Enjoying Fusion

I am a purist, a traditionalist – in lot of ways. And, especially when it comes to music. I am drawn towards Indian Classical Music though Bollywood music gets its due share.

The beginning of the New Year, I got a promotional email sent by one of the sites I subscribe to for a fusion music concert by Anoushka Shankar. Very apprehensively, I sourced the tickets. And on Sunday, asked my sister if she wanted to go. Surprisingly, she agreed to come along. And, the chilly Sunday evening saw us standing at the gates of Siri Fort Auditorium.

Having been lived a quarter of my life in Banaras, have heard a lot about Ravi Shankar, but never heard him playing. So a chance to listen to his daughter was incentive enough to take me out of the home. I was not sure about me enjoying a fusion music concert with a traditional Indian instrument and Spanish Flamenco style. Perhaps sensing that inhibition in a Delhi audience, Anoushka started on a traditional note with Raga Bhairavi, a familiar and a pleasant raga. But, she moved on fast to introduce her Flamenco inspired music fusion, and surprisingly, the instruments, the vocals and the sounds gelled. The Indian music tones with the hand clapping sounds of Spanish style, the beats of Spanish Guitar synchronizing with Indian shenai and mridangam created interesting sounds of music. And I was truly surprised by Cajon –I call it a Spanish version of tabla- lending itself to the sounds of sitar! All in all – I wasn’t disappointed, infact as the last notes of an Indian raga played in the auditorium with the accompanying sounds of Spanish Cajon, I look forward to hearing more sounds of rhythm from across the world! And next on agenda is a German Orchestra playing AR Rahman’s compositions coming Sunday …

A purist at heart, with an open mind,

Pooja