Jazz is quick to pick up in the independent music scene in Delhi, a distinct variant to electronic and rock live acts.
Jazz has definitely been on the pop-culture vultures’ minds since the past year. It might be a borrowed-from-the-States 20’s flapper era hangover furthered by blockbuster films and television shows such as Mad Men and The Great Gatsby (of which a ripped off Indian version is coming out as well), but the jazz age has evoked renewed interest in people’s minds in India. You see it appear in strange places, in the theme song for Karan Johar’s talk show Koffee With Karan, in a spate of speakeasy themed pubs opened all around town. In rows of flapper dresses hung in Sarojini’s lanes and malls alike, similarly in bow ties and white tuxedos that have made quite the comeback.
Delhi has had its loyal coterie of jazz music lovers from decades back, and Jazz Yatra, later named Jazz Utsav, has been one of the major music festivals held in Delhi attracting a good number of crowds. The likes of Artie Shaw and Freddie Hubbard have performed in Jazz Yatra’s glorious past. Apart from the festival which is organised once in two years, jazz bands used to play in the city’s best hotels and restaurants since as early as the 30’s and the 40’s.
The recently concluded Delhi International Jazz Festival, which had the large Nehru Park bursting at the seams with people as world class bands such as the Ari Roland Quartet played, was not a one-off event. Slowly, but surely a jazz culture is being revived in the city post the cabaret world of the 60s. Despite the unexpected drizzle in March, a fair number showed up at the second day of the three-day long saga. And not just that, a number of cafes dedicated to jazz music have opened up all around the city. Take PCO in Vasant Kunj for instance. Co-owned by Vaibhav, a previous bartender on his last occupation, PCO remains a dream that he shares with his co-owners and they have taken note of little details to create the Prohibition Era in what they call their neighbourhood bar. Light jazz of the Ella Fitzgerald variety plays at the place, going with the vintage-print pastel couches, and the home-made bitters shining on the polished bar.
Live jazz acts in the city have also become increasing common, as more places look for a variant to the fusion-rock/grunge sound of the last decade. For some months now, Potbelly Rooftop Cafe at Shahpur Jat has started having jazz nights hosted by Adil Manuel, eminent jazz guitarist from Delhi, and one half of the famous duo Adil and Vasundhara. These jazz nights are hosted twice a month, and have featured a good mix of local as well as visiting jazz artists. For instance, two weeks back, they hosted a Bossa Nova and Samba night with the duo Ricardo Vogt and Veronica Nunes, the former a member of Esperanza Spalding’s band, and the latter the daughter of a classical pianist from Rio de Janeiro.
Pooja Sahu, Potbelly’s owner, thinks jazz suits the intimate and cosy atmosphere of Potbelly the most, as compared to something more aggressive such as rock or metal, so it goes with the ambience. And the jazz nights have been attracting a motley crowd of music lovers and curious first timers, as Potbelly is not essentially a music dedicated cafe, being more of a food surrounded place. “While some evenings might be lukewarm and some get a packed crowd, I have a good feeling the jazz nights are here to stay, the crowds are taking well to it”, says Pooja.
We talked to Adil who has been curating these events with Potbelly. He says “I basically curate their weekly event Jazz Up, and it’s not your regular kind of programming which you do for a more commercial place. How I look at Jazz Up is that it’s a platform for young jazz musicians for Delhi’s full of fresh jazz artists, kids who’re getting into jazz, blues, funk, soul, gospel, I work with most of them – say Abhinav Khokhar or Takar Nabam, who’re doing a lot of work and studying, and teaching at the same time. Jazz Up is my little lab and it lets me promote young fresh talent and evolving fresh music with Pooja’s support.”
As far as other jazz places around town are concerned Adil sees there are few but a growing number of places that are showing promise. There’s Cocktails and Dreams Speakeasy in Gurgaon, which has a dedicated jazz crowd and music. Then there is this place called Rum Bar in Hauz Khas which shows promise.”
Adil feels that while other venues in the city also have jazz nights, it does not hold a dedicated jazz crowd. This is because, “Other venues do everything, rock and jazz nights, karaoke nights, also so-called sufi nights, which lead to them trying to do everything at once, and not developing one sound. Turquoise Cottage in the past years is known for its rock sound and for featuring rock and blues acts in the city, building a name for itself. Majority of the new venues on the other hand, are trying to do everything at once.”
Come International Jazz Day honoured by The United Nations on April 30, a number of venues are going to host special events to celebrate it, and these include Pot Belly and Cocktails and Dreams in Gurgaon. While it would be too soon to claim that jazz has its hold on the city, it is surely in the scheme of things as far as the independent music scene is in question.
