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A novel jugalbandi marked the seven-decade-old Doverlane Music Convention


The jugalbandi by Vikas Babu on the shehnai and Phil Scarff on the soprano sax, accompanied by Bhushan Parchure on the tabla.

The jugalbandi by Vikas Babu on the shehnai and Phil Scarff on the soprano sax, accompanied by Bhushan Parchure on the tabla.
| Picture Credit score: Particular Association

Anybody who has learn or heard concerning the saxophone-shehnai duet on the 73rd Doverlane Music Convention in Kolkata would have been instantly intrigued. Within the current previous, Indian classical music has seen some fascinating and distinctive combos with musicians reaching out to friends throughout genres. So it was at this live performance. The duo — Vikas Babu on the shehnai and Phil Scarff on the soprano sax, accompanied by Bhushan Parchure on the tabla, carried out on the four-day competition devoted to Indian classical music.

Taking the stage shut to five a.m. (eighth prahar in line with Hindustani music time cycle), they commenced with raag Ahir Bhairav, which although a primary prahar raag, might be sung throughout Brahma Muhurta.

Melange of kinds

Vikas started with a vilambit alap in Ektaal. Initially Phil, an exponent of Indian classical music on the soprano sax, mirrored each phrase performed by Vikas earlier than shifting on to bluesy notes, a la collective improvisation in jazz, predicated on the Mixolydian b2 mode (to which the Hindustani raag carefully corresponds). If the base-melody have been to be remoted, it will have been a stand-alone pressure, however nowhere within the combine was it sonically incongruous. His utility was utterly couched within the spirit of Hindustani music, which he learnt from six gurus, the distinguished amongst them being Pt. Shreeram Devasthali.

Brimmed with bhakti

Phil Scarff (sax) mirrored every phrase played by Vikas Baby (Shehnai) before moving on to bluesy notes.

Phil Scarff (sax) mirrored each phrase performed by Vikas Child (Shehnai) earlier than shifting on to bluesy notes.
| Picture Credit score:
SUJOY

On his half, Vikas’ Benaras gharana model, imbibed from Ustad Bismillah Khan’s disciple Vishnu Prasanna, behind whom Vikas had sat on this dais a couple of years in the past as a backing instrumentalist, was obvious from his embouchure. Brimming with bhakti rasa, he etched out the pre-sunrise gravitas with readability. The projection was in gayaki ang with extra emphasis on sur than on taan. Point out should be product of the reverb he settled on, which actually precipitated the voicing.

Phil Scarff is an exponent of Indian classical music on the soprano sax.

Phil Scarff is an exponent of Indian classical music on the soprano sax.
| Picture Credit score:
SUJOY

Bhushan’s drut bandish heralded the accelerando in Teentaal, eschewing the introduced madhaylay, maybe beneath duress to carry out inside an hour. In the course of the passagework of his personal sargam composition in Teentaal, Shehnai being an 1.5 octave instrument, Vikas displayed experience within the higher octave ‘pa’ to entry ‘dha’. Noticeable additionally was his higher octave ‘re-sa-ga’ murkis ably supported by Bhushan’s rela. All of the whereas, Phil’s distinct method, refined beneath celebrated saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi, stimulated the dialog — typically main and typically seconding, because the trio led us to a rosy rising solar with a Chakradhar tihai. They then interpreted Bismillah Khan’s well-known kajri in Keherwa taal enhanced by Bhushan’s delicate laggi and dove right into a Bengali dhun in Bhairav. Tutored in Punjab gharana each by Ustad Alla Rakha and Ustad Zakir Hussain, Bhushan, who’s additionally adept in different kinds, maintained clear and clear strains all through.

Though there were requests for Phil to play a jazz piece, the trio stuck to the traditional repertoire and played raag Bairagi Bhairav.

Although there have been requests for Phil to play a jazz piece, the trio caught to the standard repertoire and performed raag Bairagi Bhairav.
| Picture Credit score:
SUJOY

Although there have been requests for Phil to play Dave Brubeck’s basic jazz piece ‘Take 5’, the trio caught to their repertoire, which included a lovely raag Bairagi Bhairav. Nevertheless, unhealthy audio diluted its impression. Audio was a competition all by the competition. The organisers must work out the niggles.

Once more there was an enchantment to play Bhatiali. After a quick dialogue, Vikas settled on raag Bhatiyar. Phil let the shehnai and tabla make the perfect of this dawn raag.

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