Musicians or Magicians?

With roots in the despair of America’s slaves, the Old South and the alien fog of big cities, African jazz reaches crescendos and takes you along screaming, coaxing music from a past which must never be forgotten to making memories in today’s cities with their promises, quicksand of wealth and craggy skylines.

Istituto Italiano di cultura di Mumbai and NCPA presented world-class jazz with three musicians: Trilok Gurtu, Rita Marcotulli and Paolo Fresu in one of the most thrilling concerts witnessed here. They brought jazz and modern music from many cultures and backed each other so well, while creating distinct original sequences. They cast a spell, leaving the audience thrilled. In altered ecstatic states! Three unique musicians, masters and virtuosos, expanded our musical universe as they played with each other, creating patterns, soaring higher and joining together with their genius.

Long, long ago, Birju maharaj reiterated that music began with the sounds of nature: the wind sighing, leaves falling, fruits dropping, our heartbeats, bird calls, the rhythm of water, thunderstorms …. Trilok Gurtu carried us via sound deep into a forest with his skill: he created a musical world replete with a forest’s soft susurration, winds, bird lilting and chirping, twittering and singing. chattering! Trilling! Squeaking! acknowledged as a most innovative percussionist, he uses assorted implements to create magical sounds. Zakir hussain said if Trilok Gurtu played only the tabla, he would be the best tabla player in the world. “an open-minded musician who embraces jazz, Indian classical music, abstract improvisational and asian pop, a dazzling percussion virtuoso, an accessible entertainer,” wrote UK’s The Guardian. Just watching Gurtu’s fingers was amazing as he created sounds by beating drums, congas, djembe, scraping a beater and rattles or striking a bucket. his teachers include the renowned Shobha Gurtu and Shah Abdul Karim.

Pianist and composer Rita marcotulli is admired for her talent in improvising. her inspiration includes music from Brazil, africa and India. her career began in the 1980s and she Metheny, Michael Portal, Enrico rava, Dewey redman, aldo romano, Kenny Wheeler, Norma Winstone, Billy cob-ham, and Pino Daniele. Very highly established in contemporary jazz, she became the ambassador of ‘Umbria in the world’ and a member of the royal academy of Sweden.Trilok Gurtu: a world-class percussionist, Trilok Gurtu is a five-time winner of the Downbeat critics Poll for Best Percussionist, and a nominee for Best artist Asia/Pacific for the BBc World music awards. From a family rooted in Indian music, he began playing at 6 and now combines it with jazz and rock. his life of music has given the world splendour and he is recognised as an accomplished master. his rhythm has attracted internationally renowned artists like John McLaughlin, Joe Zawinul, Jan Garbarek, Don cherry, Pat Metheny, Pharoah Sanders, Dave Holland and many others from India and africa.Paolo Fresu: The unique sound of his trumpet is recognised as ‘most distinctive in contemporary jazz’. recipient of various prestigious awards, professor and director of numerous Italian and international institutions, Paolo Fresu has performed worldwide alongside the most important Afro-american musicians. his ability to combine jazz, world music, ancient and contemporary, brings soul, often languorous and spirited. Fresu is a director of Berchidda’s famous “Time In Jazz” festival,

which has had 40 editions and he works with numerous multimedia, actors, dancers, painters, sculptors and poets, and writes music for films, ballets and plays. Welcoming, kind and so in tune with his fellow players, with so much grace! he lives between Paris, Bologna and Sardinia and has dominated Italy’s jazz scene over decades. With a mellow trumpet or a flugelhorn, he sometimes employs electronic effects to enhance his spell. Like a yogi, he often sits barefoot and cross-legged, playing baroque and folk music! an educator, he founded the millinote and Note Elementari projects to raise musical awareness in kindergartens and primary schools.

This innovative combination helped in ‘restoring humanity, healing, inspiring recreating, constantly evolving, living more, expanding, changing again. Diverse, yet always recognisable, creating highs! Innovative, not sticking to set classical work’.

“Italy and India, being heirs of ancient civilizations and young democracies, share the same need to preserve their immense cultural heritage and traditions while looking at innovation,” said Italian ambassador, Vincenzo de Luca.

Jazz music can insist with strength or bring subtle, silvery delight while the saxophone screams and the trumpet quavers and demands that you listen to its hot flashes. 

Swapna Vora

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