Autorickshaw delights with unique mix of jazz, traditional Indian music
In a disturbing time when cultural clashes have many questioning Canada's commitment to diversity, art has a way of coming to the rescue. There could not be a better example of music as a bridge between cultures -- in this case India and Canada -- than the superb music group Autorickshaw.
This was clearly demonstrated in their Friday evening performance at the Registry Theatre, the first concert in the Our World Festival of Music -- Lawrence McNaught, artistic director (presented in conjunction with the City of Kitchener's Tapestry Celebrations of Diversity).
Aside from their sheer delight in making music, what makes Autorickshaw so irresistible is a deep commitment to their art forms, most prominently, traditional Indian and jazz.
Rather than a mainstream blending of thin cultural references, their sound is a highly cultivated juxtaposition of authentic traditions, making for a unique, challenging and ultimately satisfying artistic offering.
Each musician performed with virtuosic flare. Ed Hanley, was both fluid and precise on Indian tabla. On six-string bass, Rich Brown managed to be both tunefully rich and rhythmically solid; he often seemed to be playing two instruments (bass and guitar) at once.
Debashis Sinha was a master of eclectic, percussion kit -- never overplaying and always interesting. Of course the centrepiece was lead singer, Suba Sankara, very much the heart of the band, with her supple vocal variety, infectious smile, and entrancing musicality.
The evening's offerings gravitated either towards more traditional Indian pieces, or innovative interpretations of traditional jazz or pop standards (Caravan, Night in Tunisia, Bird on a Wire).
For the uninitiated, it takes a while to know how to listen to the traditional Indian tunes. In some ways they don't seem to go anywhere.
Whole songs can be based on just one chord or scale, lead singer Suba Sankaran explained in the concert. To appreciate the music, one must listen for the melodic, rhythmic and dynamic variety within the form.
Expressions ranged from slow, trancelike musical meditations, to frenetic and flowing unison lines, often involving all musicians riffing together at virtuosic lightning speed.
A highlight of the concert was Sankaran's autobiographical song entitled So the Journey Goes. During studies in India, she found herself reflecting on how she is perceived as a "foreign alien" in that country, straddling cultures, very much similar to the music she pursues.
While this song was blues-inspired, it also contained a sustained improvisational vamp where she waxed rhapsodic, lost in impassioned personal expression.
As a kickoff to Kitchener's multicultural celebration, Autorickshaw delivered the very best one could hope for -- not just a highly engaging and entertaining musical evening, but also a wonderful tribute to the overall art of diversity.
Our World Festival of Music continues June 16 with Muna Mingole at the Registry Theatre, and June 22 with Sashar Zarif & Maryem Tollar Group.
STEPHEN PREECE for The Record Kitchener • Cambridge • Waterloo
Jun 12, 2006