Surya Nepal Jazzmandu 2013 - bringing musicians together

Surya Nepal Jazzmandu, formally known as the Surya Nepal International Kathmandu Jazz Festival, will once again bring International and Nepali musicians together in the Nepali capital for its 11th edition of “the biggest jazz party in the Himalayas”.

Jazzmandu 2013

Surya Nepal Jazzmandu, formally known as the Surya Nepal International Kathmandu Jazz Festival, will once again bring International and Nepali musicians together in the Nepali capital for its 11th edition of “the biggest jazz party in the Himalayas”.

Since its inception eleven years ago, the festival has grown to become a respected event among music enthusiasts and musicians alike, and an additional attraction for visitors to Nepal. The festival has been instrumental in placing Nepal on the International jazz map and jazz music has now found a place of its own in the heart of the Himalayas.

Over the years, Surya Nepal Jazzmandu has succeeded in not only introducing jazz to Nepal, but also in generating a growing interest for music education and western music traditions. Local musicians who have been exposed to jazz have expanded their creativity, explored new techniques and the freedom of improvisation in playing familiar instruments. The Jazz for the Next Generation competition is now a well established feature of the festival that provides an opportunity for aspiring local young bands to showcase their skills and talent and interact with renowned foreign artists.

The international language of music dismisses narrow socio-cultural divides and cuts across our differences of culture, color, faith, geography to promote peace and compassion in a world in great need of understanding, empathy and tolerance. Surya Nepal Jazzmandu provides an exciting platform for musicians and people of all walks of life to come together through their love of music.

Over the years, the festival has provided free shows for the general public, jazz performances for school students, master classes and workshops by visiting artists for music enthusiasts and students. Over the past eleven years Surya Nepal Jazzmandu has introduced people in Nepal to many great, world-famous jazz artists such as Trilok Gurtu, Louis Banks, Natalie Williams, Ari Hoenig, Tito Puente Jr, Mark Brown Band, and Catia Werneck Quartet to name but a few.

Visiting artists in turn have had the chance to discover and enjoy the rich culture, beauty and diversity of Nepal, to meet and share musical experiences, and jam together with renowned local musicians and other international artists.

The festival presents a unique blend of cultures, musicians and improvisational music to create a magical and unforgettable musical experience in the heart of the Himalayas. Surya Nepal Jazzmandu has successfully brought many reputed musicians from far and wide to the Nepali capital where an ever-growing audience of jazz enthusiasts and music lovers crave quality music. Jazz has permeated cultures all over the world and Surya Nepal Jazzmandu continues to bring musicians from diverse backgrounds to present their unique and refreshing approach to jazz.

This year, the festival features The Claudia Quintet (USA), Mike del Ferro (The Netherlands), Eliane Amherd (Switzerland), Yaite Ramos Quartet (France), 4th Element (India), and from Nepal: Cademza, Gandharva, Joint Family Internationale, the KJC faculty and the Dhime Girls

For more information about the festival and complete artists profiles log on to www.jazzmandu.org.

- EFNI

Jessica Lewis - the teenage guitar prodigy

She was just 16 years old when musicians like Guthrie Govan, Alex Hutchings and Larry Carlton became her fan. Infact, she played 'Feeling Fine' by Alex Hutchings when she was sixteen. Born in 1994, Jess Lewis was 12 years old when she showed interest in playing the electric guitar and her grandmother was the first person to introduce her to Joe Satriani's music.

Jess' sound is fresh and she has the ability to play almost anything on the guitar including Jazz and Blues music. She was awarded the 'Young Talented Musicians Award' by Royal Manor Arts College and the Rotary Club sponsored her to study 'Rock & Beyond + Jazz' at the International Guitar Foundation when she was 15.

Guitar virtuoso Steve Vai says, “I found this video of “Jess” performing “Die to Live” to be charming. I know what I went through to learn it so hats of to you Jess."

James of London Guitar Academy feels that Jess has the same fresh sound Joe Satriani had when he first released Not Of This Earth.

"Her talent is so organic, it suggests that sometimes nature apportions its blessings in an unfair way when it comes to musical ability" - Alissa Ordabai of PureGuitar says about Jess.

"This is an exciting time, and I cant wait to start creating/composing my own music & I am eternally 'Thankful', to those who have inspired, and who still continue to help me on this journey. I hope my music will do what so many others have done for me over the years. In that it brings with it - PEACE, JOY, HOPE and STRENGTH" - Jess says.

Jess likes Fender Stratocaster guitar and D'Addario strings!

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Watch one of the videos of Jess Lewis performing 'Eternal Blues'

(Photo - www.eternal-guitars.com)
 
- EFNI

Evolution of Music - by Pentatonix

Pentatonix, an A Cappella group of five vocalists from Arlington, Texas is taking instrument-free music far beyond anyone’s wildest expectations. The members of the band are vocalists Scott Hoying (21), Kirstie Maldonado (20) and Mitch Grassi (20), vocal bass Avi Kaplan (23) and beatboxer Kevin “K.O.” Olusola (24).

Their song "Evolution of Music" was published on YouTube on April 18, 2013 and is gaining popularity. Below is a song by the group.

Aawaz - an attempt to create awareness against atrocities on women

Releasing this June, 'Aawaz - speak up against sexual violation' is a music project aimed at generating awareness about violence towards women.

On 16 December 2012, a 23-year-old female physiotherapy intern was brutally beaten and gang raped in Delhi while she was traveling in a bus with her male companion. India stood up as a nation to condemn the horrific act and screamed to see that six men accused of the brutal rape were meted out due punishment. The media frenzy over the incident covered rallies and protests across the nation, which initially seemed promising.

Pratik Nalawade in Aawaz - speak up against sexual violation

There were talks about chemical castration, fast track courts and reforms in rape laws to ensure safety of
women in the country. A noted political leader even conducted a silent march in memory of the unfortunate gang rape victim who succumbed to her internal injuries on 29 December 2012.

In no time, the frenzy died down and spot fixing scams and celebrity arrests took over the national media. People who protested the horrific incident waited in anticipation, much like the victim's family - hoping to see the guilty being punished.

Meanwhile in a parallel India, regional media (and occasionally national media) kept reporting about horrific rape incidents on women of all ages, across the nation. Let's not forget the footage where cops were seen beating a woman for protesting against misdemeanor towards her.

'It is not a time to keep quiet', rose a unanimous thought amongst a group of young adults in Bangalore. 'Aawaz - speak up against sexual violence' is the outcome of that rage, that frustration and that hopelessness, felt while waiting for the law makers and the government to do their jobs. The song is written by Assamese musician Jim Ankan Deka and Ritwika Bhattacharya is an outcry to invoke the nation once again to remind them of the Delhi gang rape incident and many other similar incidents that our country witnesses.

The people associated with this music project are striving to engage people to foster societal reforms, and generate awareness about the laws made to protect women in our country. Aawaz is an attempt to reignite that collective voice and persistently scream to make India a safe haven for women.

- by Parmita Borah

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Recorded at Eastern Fare Studio, Madcat Music Studio, Sargam Audiocraft and Centerstage, Antara Nandy (Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Little Champs 2009 Finalist), Queen Hazarika (noted vocalist from Assam) and Ritwika Bhattacharya (song writer) have rendered their voices to the song. The song is composed by Jim Ankan Deka.

People associated with the project in various departments include -

Parmita Borah (direction, production, camera),
Vicky Mahanta, Pankaj Rajkhowa and Pratik Nalawade (music),
Mohd Siraj Mahagavin (animation)
Antara Barua and Rachel Rose Oommen (artists)
Pruthvi, Atlanta, Priyanka, Monibha, Partha, Rahul (production assitant), and
Shasanka Gogoi, Anoop Guha, and Vikramjit Kakati (camera).

- by Team EFNI

LOBELIA 2013 – Fun, Frolic and Fabulous

Science and culture collided at LOBELIA 2013 - the annual fest organized by the R.G Kar Medical College, Kolkata. The young medicos overcame their hectic schedules to be a part of four days of music, culture and endless fun from 26th to 29th of March 2013.

Indian Ocean at LOBELIA 2013, Kolkata

The music scene remained a kaleidoscope of diverse genres – right from Indian classical to rock, pop, hip hop and Bollywood.

The extravaganza intensified as the renowned fusion band ‘Indian Ocean’ took on the stage rendering their hit tracks like Leaving home, Kandisa, Bandeh, Khajuraho, Bondhu. Eminent rock bands like " Underground Authority " and "Lakkhichhara" rocked the evenings with scintillating performances, and 'DJ Harish' let the young doctors loosen up a little trying to make up for the hours of relentless studies and clinical duties.

"Lucid interval” a war-drum 'Battle of Bands' made its way to the top by wooing audiences – old and young alike.

Young medical students, true to their profession, competed fiercely in the ‘Mediquiz’ (as the name suggests a quiz on medical knowhow). The fete also saw witnessed impressive talent in the general quiz, triathlon, antakshari, t-shirt painting, creative writing, poster painting, and photography competitions.

The event was sponsored by Ebela (title sponsor for Lobelia 2013), Hero, and RadioVoice and managed by E365 Media Solutions.

- by Lina Barman

(Edited by Parmita Borah)

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy at Idea Rocks India, Bangalore ● Photo Showcase

Musical trio Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa took Bangalore by storm at the Idea Rocks India concert. Aimed at promoting upcoming musical talents, the Idea Rocks concert is an annual event where Idea goes on a talent hunt across India. Along with the trio, the event also witnessed performances by singer and flutist Rasika Chandrasekhar, Raman Mahadevan and the winner of the Idea Rocks India Talent Hunt, Bangalore, Nishant Kumar. The top five finalists of the Idea Rocks India Talent Hunt, Bangalore were - Antara Baruah, Jitendra Pant, Nishant Kumar, Sai Keshav and Imshan Khan.

Loy Mendonsa at Idea Rocks India, Bangalore (photo - Jim Ankan Deka)

Ehsaan Noorani and Shankar Mahadevan at Idea Rocks India, Bangalore (photo - Jim Ankan Deka)

Rasika Chandrashekhar at Idea Rocks India, Bangalore (photo - Jim Ankan Deka)

Ehsaan Noorani at Idea Rocks India, Bangalore (photo - Jim Ankan Deka)

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy with Raman Mahadevan at Idea Rocks India, Bangalore (photo - Jim Ankan Deka)

Shankar Mahadevan at Idea Rocks India, Bangalore (photo - Jim Ankan Deka)

Loy Mendonsa at Idea Rocks India, Bangalore (photo - Jim Ankan Deka)

Nishant Kumar and Shankar Mahadevan at Idea Rocks India, Bangalore (photo - Jim Ankan Deka)

- EFNI

Bhojpuri Queen releases new album 'Fagunahat'

Bhojpuri Queen Kalpana Patowary is back with a bang following the massive success and widespread appreciation of ‘The Legacy of Bhikhari Thakur’. The folk singer is now ready to hit the music stores with her subsequent album ‘Fagunahat’, featuring traditional 'Holi' songs.

The album was released on Sunday at Basera Studios Kandivali in Mumbai city on the sets of BHOJPURI HOLI UTSAV in the presence of noted filmmaker Abhay Sinha, Bhojpuri musical icon Pawan Singh, choreographer Pappu Khanna & actress Madhu Sharma.

‘Fagunahat’ indicates ‘Fagun ke aane ki aahat’ (the onset of spring), according to Kalpana. The tunes in her album carry freshness that can rouse the languid spirit and cheer up the gloomy.

While ‘Rangbaaj fagunwa aail’ is a tale of the passionate reunion of a separated couple associated with the commencement of spring, ‘Ab lehu rangwa lagai’ follows a devotional route in praise of Lord Rama and Sita. Other tracks like Dewra Rangbaaj, Piyawa Calcutta Gaile too will get your foot tapping. Over all, folk music lovers, this is an album to look out for.

This is the Kalpana's first Bhojpuri Holi album with an International label after she made her grand debut with her Bhojpuri album 'Gawanwa Leja Rajaji' in 2001. She has around 12 Bhojpuri albums released till date.

Deep rooted in folk music, Kalpana’s musical expedition has drifted her into many genres of music from contemporary to more eccentric ones. She recently enjoyed ample attention in Bacardi NH7 Weekender concerts in Pune as well as through her collaboration with Trilok Gurtu in an episode of The Dewarists.

Download Fagunahat 

- EFNI

Candid conversation with Tetseo Sisters - Mercy, Azi, Kuku and Lulu

Music has always been rife and rich in the northeastern corner of India. The legendary Bhupen Hazarika and Lou Majao from the days of yore to contemporary favorites like ‘Soulmate’ and ‘Boomarang’, the lush greens of the North East has consistently produced music that is synonymous with brilliance.

The last decade however, has witnessed its widespread recognition and assimilation in the mainland of the Indian subcontinent, thanks to many upcoming musicians from the region. Among the forerunners of this league of young and ambitious musicians endorsing Northeast India’s music, the Tetseo Sisters have carved quite a niche for themselves. This quartet of four sisters from the Nagaland is devoted to the tradition of vocal folk music of the state. An ‘a cappella’ style of singing combined with storytelling, and the occasional use of one-stringed instrument tati or heka libuh (mithun horn), their compositions are mostly lores on Nagaland. It’s little wonder that they named their debut album ‘Li’, which means ‘songs of the people’.

The Tetseo Sisters - Mütsevelü (Mercy), Azine (Azi), Kuvelü (Kuku) and Alüne (Lulu) caught up with Jim Ankan Deka and spoke about their music, their inspirations aspirations, and their album Li: Chapter one - The Beginning.

Tetseo Sisters

Jim: Tetseo Sisters! One of the most popular female bands from Nagaland. With over 7000 fans on Facebook, hundreds of views of your YouTube videos every week and hundreds of live shows, how does it feel?

Tetseo Sisters: It has been a long but fruitful journey. We wake up every morning with renewed faith and enthusiasm to continue doing what we love to do. We love it…..the whole lot. There is no high like the high you get while performing on stage and getting warm applause at the end of each song.

We feel truly blessed to be a part of the current music scene. What we do is more than music. It is also about preserving and promoting Nagaland’s art & culture and fashion and creativity; and presenting “our best” to the audience every single time we get up or sit down to perform. The most rewarding thing about what we do is the constant learning process, meeting new people and wonderful personalities while sharing our music and also getting a chance to display our Naga culture and helping dispel the myths and negative impressions people have about our Land. We often have elders telling us how happy they are to see us keeping the old songs alive and how proud they are of us; and sometimes very young people walk up to us and tell us we inspire them. Such experiences are so humbling and at the same time a huge morale boost, making it worth all the extra pains and the effort.

Jim: Tell us little about Tetseo Sisters – the band. Like how did it start, when did it start, who were involved?

Tetseo Sisters: We hardly think of ourselves as a band but we have been singing together for as far as we can remember, right from our childhood. We are best known as the Folk singing sisters but we like to project ourselves as modern Naga artistes who are equally at ease performing Western Music and Naga Li, and doing great in both. We belong to the generation of change and adaptation and have coped pretty well, growing with the times and yet embracing our cultural heritage and identity.

We are four sisters and a brother and though you would often see us in twos or threes at shows, we try to perform together as a foursome whenever possible. The girls play “tati”, “bamboo drums” and “khro-khro” (gourd tamborine) and Mhaseve plays the guitar, keyboards and do the music arrangements. We started singing early on in the 90s but made maximum stage appearances in the early 2000s till date. We have appeared often on Doordarshan and performed to exclusive gatherings of State heads, distinguished guests, tourists and at private events; and also at many Concerts/Youth Fests/Cultural Festivals across the country and abroad. Our parents were the driving forces behind us all along and they continue to inspire and push us to do better everyday.

Jim: Your music is different compared to many other groups like you. How do you define your music?

Tetseo Sisters: Our music is simple, melodious and harmonic, focusing on vocals and involves oral presentation of stories. Our performances call for some translation as we sing mostly in the Chokri dialect and there is some storytelling and sharing too. We call our ‘Li’ the ‘songs of the people’ not just to catch attention but because they are truly the songs of the people.

Li documents and records the stories and lives of our people, their dreams, aspirations, joys, sorrows, hopes and the happenings of daily life. We have great stage chemistry and our costumes add a lot of drama and color and for all the hard work that goes into it, our audiences love our shows and performances calling it very unique and enjoyable. Our western music performances are fun and we try to bring across a simple selection of covers of enjoyable popular hits, our playlist is carefully put together keeping our audience in mind.

Tetseo Sisters

Jim: ‘Li : Chapter one - The Beginning’ is your debut album. What paved way for it?

Tetseo Sisters: Li : Chapter One is a result of more than 15 years of performing Li and a dream to put our efforts to bring out a visible product. We have tried to showcase a sample of Li that we have been singing over the years. The album has 12 tracks, all sung in Chokri dialect of the Chakhesang Nagas: a track for each month and a Christmas Li to top it all. Love songs, odes to women’s beauty, a lamentation, a lullaby, work songs and dueling duets make up the album. There are thousands of Li and choosing just 12 was not easy and we are very satisfied with the result. The feedback has been very positive and encouraging. People have loved it and want more.

Jim: Apart from music what interests the four sisters – Mercy, Azi, Kuku and Lulu?

Tetseo Sisters: Mercy and Kuku share a love for writing and blogging while Azi is quite the design diva as she loves playing with clothes, accessories and make-up when not tending to her newborn son, our darling little nephew. Lulu and Mercy love reading, surfing the net and watching movies. Kuku loves trekking, bike rides, painting and visiting new places. We are all fond of art, fashion - clothes, shoes and jewelry and dressing up for fun, photography, travelling, reading, shopping, cooking and trying out new cuisines.

We are just four simple girls enjoying the beauty of being alive and making the most of life with our loved and dear ones by God’s grace.

Jim: Do you think singing Traditional Folk Songs will give you the international mileage that you need at a time when people are more interested in rock, hip-hop or pop music? What do you think of the present music scenario?

Tetseo Sisters: There will always be fans for each genre of music. No kind of music is inferior or superior and tastes are as unique as the individuals who enjoy a certain type of music. Every generation thinks his or her time was the best and we also think we are in a very good period as far as opportunities and creativity is concerned. For instance, the worldwide web has made the world very small and has made accessibility to all kinds of music very easy. Everything is only a click away, including recognition and success. So visibility is also much more. The only setback is that this also means ‘clever marketing’ will make one more famous than real talent.

The world is always hungry for fresh tunes, talent and something special and ‘Li’ is all that. People say the language we sing in can be a deterrent to our success but we feel that everyone appreciates good music and language will never be a barrier if the music is great. The present music scenario has loads of talent, immense creativity and very competitive.

We also listen to a lot of different types of music since all of us have different tastes and many different artistes from around the world inspire us.

Tetseo Sisters at Williamnagar, Simsam, 2012

Jim: If any other group of musicians would like to follow your path, what would be your advice?

Tetseo Sisters: Our only advice is “do try and be the best you can be in whatever you do”. We are perfectionists in what we do so we keep doing our homework and it is hard and sometimes frustrating, but striving to be as professional as we can get is a reward in itself. A job well done is always fulfilling and we try to give our 100% every time.

Jim: What are your future plans? Any collaboration with other musicians?

Tetseo Sisters: Our plans are many. We are working on a couple of music projects of our own and also collaborating with other personalities. Collaborations are very exciting and we look forward to working with other artistes who believe in us and respect our work. We just did a Christmas single with Alobo Naga and launched it on YouTube. There is a docu-film by Anuska and Iswar called “Uramili” of which we are a part of, awaiting release. We have a few other projects under wraps as of now and more International appearances soon. A Christmas album, Folk-fusion album and Chapter Two are on their way.

We will continue singing, writing, updating and interacting with people via Facebook and our website www.tetseosisters.com and prepare for more performances, while engaging in art, photography and fashion whenever the opportunity arises.

Follow Tetseo Sisters on Facebook and Reverbnation. 
(Edited by Parmita Borah) 

Assamese musician Vicckey Goswami’s remarkable musical sojourn

‘Music is what feeling sounds like’, and that is what pours out of the award winning musician Vicckey Goswami. Hailing from a family dedicated to art and culture in Tezpur, Assam, this talented youth was drawn to music from a nascent age. A man of multiple talents, Vicckey has proved his skills as a drummer, percussionist, keyboardist, vocalist, and composer.

Vicckey Goswami

Vicckey’s musical journey began as a music composer with the Ford Super Model show with Mehr Jessia Rampal in 1996, and has composed music for more than 200 Ad films. His latest score was for the Audi A8L TVC which won the Integrated Spikes Asia Award as well as the Goa Fest 2012.

Vicckey’s tribute composition to Late Bhupen Hazarika was released on Universal and featured Shankar Mahadevan, Kailash Kher and Shaan. He was invited to compose music for a Telecom Company in Uganda with a reputed local musician Kaweesa who arranged for children from an orphanage to sing, a project very that Vickey considers very close to heart.

Amongst, other achievements, the best composer award for Lowe Lintas for three consecutive years and RAPA Award for Radio Mirchi signature tune are just to name a few. Bollywood was not far behind when he won the Zee Cine Jury award for the best background score for the Salman Khan starrer Tere Naam. He was also a finalist at Cannes for the best sound design for his ST Gobbain Film.

Vicckey performed at the Groove Temple Concert in Goa with internationally acclaimed artists Prem Joshua and Talvin Singh on January 04, 2013. He is all set to release an album shortly. His consistent contribution to the world of music has won him genuine accolades.

- Edited by Parmita Borah

Psychedelic evening with Deep Forest at Deep India concert

Electronica may be the flavor of the hour, but certainly not my first choice. Therefore a day before The Deep India Concert at Vivanta by Taj on December 13, 2012, I decided to chat up with Eric Mouquet, the front man of Grammy Award winning Deep Forest, and learn a thing or two about his music. (Click here to read Eric Moquet's interview). He clarified my doubt that although elctronica has become synonymous with mash-ups, club and dance music for my generation, his music has a wider scope to it. Deep Forest strives to create a synergy between technologies like sampling with deep rooted folk elements and even organic sound effects. Deep India is a spin off of that very concept.

Deep India Concert at Vivanta by Taj

For those who didn't know 'The Deep India concert' is a brief musical tour to promote the project 'Deep India', a collaboration between Deep Forest and Indian santoor player Rahul Sharma. The event was on the breezy evening of December 13, at Vivanta by Taj. Our moods pretty much in sync with psychedelic lights emitted by busy traffic, we reached an hour early for the concert and binged on yummy tidbits, standing next to an open bar.

I may still not be a trance/elctronica fan, but in all honesty, it was one hell of a show. Deep Forest kicked off the evening with some unhurried dreamy tracks, with David Fall on the drums, Alune Wade on the bass, Olyza Zamati - the vocalist, and the master himself Eric Mouquet on the keys (both on the keyboard and the laptop).

The highlight of the show has got to be composition 'Viva Madikere,' an ode to the enchanting hill station town Madikere. There's an interesting story behind this song. It so happened that Indian santoor player had recorded some drum beats, vocals and natural sound effects during his stay at Madikere and send them to Eric to get a flavor of the land. Inspired by the flavors of the place, Deep Forest worked on the song and named it 'Viva Madikere', which later paved way for the complete musical collaboration - Deep India. The audience were equally thrilled to groove to a Bihu song (traditional folk song of Assam) that Eric had fused with techno beats!

- by Parmita Borah                5HUE2USGAHPQ

Eric Mouquet of Deep Forest at Deep India Concert (photo - Jim Ankan Deka)

Olyza Zamati at Vivanta by Taj, Bangalore (photo - Jim Ankan Deka)

Alune Wade of Deep Forest at Deep India Concert, Bangalore, India  (photo - Parmita Borah)

Olyza Zamati at Deep India Concert, Vivanta by Taj, Bangalore (photo - Jim Ankan Deka)

David Fall at Deep India Concert, Vivanta by Taj, Bangalore (photo - Jim Ankan Deka)

Eric Mouquet of Deep Forest at Vivanta by Taj, Bangalore (photo - Jim Ankan Deka)

Olyza Zamati of Deep Forest at Vivanta by Taj, Bangalore (photo - Jim Ankan Deka)

Eric Mouquet at Deep India Concert, Vivanta by Taj, India (photo - Jim Ankan Deka)

Candid conversation with Eric Mouquet - frontman of Grammy Award winning Deep Forest

French duo Eric Mouquet and Michel Sanchez from the Grammy Award winning ‘Deep Forest’ are all set to perform in Bangalore. World music and Electronica enthusiasts can watch them live at The Deep India Concert on December 13, 2012 at Vivanta by Taj (6.30 PM onwards). Deep Forest is celebrated in the world music scene for fusing ethnic music with dance and chill-out beats. Their albums have sold over 10 million copies and they are also the recipients of the World Music Awards - French group with the highest 1995 world sales.

Eric Mouquet and Parmita Borah (© Jim Ankan Deka)

We managed to catch hold of the charming Eric Mouquet, a day before his performance at Vivanta by Taj, Bangalore, and spoke about his two decades long musical journey and his collaboration with Indian musician Rahul Sharma; and dig this – made him sing a Hindi song! Here’s an excerpt of our brief yet fun filled conversation –

Parmita Borah: It’s been twenty years that you’ve been associated with the music industry. How has your journey been?

Eric Mouquet: It’s been fantastic and adventerous. I didn’t imagine when we began, that we would come this far. I consider myself very lucky because I continue to travel, meet musicians, do shows and concerts. The beauty of this whole journey is that you get to meet new people and always have the inspiration to make new projects. So it’s been an amazing adventure.

Eric Mouquet of Deep Forest (© Jim Ankan Deka)

PB: When we say ‘electronica’, mostly trance and mash ups come to mind; and there’s ‘ethnic eletronica’ which seems to have folk elements.

EM: It’s hard to say. When I was a teenager, electronica was preferred, it wasn’t dance at all, it was ambient music. Today it’s all about club and dance. I think every generation has it’s own taste (laughs). For me electronica is a way to use the synthesizer, and the sequencer and a way to compose music using technical things like sampling, analog and digital sounds. Ofcourse, trance is a part of it, and we will play trance at our performace tomorrow, but the scope of electronica is much wider than that.

PB: Of all your global collaborations, you’ve have recently collaborated with Indian musician Rahul Sharma. Tel us something about that.

EM: To be honest, I didn’t know Rahul Sharma before this project. Sony Music asked me to listen to Rahul Sharma’s Santoor works, it’s a very beautiful instrument and Rahul’s a very good musician. It’s always easy to work with a good musician because we speak the same language. Our project is supported by Vivanta by Taj, and therefore we will be performing in Bangalore and Coorg.

Eric Mouquet and Parmita Borah (© Jim Ankan)

PB: About your association with Vivanta by Taj, would you like to tell us something about that?

EM: Actually Rahul was in Vivanta by Taj, Madikere. There he recorded some nature sound effects, drum beats and vocals and sent them for me to get a feel of the place. Later we worked on the sounds, wrote a song and now we have a song called Viva Madikere, inspired by the beauty of the land.

PB: Did he teach you any Hindi song?

EM: None as yet.

I broke into the song ‘Pyaar Huwa Ikraar Huwa’ from Shree 420, and Eric Mouquet pretty much got it right at his second attempt, making me his first Hindi Teacher! Deep Forest will be performing on December 13, 2012 at Vivanta by Taj, 6.30 PM onwards. Catch them live at The Deep India Concert if you want to kick start your weekend in a cool way.

- by Parmita Borah

Grammy award winning Deep Forest to perform at ‘Deep India’ concert

Eric Mouquet (Deep Forest)

Deep Forest, the Grammy Award winning band from France will be performing for the first time in India at 'Deep India' concert on Thursday, December 13. The venue Vivanta by Taj at MG Road, Bangalore in collaboration with Sony Music will showcase this musical evening.

Deep Forest, comprising of  Michel Sanchez and Eric Mouquet, was nominated for a Grammy Award for the first time in 1994 and won the award for the album 'Boheme' in 1995. The band is known for their unique music, also known as 'ethnic electronica'.

The band will be performing in the city to celebrate the “one with nature” rainforest retreat 'Vivanta Madikeri Coorg'. Their collaboration with Santoor maestro Rahul Sharma will be available in an upcoming album ‘Deep India’. One of the tracks from the album is a tribute to Vivanta by Taj - Madikeri, Coorg, a visually stunning rainforest retreat spread across 180 acres.

Tickets of the event are priced at Rs.2000 and one can contact 080-6660-4444 for advance booking.

Vivanta by Taj Currently comprises of 25 hotels and resorts in India and the Indian Ocean region. Vivanta by Taj is represented across key metropolitan capitals as well as popular holiday destinations like Goa, Kerala, Rajasthan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

- EFNI

Candid chat with 2Blue - the lead singer of Zedde

Truly reminiscent of a rock star, his awe-inspiring stage presence is always met with thunderous applause and gorgeous ladies swarming around him like bees. And, despite being a lighthearted conversationalist, and what I’d like to describe as a ‘fun guy’, 2Blue is a true blue musician with viable love and dedication towards music. Along with his Mumbai based band Zedde (one of India’s leading Rock bands), 2Blue is committed to making original music that rocks the worlds of many.

2Blue talks about his band, Zedde, his upcoming album with the band, his connection with North East India, and holy cow – his wacky name …

2Blue - lead singer, Zedde

Q.   Zedde – fan base from all around the globe, more than 5000 likes on Facebook and counting and many prestigious awards. How does it feel? 

2Blue: It sure feels good to have a growing fan base and the awards. But an artist needs to live in the present and not bask too much in past glory. While Facebook likes and fancy awards may put his name out there, they should not be used as a certification of his talent... because there will always be many out there with far more talent and far less luck. The funny thing is: the vice versa is equally true. Switch on a radio or a television set and you will see what I saying (winks).

Q.  What is the connection between Zedde and North-East India?

2Blue: I was born and raised in Agartala, Tripura. Two of my friends from Guwahati, Assam — Akashdeep Gogoi and Deepu Saikia — handle bass playing duties for the band depending on their availability. So that’s one half of the band with its roots in the North-East.

Q.  2Blue! Very unusual name.  What is the story behind?  We would also like to know your alternate name, if any.

2Blue: Here are a few other ‘unusual’ names: Skrillex, Bono, The Edge, Sting, Eminem, 2Pac, Slash and Babul Supriyo. Just wait till I get famous enough for ‘2Blue’ to sound really cool (laughs out loud). Okay, on a serious note, Tublu is a very common pet name amongst the Bengali community that I come from. I just like its alphanumeric incarnation better. Had this article been for a business magazine, you would have been addressing me as... wait for it... Tirthankar Poddar. You can now laugh all you want (smiles).

Q.     Vayu to Zedde. How did it happen?

2Blue: All things come with an expiry date, no matter how good (or bad) they are. So soon after the Vayu album ‘Wings Of A Dream’ was released, Zedde was founded. One phone call was all it took. Guitar player Claver Menezes, who was at the other end of the line, readily agreed to come onboard. That’s how the nucleus of the band was formed.

Q.     Tell us something about Zedde’s members and the gears they use.

Claver Menezes - guitarist, Zedde

2Blue: Zedde (pronounced zēd) is essentially a 4-piece rock band featuring Claver Menezes on guitars, Akashdeep Gogoi (and sometimes Deepu Saikia) on bass as mentioned earlier, and Trevor Berchman on drums. While each member of the band keeps upgrading their gear, the last time I checked, Claver used Ibanez guitars with Tech 21 Liverpool Distortion, Tech 21 DLA, Jim Dunlop Cry Baby Wah, and a Boss GT8 processor. Of course I can’t resist the urge to mention the Makita drill machine he uses on our recent single ‘Blame It On Her Youth (The Electric Drill Song)’ which is now available for free download on our website www.ZeddeLIVE.in (smiles sheepishly). Akash has way too many bass guitars to mention: right from a 6-string Ibanez SR3006 and a 5-string Fender Jazz, to a headless Steinberger and a Asbory rubber bass. His choice of pedals includes (but is not restricted to): Boss Super Octave, Boss Bass Equalizer, Hartke Bass Attack, and EBS Micro Bass II. Trevor is a fan of all things Zildjian. When recording in the studio, he likes his Yamaha and/or Roland virtual drums. When touring with the band, he settles for whatever the event organizer has the budget for (laughs out loud). When it comes to my personal favourite, I like to use a Shure SM58 cordless along with a Boss Digital Delay pedal. And of course, I like my megaphone (smiles again).

Q.     What/who inspired you to create your milestone project ‘Mumbai’? How did you promote it?

If you pay attention to the lyrics, you’ll see it’s about taking the “one-way train” to the city with “just a bag of dreams”, “knocking the doors”, “chasing the sun”, “until she hears your silent screams”. Then “she puts her wings around you”, “takes away your crown of thorns”, “nurses your wounds”, “washes you clean”, and “saves you from the howling storm”. So in more ways than one, it is the story of my life... of the small town boy who moved to the city for a better tomorrow. How did we promote it? Well, the initial plan was to debut the song at the erstwhile south-Mumbai night club (Not Just) Jazz By The Bay on Saturday, November 29, 2008. Then all hell broke loose on Wednesday, November 26. The city bled for days. Innocent lives were lost. It was no time to celebrate music. So we cancelled the show. Then on November 26 the following year, the music video for ‘Mumbai’ debuted on VH1. It may not be the fanciest thing you’ve watched on TV but it managed to climb to #1 position on the YouTube India charts within 24 hours of upload. It sure has emotions that run deep.

Q.   The new Zedde CD is currently being recorded. What would be the name? Any collaboration with any other musician or band?

2Blue: We have 10 original songs that have been tried and tested at several venues across the country. As soon as we have a couple of more songs that all members of the band are happy with, we will start knocking a few doors again (smiles). We haven’t settled on a name yet, and since this is going to be our first full length album, I think it is best we exploit the band’s intrinsic talent pool to create it so we can grow organically.

Q.   Are you satisfied with the present music scenario of India? Do you want the industry people and the Government of India to change anything?

Claver & 2Blue, Zedde

2Blue: The music scenario in India is definitely a lot more promising now than it used to be say about 10 years back. The focus has shifted to originality and in spite of the steep uphill climb, a lot of self-respecting musicians have embraced the Do-It-Yourself model. Musicians today are not afraid to be their own publicists, producers, distributors, and managers amongst other things. The success stories are quite a few. But the thing about success is that when some milestones are met, a whole new world of ambitious milestones gets created. So some more support and appreciation from mainstream media would help motivate, spur, and channelize creative efforts. Another thing I would like to mention is the lack of adequate attention for the ‘artistic middleclass’. Music companies, promoters, journalist et al are all busy promoting either fresh talent or iconic acts, with brazen lack of concern for those that don’t fit into these extremes. Let the aforementioned people be reminded that it is the artistic middleclass that connects with its audience at a very personal level. It is the artistic middleclass that builds long lasting relationships with their fans and supporters via social media and intimate club concerts. Fresh talent does not have that luxury while iconic acts have way too much going on to maintain that personal touch. So the artistic middle class is what brands and music business people need to take more interest in to push the right kind of marketing communication out to their target audience. As far as the role of the government goes, cultural exchanges beyond the realm of domestic pastures should be encouraged more vehemently. Entertainment taxes should be made more reasonable too. 

Q.   If a new band or a singer wants to follow the footsteps of Zedde and 2Blue, what will be your advice? 

2Blue: I am not sure if I would make an ideal role model but I sure have had my share of good and bad times to know that it’s a brutal world out there. But if you are armed with talent, passion, ambition, and faith, nothing can stop you. So follow your heart. You stand to lose way too much if you don’t.

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- Jim Ankan Deka