When these Indian music Maestros came together in Fusion at the Southbank Centre in London, the result was a mesmerising display of haunting and hypnotic melodies that resonated long after their Royal Festival Hall concert over the weekend.
The concert brought together the Grammy winners Ustad Zakir Hussain, Shankar Mahadevan and Rakesh Chaurasia with ace keyboardist Louiz Banks, drummer Gino Banks and guitarist Sheldon D'Silva for a mellifluous collaboration. Tabla virtuoso Hussain’s witty interludes served to create an audience intensely attuned to the musical jugalbandi that took them through an array of emotions – from tears to laughter.
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Mahadevan’s inimitable vocals, including the poignant song Maa from the 2007 Bollywood film ‘Taare Zameen Par’, evoked some of the many goosebump inducing moments during the performance. Chaurasia on his bansuri (bamboo flute), in the words of Zakir Hussain, had everyone musically “bamboozled” with his lilting renditions. While “the godfather of Indian jazz” Louiz Banks tinkled away into the hearts of the gathering, Gino Banks set about displaying effortless mastery with his drumsticks and D’Silva had women screaming “we love you” over his antics on the guitar.
Singer Bali Brahmabhatt, a household name from Lyca Gold Radio’s ‘Gold Afternoons’, set the tone for the musical extravaganza that enthralled everyone for three hours – which simply raced by with the audience shouting for more even as the maestros took their bows.
The rare classical music showcase effortlessly incorporated diverse musical styles and inspirations, with its incredibly talented line-up receiving standing ovations even before they got going:
Ustad Zakir Hussain – a multi-award-winning tabla player, composer, percussionist, music producer
Shankar Mahadevan – a Grammy-winning singer and composer who is part of the Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy trio who create music for Indian films.
Louiz Banks – a film composer, record producer, keyboardist, and singer, fondly referred to as the “godfather of Indian jazz”.
Rakesh Chaurasia – a spellbinding flautist and nephew of celebrated flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia.
Gino Banks – a drummer and member of the fusion band 'Nexus'.
Sheldon D’Silva – a session Bass Player, Composer and Music Producer.
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