15 September,2009 07:32 AM IST | | Michelle Wilfred
Contemporary jazz musicians Holger Jetter and Mishko M'Ba perform in the city this Thursday
You love the jazz and blues and feel that you don't get a good dose of it in the city? Jazz musicians have caught the fancy of lounge bars off late, with even the YUMPies discovering their eclectic tastes. International jazz musicians Holger Jetter and Mishko M'Ba with Indian connections present contemporary jazz this Thursday night.
Jazzing it up: Holger Jetter and Mishko M'Ba
Germany calling
Holger Jetter from Germany, a violinist and composer with strong German roots talks about his love for jazz in his broken english. He is the co-founder of Modern String Quartet, a band that excels in playing Jazz and its own compositions. The band has performed at more than one thousand concerts. After his American tour, he quit the band and went to Kolkata, to study Indian Classical music with Ustad Imrat Khan. "That was twenty years ago, where I got to learn the interesting aspects of Indian classical music with Ustad Imrat Khan though it was not an extensive study that I did. I am trained in Western classic and do not perform Indian classic but I definitely got to look into the essence of Indian classical music," says Holger Jetter.
This is not his first performance in the city. "Bangalore definitely has a good inclination for jazz and is a city that is more exposed to different art forms, as they are more westernised in their approach. I have performed in this city at various occasions for more than fifteen years now," he avers. "I have already performed with Mishko M'Ba. I have known the artiste for many years now and I know he is an outstanding bass player," says Holger.
All that jazz
Mishko M'Ba, bassist and composer studied western classical music. He also focuses on genres like jazz and rock as well. He moved to Paris when he was 20 years old. A popular bass player, he has toured USA, Europe and Asia performing with various bands playing different musical styles. Mishko is a permanent band member of the band Zishkakan, France and band Elexir, Paris.
He spends most of his time shuffling between France and Puducherry. "I came to India six years ago and feel that Indian classical music is not different from church music though there may be a diminutive change in spirit," says Mishko. "I came to India in the quest to understand semi-classical music," he adds. When asked about Bangalore's thirst for jazz he feels, "Taste for jazz is definitely growing in Bangalore but it is not easy, especially with the 11 pm curfew. I feel that jazz is night music and is at its best if started after 11 pm. I hope that music does not vanish in Bangalore due to this curfew."
At: Olive Beach, Wood Street, Ashoknagar.
On: September 17, 8pm
Call: 4112 8400
And they say...
I like jazz because of the way the musical chord changes and the complexity of it which is extremely pleasing. I love the whole genre of music that I cannot bring it down to one favourite performer.
Aarti Rao Shetty, Jazz singer and lover.
I like jazz because I have been a jazz performer for so many years and my favourite jazz player will have to be me.
Radha Thomas, Jazz enthusiast.
