Gig review/ International Jazz Day

(Picture: The Sassy Songbirds with Louiz Banks)

BY NARENDRA KUSNUR 

Various artistes/ International Jazz Day 2022

Curated by: Louiz Banks

Show details: Tata Theatre, NCPA Mumbai, April 30

Genre: Jazz

Rating: *** 1/2

Tata Theatre was packed on Saturday night, and the audience attending the International Jazz Day concert knew exactly when to clap. They did it when veterans like Louiz Banks and Gary Lawyer came on stage, and they did it if a totally unknown newcomer played a fabulous solo. The crowd also knew when to express its disappointment, as it did when it couldn't hear a vocalist or pianist, or found the drums too loud, thanks to an erratic mix.

Despite the technical issues that cropped up once in a while, the show had many highs. There was definitely a wider range of sounds, in comparison to earlier Jazz Day gigs. From standards to jazz-laced soul-pop, from solo-based fusion to world music, from originals to adaptations of popular tunes, the palette was pretty eclectic.

The three-hour-plus show was curated by Louiz Banks. Unlike many international gigs dominated by instrumental performances, the emphasis here has often been on vocal acts. Thus you had performances by Gary Lawyer, Vasundhara Vee, the Sassy Songbirds, Shrea Suresh who sang for the young group A Moment's Notice, and Shreya Bhattacharya of the Calcutta Collective. What was also heartening was the presence of three young saxophonists in Harmish Joshi, Enrico Rodriguez and 17-year-old Harsh Bhavsar. While one always thought more Indian jazz musicians are taking to guitar, keyboards and drums, it was heartening to see three upcoming artistes holding the gorgeous sax.

The show began with A Moment's Notice, a young outfit showing promise. Calcutta Collective followed, beginning with a superb, gooseflesh-inducing piano run by Arka Chakraborty, leading to a smart bass solo by Avishek De. The Rajeev Raja Combine, led by flautist Raja (picture below), played tunes from Spain, Croatia and.Cuba, blended with jazz and their own style.

Vasundhara Vee dazzled on her song 'Run', displaying phenomenal control, and the Sassy Songbirds - Ella Castelino Atai, Marie Paul, Mimosa Almeida Pinto and Karen D'Souza - sang a repertoire that included originals, besides snatches from Duke Ellington's 'It Don't Mean A Thing' and Antonio Carlos Jobim's 'One Note Samba'. With their specially designed costumes, they had a smart, theatrical look.

Gary Lawyer, who was accompanied by Louiz Banks, guitarist Rhythm Shaw, bassist Sheldon D'Silva and drummer Gino Banks, was greeted with a huge applause. His set included 'What A Difference A Day Makes' and the evergreen 'Route 66'. Saxophonist Harsh Bhavsar joined the Louiz Banks Quintet for the final act, which included some extended and improvised solos. The pieces by Shaw and D'Silva were fabulous.

The show was presented by NCPA, managed by Gigatainment and compered by Denzil Smith. And while the overall flow was smooth, a couple of observations. The Sassy Songbirds would probably have made an ideal opening act, with its mix. And though the show had a high-energy climax, a familiar closing tune could have been an asset, leaving the crowd with an earworm. The gap caused by fixing the gear before the California Collective set could have been avoided and Shrea Suresh of A Moment's Notice could have come in with a hand mic instead of seeming momentarily lost looking around for one.

The upshot, of course, was that there is plenty of talent in the field, which needs to get more opportunities like this. Shows like Jazz Day, and its siblings Drum Day and Piano Day, help one discover such artistes. Alongside events featuring international acts, it's important to have more shows by local musicians. And with things opening up after the pandemic, the time seems to be just right to increase that activity.

(Pic: Rajeev Raja at the show - courtesy Facebook)