MONDAY 24 JULY 2017 HYDERABAD IS TALKING ABOUT HYDERABAD TIMES, THE TIMES OF INDIA 3 [email protected] some fond memories of the city. “I remember we were here some time last year. hey have a simple musical motto — Though blues here is at a nascent stage, Hy- “Blues is my business and the business derabad has been receptive to the genre and Tis good”. Probably the first Indian blues our sets,” said Keith Wallang, Rudy’s broth- band to write their own music, Soulmate is a er and manager of the band. “It’s good. household name among fans of the genre who Because we love it and that’s what we do for have long craved India’s answer to the blues. a living,” added Rudy. After 14 years in the indie music circuit, the Touring has always been Soulmate’s strong Shillong-based Soulmate today is hailed as point. Their brand of music has found them WHEN HYDERABAD FOUND ITS the best Indian name in the world of blues. fans in even the most unexpected of places “If you ask me, Soulmate can rock even a around the country and their gig calendar is baby shower,” said 48-year-old cinematogra- pretty packed. pher Nassif Ahmed, who has been keenly fol- All through the conversation, Tipriti or lowing the band since their inception in 2003. Tips as she is commonly known as, sat with And that’s exactly what they did at her head buried into her phone. The fiery vo- Pic: Sirige Srikanth a popular brewpub in the city on calist, who otherwise is a bundle of energy on Saturday.Belting blues’ varied styles stage, seems little off to us. “How are you, ‘SOULMATE’ IN A SHILLONG BAND — from boogie, travelling blues, Tips?” we asked. She looked up and gave a 12-bar blues, swing to laid-back mid- weak smile. “I am seriously sleep-deprived, tempo guitar-driven instrumentals, dude. But it’s going to be all fine after today’s their set had everything to satisfy set as our next gig is in Goa on the 26th and even the most critical of a blues fan. we have four days before that. It’s all part of It was a thin crowd for a Saturday, the game, you see,” she said with a smile. but it didn’t matter to Rudy Wallang, Tipriti Kharbangar and Co. From BRINGING THE HOUSE the first four-count, they were right DOWN WITH THE BLUES on the money. Aptly accompanied But once on stage, all the tiredness seemed to by Rudy’s sons, Leon and Vincent, vanish and the feisty,gritty Tips, that her fans on bass and drum respectively, if know her as, was at her best — dictating terms you were to close your eyes and lis- on the microphone and accompanying her ten to their set, it was impossible bandmates, especially, the cool-head guitar to gauge their desi-ness as their exponent Rudy.And it was eclectic. The time sound is as professional as any they broke into Set Me Free from their second blues band from the genre’s home album Moving On, the already tipsy in the US. gathering was on its feet and jiving. Next came “The only thing I knew about Blues Is My Business from their debut album the band is that they have opened Shillong. A crowd favourite, the funky guitar for Carlos Santana. That was riffs and Tips’ powerful voice in this one nev- enough to pull me to this gig. And er fail to garner appreciation and it was no so far they have been exceptional,” different on Saturday. said Anand Raj, a 24-year-old IT “There are a few new songs in the pipeline, professional, who was at his first but currently we aren’t thinking of another Soulmate gig. album. The focus now is on touring,” said Vincent, adding that blues drumming happen TOURING BLUES by chance to him. “Initially, I wasn’t a blues “The last few days have been drummer. But, one day, dad (Rudy) asked me very hectic for us. We’re on an to jam with him on the blues and here I am eight-city tour of the country today,” he revealed. and just arrived in Hyderabad “We might have to come back again to this morning from Bengaluru. Hyderabad in a couple of months, as talks are Early morning flights are the on about another gig here. It would be wonder- worst, but we can’t help it as ful to gorge on delicious Hyderabad food once we have back-to-back shows,” again,” said Leon, packing his bass guitar. said Rudy as he stirred his As the crowd shuffled towards the exit gate drink just minutes before go- and the pub wore a deserted look, we asked ing on stage. Leon what he would be taking back from the gig Soulmate has performed in the city. “I think Soulmate has added a in Hyderabad a couple of few more names to its fan list today,” he said, times earlier and they have signing off. I REMEMBER WE WERE HERE SOME TIME LAST YEAR. THOUGH BLUES HERE IS AT A NASCENT STAGE, HYDERABAD HAS BEEN THE FOUR BLUES MEN: (From L-R) RECEPTIVE TO THE GENRE AND OUR SETS Vincent, Tips, Rudy and Leon — KEITH WALLANG, manager of Soulmate Pics: Sirige Srikanth On a musical Pandit Hariprasad Rhythm of raag Pahadi meets the odyssey Chaurasia Pics: Shashank Sane romance of Bihag and Madhuvanti [email protected] came alive in the auditorium. Both the percussionists fol- he tremor in his lowed panditji with apparent hands, caused by ease, drumming in cohesion. T Parkinson’s The maestros intended to disease, was hard to miss as close the concert with the dhun Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia of Pahadi, but the audience took to the stage at Shilpa was not ready to let him go. Kalavedika on Saturday night. “Bageshree”, one shouted from But neither his advancing the audience, while another years nor the strains of the requested ‘Malhar’. Panditji degenerative disorder had any Ameya Dabli and smiled and said, “Usmein toh affect on the notes flowing out Dada JP Vaswani aur ek ghanta lag jata. Chalo Vivek of his flute as the Padma ek bhajan suna dete hai.” Thus, Sonar Vibhushan awardee gave the concert drew a close with nternationally acclaimed world music across different Hyderabadis a rare glimpse a soul-stirring rendition the singer Ameya Dabli genres. The album has foot- into his prowess. iconic Vaishnava Jana To. I launched his music al- tapping numbers covering Bringing down the curtains bum Ekam Satt — One Truth, Indian and international on the Hyderabad Arts Festival, One Humanity, World Music musical forms to appeal to the wizard transported the au- at the hands of global hu- audiences across age groups. dience to a meditative world of manitarian and spiritual With an aim to spread the tranquillity with the dhun of leader Rev.Dada J P Vaswani message of love and unity his bansuri that lingered even as part of the latter’s cente- across cultures and society after he had stopped playing. nary birthday celebrations in globally, Ameya Dabli and Opening with Madhuvanti, Pune. The album is available his business partner Purvi a melodic early evening raag on all digital platforms Soali quit their successful of Todi thaat, he played a soul- through Times Music. corporate careers to become ful aalap, traversing through Inspired by respected Dada’s social entrepreneurs. the lower octave with ease, as message of selfless love and A versatile singer, Ameya he explored the myr- service for humanity,the al- has performed over 1,500 con- iad colours and moods of the ro- bum features the works of certs across 15 countries. The Pandit Pandit mantic raga. His legendary poets and saints music from the album is al- Bhawani Ramkumar senior disciple, such as Kabirdas, Mirabai, ready a rage with live rendi- Shankar Narsinh Mehta, Guru Nanak tions by Ameya across 25 lo- Mishra Vivek Sonar, Dev, Khwaja Garib Nawaz, cations including large cor- followed him with Buddha, Tukaram, Tulsidas, porates like Aditya Birla remarkable sensitiv- Gospels and others. Group and at the Indian High ity. The detailed Given the continuous Commission in London. He aalap- jod- jhala stress and turmoil that indi- is currently touring India, US unfolded the beauty viduals across the globe face, and Dubai for his other musi- of the raag.Two there is an urgent need for cal concept ‘Heart 2 Heart’ virtuoso artists of each of us to pause, reflect covering melodious ghazals percussion, Pandit and connect with each other, and folk music. Bhawani Shankar cutting across our religious, His 10 city ‘Heart 2 Heart’ and Pandit Ramku- social and cultural beliefs. tour covering melodious mar Mishra provid- The album’s songs focus on ghazals kicked off in ed pakhawaj and this precise theme that even- Mumbai yesterday and will tabla accompani- tually it is a ‘one world fami- further move to Bangalore, ment with admirable ly’ and showcases the best of Pune, Hyderabad, Kolkata restraint, without sufi, folk and contemporary and other cities. drowning the melody of the flute in the rhythmic beats of the percussion. Next up was the night raag, Bihag. The maestro created a somber dhun on his bansuri with delicate touches on both the madhyams, escalating its magnificence. The lilting dhun and beats of Pahadi that followed was an exquisite contrast after the romance and solemnness of Amita Madhuvanti and Bihag.The Desai Anjali magic of his phoonk put the au- dience in a trance as the The launch was attended by a large number of people mystery and charm of the hills CMYK.