Deepak Ram may be the only South African-born Indian musician to compose a tune in honor of the dance that Nelson Mandela does on stage. He may be the first person to ever master the jazz standard “Giant Steps” on bansuri (Indian bamboo flute). But none of this is surprising given where he came from. His latest album, Steps (on Golden Horn Records) featuring both of these tunes, is a logical response to his life experience, with one foot in ragas and one foot in African and African-American jazz.