ANNIVERSARIES:
ANNIVERSARIES:
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The National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) is bringing the International Jazz Festival this year, with Grammy-nominated musicians performing to create some of the finest and highest standard Jazz, Mumbai has ever heard. The festival will begin on November 25th with The Mingus Big Band, followed by Monty Alexander on November 26th and Thilo Wolf Jazz Quartett featuring Johanna Iser on November 27th.
The Mingus Dynasty performed at NCPA in 2019, and the repertory group The Mingus Big Band will perform on the first day of the festival, The band is a 14-piece ensemble comprised of some of the most technically skilled and creatively expressive musicians, varying from veterans to rising stars. The band has 11 recordings to its name, 6 of which were nominated for Grammys and won in 2011. The Mingus Big Band will be celebrating music by composer Charles Mingus, who died in 1979.
Monty Alexander, a Jamaican music legend, will present a musical depiction of his journey from the sounds and rhythms of his native Jamaica to the classic tradition of America's Jazz on the second day. A fateful encounter with Frank Sinatra, the most sought-after performer of the 1960s, will be the subject of this musical story.
The Jazz festival will be concluded with the Thilo Wolf Jazz Quartett with Johanna Iser, Johanna Iser is a rising star in the jazz world. Along with pianist Thilo Wolf, the International Jazz Festival will feature Norbert Nagel (reeds), Christian Diener (bass), and Jean Paul Höchstädter (drums). The Thilo Wolf Quartett provides authentic, intelligent, finely structured swing that is rousingly played and harmoniously built on one another. The ensemble has also worked with some of Germany's most prestigious symphonic orchestras.
Mr. Khushroo Suntook, Chairman, NCPA, said, "The artists performing this year are The Mingus Big Band, Monty Alexander – Jamaica to Jazz & The Thilo Wolf Jazz Quartett, have set a high standard of excellence in jazz music being played today. It is an honour for us to have the wonderful Grammy-nominated musicians perform their pieces at NCPA and we look forward."
Mumbai-born Multi – talented Artiste Brian Tellis, who has a distinguished background in radio, theater, and music, will be hosting The International Jazz Festival.
Those of you who have been around from the 1960's through the 1990's will remember the vibrant live music scene in almost every starred hotel in India. Those were the days when you walked into a nightclub like 'Rendezvous' at The Taj Mahal hotel and 'Supper Club' at the Oberoi Sheraton in Mumbai to see curtains going up on a band that was the prime focus of these outlets. Every seat in these restaurants allowed an unobstructed view of the band that performed every night on resident contracts. Today all this has disappeared thanks to some ridiculously high entertainment taxes on live music. Today, non off these hotels have complete bands playing save for a few that feature small duos or solo singers. The Lodhi in New Delhi, recently listed among the world's best hotels, decided to step in and rewind to the good old days. They got Goa's premier jazz quartet 'Jazz Junction' to move to Delhi on a resident contract and the decision has paid off in terms of footfalls generated by the band. Jazz Junction featuring singer Daniella Rodrigues, pianist Tony Dias,
bassist Colin D'Cruz and drummer Angelo Colasco began playing at The Lodhi in June 2018. Four months into the contract the band generated a sizeable following, with quite a few high profile guests choosing to celebrate their special occasion at the Elan bar where the band performs. Against all odds the rewind option proved to be a huge success and hopefully other properties around the country takes the cue to trigger a whole new revival of live music.
