IAA Brings Soulful Rendition by Music Maestros to Houston
By Praveena Lakshmanan
Last updated: March 20, 2009
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HOUSTON: They came, they performed and they had the audience in a spell.
The ensemble of world-class musicians experienced in the art of cross-cultural collaboration, George Brooks playing the saxophone, Kala Ramnath, the violin, Frank Martin playing the piano and keyboards, Kai Eckhardt the bass, Aditya Kalyanpur, the tabla, and Celso Albert playing the drums echoed the Zilka Hall at the Hobby Center for Performing Arts on March 13.
Organized and presented by the Indo-American Association (IAA) of Houston, the concert charmed the distinguished audience with its multi-cultural theme. The evening presented the music of Kala Ramnath and George Brooks, supported by other international stalwarts. It was a evening where ragas influenced jazz and jazz inflected raga. The beauty of the show was not just in showcasing the individual talent of the artists and their instruments but also in the blend of the ragas and styles into riveting compositions that one rarely gets to hear. Quoting the words of a second generation Indian American in the audience, one has “ never before witnessed such wonderful fusion music of East and West in Houston. There are several reasons that made this concert so special”
The band bought the music alive with the chemistry that each one shared with the other. In today’s hi-tech world, it was a treat to go back on time through the traditional tunes and subsequently rejoice the elemental music.
Brooks well known for his work in Indian jazz fusion as the leader of Summit and for his collaborations with Zakir Hussain, Hariprasad Chaurasia and John McLaughlin. Brooks is no stranger to Houston. He first came here in the early 1980’s to assist his Indian music guru Pandit Pran Nath in a series of concerts at the Rothko Chapel. He later returned to Houston to perform with Zakir Hussain for the IAA, along with south Indian artists Kumaresh and Ganesh and A. Sivamani. Brooks was last seen in Houston at the Wortham Center with Bombay Jazz, a group he co-leads with Indian flautist Ronu Majumdar and jazz guitarist Larry Coryell. Brooks says ,” It took time and great dedication to learn the art of performing fusion music. I made it a point to visit India several times and stay there, to know and learn more about the intricacies of the ragas and other details of Indian classical music” .
Kala Ramnath who mesmerized the audience by playing the violin, is the contemporary torchbearer of the Mewati Gharana, and stands today among the most outstanding instrumental musicians of North India.
Born into a family of prodigious musical talent, which has given Indian music such violin legends as T.N. Krishnan and Dr. N. Rajam, Kala’s genius with the violin manifested itself from early childhood. A pre-eminent disciple of vocalist Pandit Jasaj, Kala is virtuoso of s tagger ing proportions. She has performed at all the major music festivals in India, as well as the most prestigious stages throughout the world, including the Sydney Opera House and London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. Kala’s international presence can also be felt through her increasingly frequent appearances on Hollywood film soundtracks including Leonardo DiCaprio’s Oscar nominated “Blood Diamond”.
On bass was Kai Eckhardt, the extraordinary talent from Germany and Liberia, who has provided the foundation for the groups of Trilok Gurtu, John McLaughlin and Billy Cobham.
From Curitiba, Brazil, was drummer Celso Albert who has performed with Herbie Mann, Airto Moreira and Stevie Winwood.
The highlight of the show was a scintillating performance of “ tabla” by the young tabla wizard Aditya Kalyanpur from India, one of the last disciples of Ustad Allah Rakha. Aditya is tabla teacher at the Harvard University.
Holding down the piano chair was Bay Area native Frank Martin who has performed with Bobby McFerrin and Stevie Wonder to Dizzy Gillespie. At the end of the show, IAA’s Board of Director, Dr. Hari Dayal said: This was an outstanding performance of blending the music by the maestros. These are the kind of unique events that make IAA stand apart from other organizations. Most organization present either only Indian arts and/or American arts. IAA promotes the cultural arts of the Indian subcontinent in the American context through such events.
The next IAA event is on March 28.The event presents Warsi Qawwals of Rampur
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