Adil Manuel brings diverse blues sounds to Mumbai with an eclectic line-up

A moment from a previous performance

They all started with it. Bob Dylan. John Lennon. Keith Richards. You name it. For Adil Manuel, it is ‘a statement in music.' The guitarist is busy setting up before rehearsals for the upcoming Blues Day gig tomorrow, when we catch him. "The first rehearsals are always at my home. So, it is like a family hangout with friends where we can relax and jam together," he shares.

Kanchan Daniel and Subhash Kamath

Since 2017, Manuel has been curating a session of Blues performances in the city to celebrate the genre. "It has become a community event. Each year, there are new faces in the audience. To introduce them to Blues, and the many different genres of the music is a thrill," he admits.

Blues in form

The Blues has been called the bedrock of American music. Originating from a blend of African traditions, spirituals, and the famed ‘Blue Note' (a flattening of the third and seventh note of the scale), it has influenced RnB, Soul, Jazz, and Rock music. That's the focus of Manuel's collective curation. "The performance is not just about one form of the Blues. There is Chicago Blues, Memphis Blues, Texas Blues, the Delta Blues," he explains.

Adil Manuel. Pics Courtesy/Therawlab Productions

This is what drives the choice of a line-up that includes diverse ranges of voices, styles, and eras. From veteran Bluesman Subhash Kamat to the familiar names of Shubhangi C and Kanchan Daniel, and the surprise inclusion of Bernard Dafney, there are quite a few surprises. "Dafney is an incredible singer and actor, and he will be doing works by Bill Withers and Donnie Hathaway.

Kanchan and Shubhangi are names anyone who is a fan of the Blues, is familiar with. We also have given this edition a spin with Omkar Patil, a fabulous musician, who will add some fusion to the mix. Then, there are Rahul Wadhwani and Jordan Rodrigues. The idea is to keep a mix of older and younger musicians," Manuel shares.

Heart of the matter

BB King and John Mayer. Pics Courtesy/Wikimedia Commons

At the heart of it all is emotion. "For us musicians, Blues is about honest emotions and expression. It has a call-response reaction that connects with the audience. Then, things branch off from there," the musician concludes. Sounds like truth.

Adil Manuel's Blues reccos

>> The Thrill is Gone: BB King
>> Ain't Nobody's Business: Freddie King
>> Everyday I have the Blues: John Mayer
>> Born Under a Bad Sign: Albert King
>> Texas Flood/Tightrope: Stevie Ray Vaughan
>> Blues for Narada: Gary Moore

2013
The year in which the New York City Blues Society celebrated International Blues Day for the first time

ON August 13; 8 pm onwards
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