Jazzmin's many fragrances
|
The Jazzmin band and Anoushka Shankar dazzled Delhi audiences this past week, says ANJANA RAJAN.
|
Photos: Anu Pushkarna.
In concert... Carlee Strauss and Seth Blumberg during the Nehru Park performance.
THE JASMINE has its particular fragrance, but when Jazzmin performed in New Delhi the other day, it proved itself to be quite an assorted nosegay. This band of American youngsters is into everything from rock to blues, pop to jazz. Perhaps because of their very versatility, they took in their stride a collaboration with Anoushka Shankar on the sitar. It wasn't just a matter of taking on one more genre though. The primary purpose of the visit of these young musicians, who have just completed a tour of several Indian cities, is to learn at the feet of Anoushka's father, Pandit Ravi Shankar.
The band's two performances in New Delhi, one at the poolside of the Radisson Hotel and one at Nehru Park, elicited rapturous response from large crowds. The name Jazzmin led many to expect an evening of jazz. It turned out to be a mix of styles, however, ranging from love songs penned by the group's two singers, Norah Blumberg and Carlee Strauss, to a classic of Stevie Wonder, a Sanskrit chant to an instrumental composition by Pandit Ravi Shankar, besides one by Anoushka.
Anoushka Shankar
Each of the band members is well trained in various forms. Seth, guitar player and vocalist, came to music via theatre and has trained and played with the eminent Ike Turner for a number of years. Leo Dombecki, a saxophone and keyboard player, has trained in classical, blues and rock. Kevin Cooper, who plays the bass guitar, began his career with gospel music, while Jesse Charnow, the drummer, has a background in piano and has played with ensembles covering a spectrum of forms from classical to funk and rock. The girls, with their strong expressive voices, display a range of influences.
Romantic numbers
There were the soft romantic numbers Carlee seemed to specialise in, and the strong, even strident ones by Norah. Everyone grooved to the Stevie Wonder song in which the girls displayed their versatility and Seth and Leo let loose some fine guitar and keyboard work. Some loved the classic jazz challenges taken up in turns by Leo on the saxophone and Jesse on the drums. Of course, there was the undeniable appeal of the hip hop number, in which Seth turned rapper and Jesse impressed with his speed variations and tonal qualities on the drums.
Members of Jazzmin performing at Nehru Park.
"Mangalam", based on a Sanskrit hymn, composed by Ravi Shankar, was a melodious and simple presentation. Both the guitars, used with plenty of `meend' gave a veena-like effect, and with Carlee on the manjira, the atmosphere was complete. The closing song, "Missing You" addressed to Krishna and originally composed by the maestro for George Harrison during his days touring with the Beatles, went down very well. The highlight of the show was the special appearance by Anoushka, who played the sitar in a composition by Ravi Shankar that called on the virtuoso techniques of all the instrumentalists.
Anoushka also presented her own fusion composition, a part of her album that is expected to come out soon. Based on raga Vachaspati, it contained solo bits for all the instruments, including the bass guitar. Anoushka in announcing the name of the raga, added the rider, "If anybody cares," which was the one jarring note of the evening, considering the reverence with which all the Jazzmin members spoke of both American and Indian music and consistently referred to their "beloved Guruji".
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Entertainment
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
