When I met Rachma last Sunday at the Artistry, where she was
playing with Bani and his Bluemonks, she told me about here esplanade concourse
gigs. It was sort of Indian fusion, she shared with me, all smiles and with her usual enthusiasm.
If that was not enough to convince me to stop by, she added that a Table player
would join the band part of the band. Now you cannot consider yourself a valid
Person Of Indian origin, if that doesn’t make your curiosity complete. So on
Monday evening after a long day at work that started at 8 AM at our Changi
office, I rushed home to change into something easier and pick up my camera.
Then back on the bike to Esplanade, for a quick bite at Makan Sutra, regulars
may remember I am a big fan of carrot cake.
I was not very busy at the concourse, in fact when I arrived
I had a choice of front row seats so I tried to position myself as well as
possible to have an angle at all musicians:
Ragha Vendran - Bansuri (Indian flute)
Jase - Bass
Jit Seng - Drums
Rachma - Piano and Keys
Kumaranji - Tabla
The band’s name is RaghaJazz. Obviously
named after the man playing the Bansuri, but possibly a reference to Raga as
well, referring to the melodic types of Hindi music. At least with the flute of
Indian origin and the tabla, the Indian infusion to the original compositions
was inevitable.
On top of that they played some rearranged composition of
contemporary and past Indian music hero’s. All and all it was a very pleasant
hour of music, that I discovered by chance.
This month a
prominent leader in music, from the Lasalle school of the arts, will leave Singapore for Europe, hopefully temporarily. I cannot
attend his farewell concert. I will be traveling.
RhagaJazz has at least two of his
students. So they must represent Tim's musical farewell for me. Just based on
what I listened to this Monday evening, I can say “a job well done”.
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