhati Roy and Anita Desai, adding “as compared to western women, I think Indian women are much more forward thinking. Even a stroll down an Indian street is almost like acelebration of womanhood. The eyes mirror the Indian soul. Same with fashion. I love the salwar khameez. It's a very practical, utilitarian and sensual garment, especially the dupatta. The way women wrap this fabric around themselves is sensual. I've bought several pieces of this garment to take home, though I won't manage draping the saree around me,” she breaks into laughter.

Hmmmm...and then, there is a fetish - hats! Paula's own style statement and a constant fixture at all her performances. Small hats with big attitude. Big, breezy hats with ostrich feathers. Paula laughs throatily. “The hats make the performance special. They're festive and celebratory and also unusual,” she reveals. Like a black velvet top hat with tiger stripes with a salwar khameez?? Now that's unusually cool. This New Yorker is sure caught up in an Indian time warp!!!