Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Lassi With Lavina
    • Home
    • About Lassi with Lavina
      • About Lavina Melwani
    • The Buzz
    • Features
      1. Art
      2. Books
      3. Cinema
      4. Daily Pep Pill
      5. Dance
      6. Faith
      7. Fashion
      8. From Me to You
      9. Lifestyle
      10. Music
      11. People
      Featured
      May 20, 20250

      Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp Wins £ 50,000 International Booker Prize 2025

      Recent
      May 30, 2025

      New York Diary – Photo of the Day: East River

      May 20, 2025

      Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp Wins £ 50,000 International Booker Prize 2025

      March 29, 2025

       Reinventing Widowhood: When the ‘weaker sex’ is the stronger sex

    • Foodisphere
      1. Food Articles
      2. Restaurants
      Featured
      May 5, 20259

      Mango Magic -Alphonso, Langra, and Chausa from India

      Recent
      May 5, 2025

      Mango Magic -Alphonso, Langra, and Chausa from India

      October 28, 2024

      Exploring the Veggie Food Trail to India

      May 11, 2024

      Holi Moly! It’s Cocktails from India by way of NYC’s Bungalow!

    • Events
    • Videos
      • Health & Wellness
      • Fashion & Style
      • Food & Drink
      • Travel & Leisure
    Lassi With Lavina
    You are at:Home»Features»Music»A New York Celebration – Indo-Jazz Festival!

    A New York Celebration – Indo-Jazz Festival!

    0
    By Lavina Melwani on January 2, 2018 Music

     6407 people reached on Lassi with Lavina FB page
    Kinkini Dey Sarkar, Poonam Sharma and 6 others like it on Lassi with Lavina page
    161 views on LinkedIn

    Melodic Intersect perform at Jazz at Lincoln Center for SAMAA
    Melodic Intersect perform at Jazz at Lincoln Center

     

    A New York Celebration – Indo-Jazz Festival!

     

    Photos: Michael Toolan

    [dropcap]C[/dropcap]an borders be crossed with impunity? Can diversity be celebrated with stamping feet and clapping hands? Can east and west embrace and the result be pure, unadulterated joy and energy? Sitting at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Appel Room for the Indo-Jazz Festival was to see all this happen before your eyes, with the amazing glittering city of New York as its backdrop. Indeed, you could say the performers on stage had this frenetic, pulsating city as yet another performer – albeit a silent one – which enhanced the evening immensely.

    From the floor to ceiling windows you saw the Manhattan skyline studded with lights and silhouetted skyscrapers and the cars dashing by in an unending stream. In the reflections juxtaposed  by these gigantic windows, I seemed to see the traffic descending from the sky, and with the ebullient conversation of tabla and sitar, piano, guitar and saxophone, the entire evening had a joyful, surreal feel to it…a happiness which seemed to radiate the feeling that the world was about connections, not conflicts.

     

    Hidayat Khan at the indo-Jazz Festival
    Hidayat Khan at the indo-Jazz Festival

     

    [dropcap]S[/dropcap]outh Asian Music and Arts Association (SAMAA)  presented Indo Jazz Festival: a union between the two most improvisational genres of music, showcasing the talents of Melodic Intersect and Jazz Carnatica, which both have a mix of east and west musicians and instruments. It was a brave effort and asked about organizing this concert, Simmi Bhatia, the director of SAMAA said, “It’s intriguing to hear the two great music forms – Indian Classical and Jazz – come together. Both are based on improvisation, yet they are so different. Indian music is melody-driven and Jazz is based on harmony, so it is a challenge to beautifully incorporate the two and create beautiful music. Indian classical music is one of the oldest music forms while jazz is one of the youngest. So again, it is incredible to hear the two played together.”

    Melodic Intersect, whose new album ‘Looking Forward’ has been included in this year’s Grammy Ballot for best World Music Album, comprises of Hidayat Khan (sitar, vocal), Enayat Hossain (tabla), Greg Hatza (piano), Joy Islam (guitar),  Fred Koch (saxophone), Avirodh Sharma(world percussion).

    Melodic Intersect

     

    [dropcap]H[/dropcap]idayat Khan has been on both sides of the divide and as son of the legendary Ustad Vilayat Khan, he is the inheritor of a lineage spanning seven generations of  classical musicians. Yet he has also been very much a part of the western music world, having performed in concerts with many noted artists including Ndugu Chancier, Ronnie Woods, Usher and Will.I.Am. Asked about the experience of performing with east and west musicians, Hidayat Khan says, “It’s the excitement of the unknown…the nervous energy in a positive way of creating something completely new and special. Meeting someone that I don’t personally know but yet, we speak a language that is so familiar. I love the feeling of unpredictability, and not knowing where this new connection will take us!”

    He points out that this is no longer the 60’s and that the musicians have had a lot of exposure to varied music: “  Today’s musicians have an amazing understanding of each other’s disciplines – east or west) – it’s not an alien art form but there is still so much to learn from one another. I have been very fortunate, getting opportunities to work with the some of the greatest minds of music from across the globe from a very young age. What I’ve learned from this experience is that regardless of what your background maybe, deep down inside all the musicians are one big family because we all speak one language… Music.”

    Arun Ramamurthy Trio at the Indo-Jazz Festival
    Arun Ramamurthy Trio

    [dropcap]I[/dropcap]magine South Indian Carnatic music blended with jazz and you have the  Arun Ramamurthy Trio  (ART) comprising of Arun Ramamurthy(violin), Sameer Gupta (drums), Rashaan Carter (bass). These three instruments in the hands of these exceptional performers converse to give you a wonderful and enriching listening experience.

    Asked about the joy of playing with musicians of different disciplines, Arun Ramamurthy says,  ”I’ve been fortunate to play with musicians from a variety of traditions. It’s exciting to learn about different disciplines, as each has its own history, its own language. We try to understand each other’s perspective and create something new based on this understanding.

    About 10 years ago, I met jazz pianist Marc Cary in NYC. We were playing a song that was based in Hindustani Raga Purya Dhanasri. Marc was phrasing this raga I knew so well in a way I had never heard before. It opened my eyes to the fact that perspective means everything, and we have to open ourselves up to see things from various angles.”

    Arun Ramamurthy Trio

     

    The Indo-Jazz Festival: Something Old, Something New

    [dropcap]A[/dropcap]nd this is exactly what was happening at the Indo-Jazz Festival – something old, something new and all presented from a different perspective. For the audience too it was a learning experience and an adventure in music. As Simmi Bhatia points out, “Indian classical music has a very niche audience especially in the west, so I like to present it in a way which appeals to a wider audience. By incorporating Jazz, we widen our reach to the western audience as well as the younger generation of South Asian descent who find the concept appealing.”

    And that brings us to the dance aspect of the Indo-Jazz Festival which presented a powerful piece by the Parul Shah Dance Company which has its roots in traditional Kathak dance but incorporates  so many different forms of dance. This piece titled Enduring Silence  choreographed by Parul Shah is a powerful testimony to women’s lives and is particularly pertinent in the current political climate in so many countries where women’s lives are disregarded and marginalized. Women endure physical hardship, violence, and inequality protected under the canopy of tradition.

     

    Parul Shah presents Enduring Silence at Indo-Jazz Festival
    Parul Shah presents Enduring Silence

     

    The Parul Shah Dance Company –  Women Warriors

    [dropcap]T[/dropcap]his is a powerful piece signifying the difficult lives of so many women through the body and gestures of one woman. It held the audience in its grip, the quicksilver Kathak footwork resounding against the wooden floor like a series of blows. For me, the stunning  music by Trina Basu (violin), Amali Premawardhana (cello) and Mike Lukshis (tabla) added to the  heartbreaking beauty and sadness of the dance.

    Asked about the thoughts behind the creation of this lovely, complex piece, Shah said, “It was inspired by women particularly in Asia and Africa that endure physical hardship and violence and continue to endure and be resilient. This piece depicts not one but many women: a courtesan, a woman in a village: carrying pots, a woman forced to leave her child. All these women face violence and inequalities and are forced to lives that have not been chosen by them.”

    She adds, “Physical/sexual abuse towards women is a universal plight in first world and third world nations and for the most part has been ignored and in some parts of the world, culturally seen as a norm.  The beauty and power of art: music, dance, literature, films, and fine arts is that it can provide the spectator a lens to feel empathy and connection which is vital for change to occur.”

    Parul Shah – Enduring Silence

    [dropcap]I[/dropcap] asked Parul Shah what she would say to kathak purists who may quibble that this is not traditional kathak?  She says, “I have been very fortunate to have studied with a guru, Padmabushan Kumudini Lakhia who is so well respected in the Indian classical dance world and is considered a pioneer for her own innovative choreography in the dance field.  She has been very supportive of my work and has always told all her students to think and seek on their own.

    The movement vocabulary that I am creating is coming from a truthful, authentic place within me.  My vocabulary is not an amalgamation of many styles but comes from the application of my many years of training in Kathak to contemporary life today.  It is a language that bridges the gap between my codified training in Kathak with my identity as a South Asian American women living in a vibrant, global city.”

    What’s Happening in 2018

    With 2018 just beginning, expect to see these wonderful artistes in a variety of venues.

    [dropcap]H[/dropcap]idayat Khan is starting the year with a tour of India followed by performances in the US and Canada, and later performing in Europe and at Womad Festival.  He’ll be performing with Melodic Intersect at the Kennedy Center Washington DC, Montreal Jazz Festival, Miami and other locations. I will also be releasing more albums with Melodic Intersect, classical and other collaborations as well.

    [dropcap]A[/dropcap]run Ramamurthy also has a lot on his plate for the new year, bringing  Arun Ramamurthy Trio to Fort Myers, FL on Feb 24 to perform for Raaga Inc. He is also the co-founder and Artistic Director of  Brooklyn Raga Massive, an artist collective dedicated to cross-cultural dialogue through music, and will be doing several shows including a collaboration with West African singer Awa Sangho at Lincoln Center Atrium on Feb 9th. He will also be accompanying Sudha Raghunathan on Jan 28 in NJ in a pure Carnatic concert. After that he will touring with Ragamala Dance Company and Amir ElSaffar throughout 2018 for a show called Written in Water, in several cities from Abu Dhabi to Austin, and including the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.

    [dropcap]P[/dropcap]arul Shah, who created ‘Enduring Silence’ a year ago is planning to expand the piece into an evening length work with 2 more sections that will explore the multifaceted identity of  women. She says, “Now more than ever, where there is promise for real change in how women are perceived and respected, it is necessary to keep telling stories to promote awareness and challenge and question practices that have once been accepted culturally.”

    Simmi Bhatia of SAMAA with art lovers
    Simmi Bhatia of SAMAA with art lovers

    [dropcap]S[/dropcap]immi Bhatia and SAMAA plan to also continue to do exciting things in 2018. She says, “We are hoping to showcase Hindustani, Carnatic, Jazz, Folk. Depending on the funding and logistics, we would love to add different dance forms to it. We are hoping to continue the 2-day festival for the next few years. We could add plays and poetry to them as the festival grows. For the fall of 2018, we are planning a  2-day festival as a tribute to Ustad Vilayat Khan for his 75th birth anniversary.”

    Talking of the Indo-Jazz Festival, Bhatia hopes to make it even better: “When the show is sold out and the audience appreciates the music, dance, the venue and the timely organized concert, it feels very fulfilling. Though I must add that it would be nice to get like-minded people to get involved and of course contribute to the Arts.”

    Well, if you love the arts, 2018 might be the year to get involved, bring east and west together, celebrate diversity and the universality of dance and music!

    Related Articles:

    Being Vilayat Khan’s Son

    Shubha Mudgal & Bombay Jayashri – Confluence of Hindustani & Carnatic Music

    Indian Classical Music – The Next Generation

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Lavina Melwani
    • Website

    Lavina Melwani is a New York-based journalist who writes for several international publications. Twitter@lavinamelwani & @lassiwithlavina Sign up for the free newsletter to get your dose of Lassi!

    Related Posts

    A Midsummer Night’s Free Indian Feast at Lincoln Center

    Celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi with Ammu and Chandrika Tandon

    Ila Paliwal’s The Earth Symphony – A Love Song for the Environment

    Leave A Reply

    top Indian blogs
    Find Us on FaceBook
    Recent Posts
    May 30, 2025

    New York Diary – Photo of the Day: East River

    May 23, 2025

    New York Diary: An Evening with Deepak Chopra, Chandrika Tandon and Fareed Zakaria

    May 20, 2025

    Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp Wins £ 50,000 International Booker Prize 2025

    May 5, 2025

    Mango Magic -Alphonso, Langra, and Chausa from India

    April 28, 2025

    Come celebrate Cherry Blossoms in New York’s Central Park

    * indicates required
    Close
    Translate Lassi with Lavina
    Photo Blog
    Women Warriors
    Lassi with Lavina Tweets
    Follow lassiwithlavina on Twitter
    Connect on LinkedIn…
    View Lavina Melwani's LinkedIn profileView Lavina Melwani's profile

    About

    Lassi with Lavina is a dhaba-style offering of life and the arts through the prism of India. It shares the celebrations and concerns of the global Indian woman. Supported by the Knight Foundation for Journalism, it brings stories from New York to New Delhi to readers globally. About Lassi with Lavina

    Copyright © 2015 Lavina Melwani and Lassi with Lavina. Photos © Copyright 2015 Respective Photographers. Reproduction of material without written permission is prohibited

    Children’s Hope – every child counts. Click to learn more

    © 2025 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.