'Amp'ed nights for music

Musician - Aspiring or established, the importance of playing live to building up an audience for your band or yourself for that matter can never be denied. If you've never played live before, and the prospect of taking to the stage has you quaking in your boots, there's always a place where you can get some on-stage practice under your belt without braving the crowds at a big show. Dissent the very idea of opening up to the crowd? Welcome to your own local open mic night. From Soul in Pune, the Sunday Jam in Bangalore to 'open mind nights' at Zenzi in Mumbai, open mic nights deem itself a place audiences could perform at the microphone without the inherent hesitation of timidity. They are events that showcase local artists, performers and anyone brave enough to step on the stage.
Instrumentalists, poets, freestyle vocalists with and without accompaniment, guitar soloists, turntablists /scratch masters, well-rehearsed collaborations and other kinds of performance artist are all welcome. "Open-mic night is a great place for musicians, both amateur and professional, to experience the thrill of playing before a live audience. They're "giving it away" because it is what they love. What they receive in return is something a bit more esoteric than money. We've been hosting open mic nights for the last two years. We're the first to host such an event in india. Karaoke nights are a thing of the past but open mic nights is something else. It caters to stand-up comedy, music and a whole lot more," says Sean Davidson, owner of Soul in pune.
"Open mike" refers to events that could more properly be named "open stage" where there is no amplification. "It's a great way to introduce your work to unsuspecting strangers, to shore up interest in the gig you have that night, and to leave an impression with the folks that own the club. Besides, open mics are hotbeds of networking activity for artists who are just getting started. Since established players often show up to try out new material, it's a great chance to become introduced to your local Folk community. All you have to do is introduce yourself to players whose sets you appreciated and invite them for a jam session sometime. Often this leads to great opportunities in the future. If nothing else, it's always nice to have a friend as into the thing as you are," says Emilliano Collazo, general manager at Zenzi.
The whole idea of an open mic night is the concept that anyone is welcome to share anything from a poem to a drum solo with the audience. The only prerequisite is that you be able to get your name written on the performance list; simply a matter of talking to the host of the night. While Open-mic nights are events that showcase local artists, performers and anyone brave enough to step on the stage, they are an artistic buffet; No one wants to sit all night and hear the same type of poetry or the same type of music – diversity is the key. "We do the biggest open mic night in the world! Of 20 days of playing, we garner over 10,000 audiences. We blow up 2 million in just one open mic night. Our main focus is always original music, we have all genres of music from jazz to metal. Currently though, rock music holds the stage mostly. It's a sub culture of the whole music stratosphere- give it all out for musicians. We started it in 1996 and we hold a big show once a year. And now it's just grown bigger and bigger. All you have to do is register, come up half an hour before the event and everyone gets 20 minutes to perform. It's more of a meeting place. So many people turn up to watch the show, it's definitely a good platform to express yourself in front of others.
People might perceive it as some sort of competition but believe me art is not a race. We are here for the love of music, not for anything else. Everybody can perform any kind of music they want. No clitches here. no fees, no boundaries, no contract bounds!" says Gopal nande, director Guruskool, Bangalore who organises the Summer jam session in Bangalore.
"You just turn up and get your name down on the list, then wait for your go. Depending on the number of people at the do, sometimes you get to play several songs, other times you play one song then it's somebody else's turn. People play their own songs, or do covers. A Night born from talent alone in need of a consistent space where developing talent can cut their teeth alongside professionals. That's what we provide with our 'open mind nights'. It's not just great art, it's great people bringing what they have and sharing it with an audience; it's a sense of acceptance for every performer, regardless of ability or experience. It's having a drink with friends with a sense of community that develops when people come together to share a part of themselves," adds Mr Collazo. The open mind nights at Zenzi is hosted by Monica Dogra of Shaa'ir + Func
While such nights have been a raging phenomenon across the globe, with the onslaught of the openness towards music these days, audiences in India seem poised to hear a lot more original music in terms of local artists than ever before. "I went abroad and saw how colourful the nights are over there. I spoke to many musicians over there and finally came up with the determination to try this out in india. And I made every Sunday different. People actually come up with loads of instruments and are very excited to perform. It will definitely work in India. It's all about how you manage your business. If you are able to pack all Sundays at your event then you are probably doing something right," says Mr Anderson.

Earnest performances from the best up and coming local talent or if you need to hone your stage act, these nights can be just the place to build up your comfort level on stage in a supportive environment. If offbeat is what you're looking for, try and catch the multi-national open mic night in Mcleod Ganj, Dharamsala. You might just be surprised by some Tibetan folk songs, punjabi love songs, or American blues. All in, open mic nights offer you the chance to practice your live set and build your confidence while having all the fun with it. Keep an open mind to that.

Pics from:www.umsu.manchester.ac.ukwww.thegazz.com

Proliferation of all things hip-hop

While hip-hop in the United States of America, where it originated, faces a generation that takes it as just another mundane marker in the cultural scenery with its recent fixation on the sensational, it seems to be taking a phenomenal turn in India. The Hip-hop culture, which began in New York City in the 1970’s predominantly among African Americans and Latinos, entails the elements of hip-hop music, breakdancing and graffiti art. While hip-hop music dominates it’s culture in the country, breakdancing seem to have broken out of its cacoon recently as the dance form storms the rythym of youngsters everywhere. Breaking in short, specifically the breakdance element originated with the first hip hop DJ, Kool DJ Herc, who, noticing the reaction of some dancers to his playing the part of the record with a drum break, named them break-boys or B-boys. It quickly came to include any follower of hip hop, identifiable by clothing habits, listening tastes or lifestyle, but has returned in latter years to the more specific usage in connection with dance. “Breakdancing is a real culture. B-boys or b-girls hang out together, do things together and basically have a life which revolves around breaking. It’s not really about differentiating ourselves.You just get to know like-minded people,” says Heera who with b-boy Simon has recently started breaking classes at their studio. Heera, who’s lived in New York for a greater part of his life, hopes people find it as attractive as he does while having fun with it.
Perhaps the reasons for the rise in such a culture can be found in the changing urban culture within the country and a wide array of exposure to the sub-cultures it professes. Simon Talukdar or b-boy Simon who’s from Dehradun, has been breaking for quite a while now and has earned himself quite a semi-celebrity status among the circle. Once a part of the Kundu dance company led by Tony from Los Angeles, he has perfomed at a variety of shows even headlining music channel VH1’s hip-hop rules promotional event throughout the country.“We now find hip-hop everywhere, and like the Bronx, each locale embodies a kind of globalism. Breaking embraces and even celebrates its origin while staying true to the local cultures like ours to which it is rooted,” he says. He hopes to battle at the Red bull BC one world break dance championship someday.
“There are four basic elements which form the foundation of B-boying. Toprock which is upright dancing and shuffles; Downrock or Footwork; Freeze which is posing to add punctuation to certain beats and end routines; Power moves which are acrobatic moves made up of circular motions where the dancer spins either on the floor, or in the air,” says Simon on what he teaches at his studio and at the school as well.
Krumping, which is another technique alongside others such as breakdance, locking, popping and freestyling, is a free, expressive, and highly energetic moves and is a major part of the hip hop dance culture. Melvin Louis who teaches krumping with Arts in Motion says about the dance form,“ Krumping is a more aggressive dance form and is intended as an expression of anger or a release of pent-up emotion from the struggles of life through violent, exaggerated, and dramatic moves. Variation, individuality, and movement are the foundations of the Krump. Krump actually reads Kingdom Radically Uplifted Mighty Praise and has different difficulty levels – the buck which is a higer version of krump and amped which is the last level and the total spirit of krump,”
“The dancers form groups known as “families” or “fams”. Each of the families is organised around a krump dancer known as the Big Homie, who serves as both a dance instructor and a spiritual mentor of sorts. The internal structure of a family is hierarchical, with rank based on the expertise or respect of each dancer,” he adds. For someone who has learned the dance and everything around it entirely from vidoes and the Internet, Melvin has made himself an expert of sorts pretty quickly.
The Break dance culture is only projected to grow here as it has emerged globally as an arts movement and globalised into many cultures worldwide, from Japan and Korea to all over europe. Popular hip-hop is sold almost everywhere in the country with even Indian artists and performers recording and creating something fresh by using technology, speech and the body in new ways.“Breaking’s inspiration differs depending on each culture. Still, the one thing virtually all breakers have in common is that they acknowledge those Black and Latino kids in New York who launched this global movement. It may also be a slice of the American dream some people might be in awe of. Who knows?” says Heera. As James Brown gooves: ‘get on the good foot’ then.

'Music is power. Music is universal. Music is to offer. Music is for everyone'

‘Pure house beats meet haunting Eastern electro-soul violin melodies’ read their gig at blue frog.
Naz is a DJ while Moon, who plays varied instruments including the electric violin, likes to refer to himself as a percussionist. Having known each other for the last seven years or so, the duo came together three years ago when their first gig was received tremendously well by audiences recurring them to work together again.
Naz who has been collecting different styles of music for many years says, “I never liked mainstream music. It is devoid of a soul. Music should always have a worldly sound”. Naz believes that to become a good DJ you must have a vision. “There is no point just playing tunes for the sake of it. You must have a structured message that you want to send out. I want to give people a sonic experience and help them learn about other cultures and sounds of the world. Nice melodies are the core. It's a kind of tribal theme since I listened to African and Indian music growing up. My favourite Indian singer is Lata Mangeshkar." Their first time in India but it’s been a long time coming, they both agree. “The country has always been inspirational not only in terms of music but culturally for us as well. I’ve been playing with a lot of Asian artists in the UK like Vikram Ghosh who’s from Kolkata. We played together at the Darbar where eight of us of different nationals played our own country’s music and blended it which amalgamated to quite a unique sound. The country provides so much influential visuals that I can to translate to my music,” says Moon, real name Mounir Baziz, who was born in Morocco.
While both the artist believes in blending music, they like to leave traditional, classical music on its own because they would rather not tamper with its heritage and brilliance. “I also mix in Asian melodies such as Lata and Asha Bosle with house music, but I would not mess with Indian classical music for its sheer brilliance. However, I believe that fusion is the perfect introduction to global music. Take for instance somebody from the UK might not understand qawwalli or Rajasthani folk music at all. Just like 16-17 year olds wouldn’t really listen to jazz. You need to get the audience used to it. That’s when the music sets in and you start to trace its roots,” says Naz.
His house music and fusion of Arabic and Western is explosive, yet puts it all together in a way that is accessible and familiar. How does moon fit into all of these? For someone who’s been playing andalousian music, Moon has an intriguing ability of blending into any style of music. “When I play with Naz, I build in a new sound that is different from his. He can be clever with his music and that’s when I know I have to step up or down co-relating to his busy sounds. Sometimes it can get overloaded with sounds or gaps, and that’s when I over ride it to create that distinct sound. Whenever I am on stage I put myself as a listener and not just the artist,” he says.
“Music is power. Music is universal. Music is to offer. Music is for everyone,” he adds. Having stunned audiences with their skills and enthralled them with their music, Naz and Moon leave behind quite a tribe reveling in their trail of sounds.

For more information on the artistes:http://bluefrog.cmail1.com/l/408409/vjtjd4rj/www.myspace.com/deejaynaz http://bluefrog.cmail1.com/l/408409/vjtjd4rj/www.myspace.com/violinmoon

Get on!

One word for backpacking: adventure. Backpacking essentially means a form of travelling which is low cost, independent with no fixed itinerary and 'sight-seeing' is definitely not something that is top on the priority list. And right now things couldn't look better for backpackers. A trend that seems to be growing tremendously among the young just as well as the old, backpacking with its flexibility has many takers with the kind of freedom that it allows. What is even more, companies have taken to providing backpacking trips around the globe. Bet you think that that would completely take away from the whole essence of the idea, Yogesh shah who owns India’s first back packing company, The Backpacker Co says, “We are not escorts by any means. And we definitely do not provide guided trips. What we do provide backpackers is a better planning of their trips – whether it be the best times to visit a place, or providing the best of events that happens. Some people would go backpacking to Germany in October thinking that the October beer festival happens then! That’s where we come in and provide consultation to backpackers with individualised trips.”
The company has a team of experienced backpackers that guides you and answer all your queries and see to it that stepping into the world of backpacking goes off without a hitch. “Passion for Travel is the sole cause for setting up this adventurous venture for their friends and like-minded people to enjoy, whether traveling solo or in groups. If you’re only looking at budget travel, rest assured there are lovely hotels as good as a 3 star hotel in India that comes for just 20 Euros!” adds Yogesh. All the trips are based on what is called the ‘Go-Go model’ where the bus networks are ‘Hop On Hop Off’. You can get off anywhere on the drop off points and get on whenever you want to move on. You can even change the plan whilst on your trip with no additional costs. The food and accommodation are not restricted to a pre-decided itinerary.
With budget independent travel on the rise, companies like Lee Cooper have actually launched the first official Lee Cooper Backpacking Expedition whereby you can backpack and discover the sights and sounds of Europe. “We have always had a long-standing association with sports and adventure. This is the first-of-its kind activity that will finally culminate into the formation of the Lee Cooper Backpackers Club – A Clan of Lee Cooper loyalists and backpacking enthusiasts,” says Ameet Paschal, CEO Lee Cooper (India) Pvt. Ltd. This is in tandem with the celebration of their Centenary year. The trip will be spread across 2 weeks, starting with Nice and ending in London. The itinerary includes London and Paris, running with bulls in Pamplona, the Bread and Butter festival in Barcelona, the San Sebastian beaches, and Cannes. “This experience will take the backpackers and their clan, who form an integral part of the Lee Cooper audience, closer to the roots of the brand. We are focused at creating key “Passion Groups” around 3 basic tenets: Music, Sports & Fashion. These “Passion Groups” will be instrumental in creating the clan,” Ameet adds.
The thrill one experiences while travelling is unparalleled. And with backpacking you can actually experience the ‘real’ thing – see the local sights, taste the local cuisine, make use of the local transport, in short experience the place as the locals do. Vaishali, an IT Programme Manager for Bharti who is an avid backpacker and has recently backpacked in Europe through the company says,“ Backpacking gives you the kind of experience that kind of satiates your need for freedom. I don’t mind living in a tent as long as I get to experience the wonderful trips that I’ve been. I’m on my own; my timetable is flexible according to my whims. Earlier when I backpacked it was a tad worrisome but with the backpacker’s co, it’s a good way to travel. They co-ordinate your travel, they’re trained, packed with information and yet you are essentially still on your own. It’s not like they baby-sit you.”
Currently most systemised backpacking trips are outbound owing to the lack of infrastructure to provide security in the country. The places you can visit include Europe during May to October and Australia and New Zealand post October. If backpacking is not for you, then try the experience trip. From a cooking trail in Tuscany, cycling in the south of France to following a single malt trail. You could even just rent out a small villa, which is nothing opulent, and experience living with locals.
Young or old, as long as you’re in search of adventure, experience and a community of like minded travellers who want to see beyond the usual and experience the 'real' thing, grab that backpack and get on.

Another one bites the dust!

“25-year-old Yale graduate gives up his career as a hot-shot investment banker on Wall Street to embark on a journey to India in search of his roots”. Sound familiar? Quite a road embarked on by writers, and filmmakers to say the least, this could well be another one of those ivy league ramblings or an IIT, IIM grad story. But just not quite yet. “Aren’t all IIM or IIT graduates writing now? It’s the cult of the overpaid, under-worked manager,” Karan Bajaj, author of “Keep off the grass”, says with a grin.
So how much farther along are we on his new book? The first time writer’s debut novel has already been creating quite a ruckus in the literary circles; it was a semi-Finalist for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, 2007. Some readers have even touted the book as “The most eagerly anticipated book of the year”. That should somewhat be enough to send the nerves into a frenzy to which the author says, “It is both exciting and intimidating. Excited because hopefully this means that many folks will read my book other than having just your mother read it! intimidated because it could end up becoming the ‘Tashan’ of this year’s books — lots of pre-release hype; high on style; low on substance; result- box-office turkey.”
A management consultant for the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in Washington D.C., asked if the book is an amalgamation of all that he’s achieved, he says, “Hardly; lots more to be written on the epitaph!” The book is about a young American investment banker on Wall Street whose life is all set to follow a defined, predictable trajectory—a Harvard MBA, marriage, kids, luxurious European vacations, the works; instead he gets sucked into an India of drugs, prisons, surreal encounters, and crazy but believable characters. It is an unlikely journey of a reasonably ordinary man who finds himself thrust into some pretty extraordinary circumstances. “His Indian experiences — a dangerous drug addiction, meditating in the Himalayas, spending time in a prison cell etc. — seem particularly bizarre given the contrast with his protected and staid life before,” the author adds.
“Like any first time novelist, lots of my own funky experiences are in the book. Some of my confusions and fantasies of escape find their way in the protagonist.” At the risk of sounding like a Bollywood music director he says, “I have been inspired by a lot of writers- Jhumpa Lahiri, Chetan Bhagat, Gregory Roberts, Ruskin Bond, Upamanyu Chatterjee, Mohsin Hamid, even Winston Groom (Forrest Gump) but the end product is reasonably original. I probably wouldn’t waste a year or so of my life writing and editing the book if I didn’t have something new to say.”
Can we expect anything different when the protagonist ‘can’t keep off the grass’? “It’s all rooted in reality. India is a fascinating country and it’s not completely incredible for someone to end-up meeting Aghorees in Benares, meditate in the Himalayas, get stoned atop camels in Rajasthan, or be drawn to recreational. The protagonist’s journey is unusual, but not unbelievable,” he says, further adding, “I am writing commercial fiction with not too many pretensions for literary genius; so yes, I hope for some commercial success. To be honest, I would love for the book to be a best-seller, but I would also be really kicked if some of my philosophical/spiritual reflections (executed in a regular, non-pretentious and humorous style in the book) have a meaningful impact on just a few folks.”
Having spent a month at a monastery in Dharamshala, his philosophical inclination and experience find a unique albeit fictionalized place in the book. “Personally, it was a rich yet unfulfilling experience; kind of like dipping your toe in the ocean for a nano-second versus fully immersing yourself in the water. What I do recall most about those days though is a sense of absolute peace and contentment caused by the simple yet rigorously spiritual lifestyle in the place. Unfortunately, I was probably too materialistic to continue beyond a point and dived back into the rat race again,” the author says.

Karan Bajaj is all geared up with his book scheduled for release in India on May 30. Looks like it will be another course so often run well.

For My Mama

(http://hewsan.deviantart.com/art/Seeker-56196914)

Happy Mother’s Day Ala. I’ve gotten so big…wish you were here to see me.
So much I need to say. So much I need to do. So much I need to be. But not yet….not yet..Wherever you are, I love you. You are missed. R.I.P

Sing a song of six pence

Kenny Gorelick, better known as Kenny G has been quite a phenomenon with his curly locks and long notes on the saxophone. The butt of many a joke, the man has nontheless made his light music reach tremendous proportions in terms of sales. He holds the record for the highest-selling Christmas album, as well as a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for playing the longest note ever recorded on a saxophone.
Armed with his sax, the ‘G’ man is here for his first ever India visit with his latest album Rhythm and Romance released earlier this year. He has parted with his old label Arista and released the album with Concord/Starbucks Entertainment. “Arista was not interested in my Latin concept and I really wanted to do it so I had to leave,” Kenny explains.
While listeners have been accustomed to his ballads and his recent covers, the album comes equipped with completely original material. “I think that artistes go through phases of original and cover tunes. There aren’t any rules as to what to record. I wanted to do original music for this album,” he says.
“Just feeling the rhythm of Latin music was all I needed,” he says on inspiration for doing a Latin album. And of course he totally leaves it to his fans to receive his new work.
Composing a Latin album of original material was an amazing project, he says. Could his music have a little bit more rhythm and a little less ballad? “I write what I write. I’m not thinking about anything else. There’s a lot of really up-tempo songs and much more improvisation this time around. There’s more rhythm here than anything I’ve ever done but yet it’s still romantic. You’ve got to continually try to reinvent yourself,” he says.“I’m sure that I’m going to take home a great feeling from my first visit,” he adds. Well, we’ll be hearing Kenny G live for once rather than in an elevator. He performs in Mumbai on Sunday, May 11.