In a sense, on Bittersweet, Sumitra presents a spiritual autobiography, pulling together her experiences, twists and turns into a collection of stories that, in various ways, reflect the contradictory emotions implied by the title. Not least of these vignettes is the title track itself: “Bittersweet” juxtaposes memories of her mother’s December death, of their mutual December birthday, of her December wedding anniversary. “After my parents’ departures, I’ve been given a new definition of self,” she says. “I’ve learned that grief and joy can and do coexist side by side, in harmony — and it’s good.” She cites Brené Brown’s descriptor, “holding the tension,” adding:
“To me it seems that this quality (which you could also call ‘holding the balance’) is what life — and making music — is all about.” TED PANKEN