Of the many different types of music there are, it is perhaps jazz that requires artistes to have the deepest connection with each other. That's because the genre essentially involves a conversation between instruments. The piano says something. The trumpet replies. The bass interjects. And the drums finally restore order with a steady beat. So the musicians have to be in complete tandem to facilitate this musical discussion. They almost have to play like a family, which is literally what happens in the case of Kirk MacDonald, since the quartet he helms also includes Virginia, his 24-year-old daughter.

The Canadian saxophonist will make his Mumbai debut at a Nariman Point venue this weekend. A veteran of 35 years, MacDonald was brought up on a diet of American jazz greats like Charlie Parker and John Coltrane. But he admits that the genre has evolved to such an extent over the years that its rhythmic patterns have changed. "I think a part of the reason is that jazz music has caught on across the world. You have people from India, South America and Africa bringing in their own influences. And that's led to not just the rhythm changing, but also the harmonic parts," MacDonald says.