The scent of wet earth, the blanket of dark, puffy clouds, the nip in the air and the changing hues of the sky... through the centuries, this season’s beauty has been captured in haunting tunes and compositions. Be it Mian Tansen’s raag Megh Malhar, ‘Rain’ by the Beatles, ‘The Rain Song’ by Led Zeppelin, the timeless ‘Zindagi bhar nahi bhulegi yeh barsaat ki raat’ or the buoyant ‘Oho megham vandhado’ — the 13th edition of The Hindu November Fest will offer a similar blend of the traditional and progressive as the monsoon sets the mood for the annual musical celebration.
Since its inception, the Fest has taken music lovers from multiple cities on a sound trip that cuts across genres and connects continents and cultures.
Over the years, the eclectic variety of concerts has featured formidable names such as ghazal queen Farida Khanum, Sufi czarina Abida Parveen, Bangladeshi singer Runa Laila, dhrupad aces the Gundecha Brothers, maestro Pt. Jasraj, Hindustani exponents Rashid Khan, Shujaat Khan and Shahid Parvez, the late mandolin wizard U. Shrinivas, Aruna Sairam’s abhang soiree, British Afro-pop band Osibisa, Berlin-based western classical musicians of Trio Image, cousins Zeb and Haniya’s Frontier notes, Shillong Chamber Choir’s heart-warming numbers and the earthy songs of the Manganiyars.
The Fest’s line-up reflects the changing definition of music, with a seamless exchange between classical values and contemporary insights. It offers musicians a platform to think beyond their conventional repertoire and journey into an unfettered terrain. The aim has been to reach out to a wider audience with diverse musical interests. This year’s Fest, too, upholds this creative template in its offering that ranges from classical and pop, to folk and film.
Bangalore: 19/05/2011. Sitar player, Purbayan Chatterjee during Arohi music festival at Chowdaiah hall in Bangalore on 18th May 2011. Photo: Bhagya Prakash K
Three-city event
To be held across three cities, Chennai (November 9 to 12), Bengaluru (November 17 to 19) and Hyderabad (November 24 to 26), it will bring together ustads and young artistes.
The Fest will open with the Classical & Beyond ensemble, comprising vocalist Kaushiki Chakraborty (daughter of the well-known Ajoy Chakraborty of the Patiala gharana), Taufiq Qureshi on percussion, Rakesh Chaurasia on flute, Purbayan Chatterjee on sitar, Satyajit Talwalkar on tabla and Sudhanshu Gharpure (keyboard & harmonium). The artistes, who are established names, will bring to the collaboration their individual strength and perception. They will traverse the raga route in their search for a refreshing sound. It will be an experimental exercise that will draw substantially from their classical roots even while mirroring their modern sensibilities. These artistes have been travelling across the world seeking new ground for classical music. At the inaugural concert in the three cities, the team will treat the audience to a musical fare that is both accessible and entertaining.
Mumbai: Percussionist Taufiq Qureshi performs during Yashwant International Film Festival in Mumbai on Saturday. PTI Photo by Mitesh Bhuvad (PTI1_17_2015_000161A)
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On the second day, singer Sid Sriram, who grew up on a steady diet of Carnatic, jazz and blues, will present ‘Boundless’ that aptly sums up his music. Hitting the popularity charts with hits such as ‘Ennodu Nee Irundhaal’, ‘Thalli Pogathey’ and ‘Adiye’, the 27-year-old (among A.R. Rahman’s prominent discoveries) has now formed a band to share his musical ideas with listeners. During his childhood in Fremont, California, he began learning Carnatic music from his mother Latha. Slowly Jazz, Blues and R&B began to interest him. Soon, he knew what he wanted to do — be a singer.
Diverse genres
His presentation at the Fest will bring to the fore his ability to hold the identity of the different genres he indulges in. Tyagaraja Kriti ‘Mokshamu Galada’ will meet A.R. Rahman super hits, electronic and pop. An integral part of the band is his sister Pallavi Sriram, a Bharatanatyam dancer, who will give expression to Sid’s cross-over tunes. The other members are: Sanjeev Thomas (guitar), Keba Jeremiah (bass), Leon James (keys), Tapass Naresh (Drums), Praveen Sparsh (percussion) and Marti Bharath (synthesiser/sound effects).
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‘Tower of Song’ on the third day brings to town for the first time, the London-born singer-songwriter Lail Arad, who is known as much for her full-house live shows as for her albums. Along with JF Robitaille, Lail, in her textured, warm vocals will present folk tunes backed by meaningful verses and effective instrumentation.
After her debut album ‘Someone New’ in 2011, last year, she came up with ‘Onion’ that garnered rave reviews for its folk-rock flavour. It revealed her independent thinking and the inspiration that she draws from her songwriting heroes such as Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. Lail’s music is like an intimate conversation, where she comes across not just as a singer, but more of an explorer, out to seek the physical and literary world.
The Fest will draw to a close with ‘Badtameez Dil’ Benny Dayal. It won’t be wrong to refer to him so because the world was up on its feet after he sang this number for Ranbir Kapoor in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani . Another Rahman protégé, he has been on a crooning spree with a slew of chartbusters to his credit.
Besides Bollywood and Kollywood, he brings to the Fest a pulsating mix of electro-funk and alt-rock with Joshua Satya (lead guitar), Carl Fernandes (bass), David Joseph (drums), Allwyn Jeya Paul (percussion) and Alok Merwin (Keyboard). Another key player is pianist Anil Srinivasan, who resides comfortably in two worlds — Carnatic and global music. His musical cameo is sure to provide an edge to The Music Men’s presentation.
Dates and Venue
CHENNAI:
November 9-12, The Music Academy
BENGALURU:
November 17-19, Ambedkar Bhavan
HYDERABAD:
November 24-26, Ravindra Bharathi
Sponsors:
- Powered by - Fiat
- Associate Sponsor – Hindustan University & Nova Life Spaces (Chennai)
- TV Partner – Doordarshan
- Hospitality Partner – Taj Coromandel (Chennai), Taj Krishna (Hyderabad), Taj Westend (Bengaluru)
- Radio Partner - Radio One (Chennai), Fever (Bengaluru & Hyderabad)
- Sound Partner – Zebronics
- Instrument Partner – Furtados (Bengaluru)
- Water Partner – Aachi
- Mall Partner - Ampa Skywalk
At a glance:
Tickets: Click >here to book tickets. Also available at: > BookMyShowTicket
Daily: Rs 300, Rs 500, Rs 750, Rs 1000 | Season pass - Rs 2500, Rs 1500, Rs 1000 Help line: +91-72999-11222 (between 10 a.m. & 5 p.m.) Follow us Facebook: > The Hindu November Fest Twitter: > @THNovFest
