The second CD from Indo-jazz fusion band Autorickshaw continues their tradition of presenting jazzy interpretations and innovative arrangements of Indian music along with a few original compositions. We begin with the title track, which is a vivacious song by their vocalist Suba Sankaran telling of her literal train journey in South India, as well as her metaphorical journey of self discovery. In fact, the musical style and words of So The Journey Goes also seem to express and summarize the Autorickshaw character story. It is a great opener.

Other tracks include a number of arrangements of older or traditional pieces from India, including a Bollywood film song, Aaj Ki Raat, composed in 1973 by R.D. Burman. In this version Autorickshaw’s very able tabla player, Ed Hanley, also plays the thundersheet, and members of the Hannaford Street Silver Band provide a heavy metal resonance! By contrast, the preceding track is an unusual version of Leonard Cohen’s melancholy Bird on a Wire — as someone who knows and loves the original rather sparse version, I find the 7-beat bass line and inclusion of tabla and Indian solfège transform it into a completely different, almost unrecognizable piece. Nalina Kanthi (named after the raga on which it is based) is a composition of master drummer Trichy Sankaran, and the final track, Heavy Traffic, is edited down and mixed by Suba and Ed from 64 tracks of improvisations by various Autorickshaw and guest musicians based on the raga Bilaskhani Todi.

Having heard Autorickshaw in concert last November I know that they are highly accomplished live performers, even without the host of guest musicians who also contribute to this recording. This CD is certainly a very positive musical “journey” for them.
-Annette Sanger, Wholenote Magazine