Jazzed up Ragas enthrall

ON TUESDAY, the Mecca of `kutcheri', Mylapore was witness to a `kutcheri' with a difference. `Facing East' was indeed a unique jazz fusion concert, but branding it carnatic fusion might have worked better, as it drew more crowds, considering the locality of the venue.

Music lovers who missed it were definitely a deprived lot for `Facing East' was a feast. Six musicians charged with energy and spirits extremely high, one could not have asked for a better show.

Watching the Americans, Mr. Dave Pietro, eighteen times Grammy nominee on his Saxophone, Flautist and composer Mr. John Wobbenhorst switching between bamboo and silver, and bassist Steve Zerlin with his guitar, giving Carnatic music a Jazz touch, was a delight even for purists as well as those who had little knowledge in Classical music.

Equally competitive were their Indian counterparts, Mr. Sundip Burman, who was introduced as someone who has been all round the world so much that there was a joke that he lived on the plane, veteran Mr. T. H. Subash Chandran, rated by the Americans as one of the best South Indian Percussionist all over the world and Mr. N. Ganesh Kumar on his `Kanjira'.

It was quite a surprise to see all the musicians on one platform, especially the Americans squatting on the floor, in Indian `kutcheri' style and in Indian ethnic wear.

The musicians started out with pieces from their CD `Facing East', including `Irish Raga' and `Phoenix Rising' composed by Mr. Dave Pietro. Once the mood for the evening was set, the performers let themselves loose for a `jugalbandhi' in `kutcheri' style, much to the excitement of the audience.

All through the fusion of ragasthere were spells of ovation.

Maestro Ilayaraja who seemed to be very impressed, presented the instrumentalists with a silk shawl each. When asked to speak, the composer seemed to run short of words: ``What should I say? I am enjoying. You are also enjoying. So let us all enjoy - the music, the rhythm, the raga, the tempo, they are all the same.''

Another wonderful part of the entire show was the camaraderie and the body language of the performers on stage - they all seemed to enjoy one another's company and complimented one another, with their music and expressions speaking all the unsaid words.

A show that lasted just a little less than two hours did not seem to be that long at all.

(By Sudhish Kamath)

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