Delhi dazzles with Jazz music

Delhi rekindled its romance with jazz with three prominent bands.

New Delhi: The Indian capital rekindled its romance with jazz with three prominent bands, including India`s Ranjit Barot group and Italian pianist Giovanni Guidi and his team coming together for a musical evening here.

Guidi and his group, which comprised saxophonist Francesco Bigoni and Percussionist Cristiano Calcagnile set the tone for the evening yesterday with their avantgarde music. "It is a very special band for me as Christiano and Francesco are good friends. Saxophone, piano and drum is a strange combo and I am happy to play in Mumbai and Delhi. I played here in March and it is fantastic audience in India," Guidi told reporters. "Our compositions are very free and open. It is complete improvisation on stage. They have melody and are contemporary," he added. After Guidi left the audience mesmerised, it was time for another trio -- electronics jazz artist Fernando Corona, percussionist Talvin Singh and trumpet player Erik Truffaz -- to take the centerstage. The troika, which forms the band Murcof, enraptured the house with their experimental blend of electronic and classical music. Ranjit Barot group was the last to take the stage. The stellar cast of musicians which included French bass player Dominique Dipiazza, American Saxophonist Tim Garland, young violinist Bala Bhaskar and keyboardist Harmeet Manseta, was a treat to the ears as they churned out compositions like `Supernova` from Barot`s new album `Bada Boom`, released last month. "The album refers to the Big bang and the compositions explore the birth of the universe. Compositions like T=0 and Supernova, which is dedicated to the great Ustad Allah Rakha, is something which can be related to the sun which, as it dies, releases enormous energy," Barot said. Barot, who has worked through his life with legends like Ustad Zakir Hussain, John McLaughlin, U Srinivas and Don Cherry, is playing in Delhi after almost three decades and the musician hopes to make it regular. "I want to thank the fantastic audience and hope I get to come and perform more often in India," he said. Violinist Bhaskar, who is trained in Carnatic music and has performed with noted musicians such as Sivamani, Louiz Banks, is also ready with his new album. "I learned music from my uncle B Sasikumar and it has been a satisfying journey so far. I am really blessed to be playing with Ranjit Barot. My new album is ready and even John has asked for it. It is very nice feeling," said Bhaskar, who performed at Abstract Logix`s The New Universe Music Festival 2010. The three-day festival will also have other prominent bands such as Mateusz Kolakowski Trio from Poland and Jazzkomplott from Germany, Mari Kvien Brunvoll and Gumbo from Norway. The biggest highlight would be the performance of legendary guitarist Larry Carlton of US. Carlton, an 18-time grammy nominee and three-time Grammy winner would be performing with Bass player Travis Carlton and Drummer Gene Coye tomorrow. PTI