The Joey Sharma Trio
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
This weekend, one will get a chance to unwind and imbibe the feel of jazz at a sedate pace. The inaugural edition of the Courtyard Koota Jazz Festival 2024 will kick offon September 1.
Conceptualised and curated by pianist-composer Aman Mahajan and Natasha Iype, founder of Courtyard Koota, the festival is a celebration of all things jazz. “This is something we’ve wanted to put together for a while now,” says Aman, adding, “We hope to showcase new directions in the city’s niche jazz scene.”
“At first, we didn’t want to call it a festival, because we weren’t sure if it was on the right scale, but as it evolved into an all-day event, we felt it was justified.”
According to Aman, “Three performers will be presenting an eclectic mix of jazz styles from within Bangalore. The festival is designed to give the audience a chance to have an informal interaction with the musicians, so apart from the performances, there will be lunch and tea breaks. The hope is to enjoy a day of culture surrounding jazz.”
The Courtyard Koota Jazz Festival 2024 will see performances by Refuge,featuring Apoorva Krishna, the Joey Sharma Trio and Pockets and Changes.
Apoorva Krishnan
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
“One person I’ve had my eye on for a long time is guitarist Joey Sharma. He has revived an older style of jazz called Gypsy Jazz, which originated in Paris, and was influenced by Spanish music as well as flamenco. Joey plays gypsy jazz in an authentic manner and he has a nice trio, so they were one of my choices for the show.”
Aman says another up-and-coming band in the city — Pockets and Changes — play progressive jazz, while Refuge is a take on contemporary Indian jazz.
“I’ve recently started collaborating with violinist Apoorva Krishna. We will be presenting a slightly different take on contemporary jazz compositions. The special thing about Apoorva is that she is not only a Carnatic musician, but she’s also exploring jazz and Western harmony, which is a different approach to this musical genre.“
He adds, “I feel these three bands embody the spirit of jazz in contemporary ways that are relevant to India and Bangalore.”
Bengaluru-based jazz band Pockets and Changes
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
A performance-workshop involving all the participating artistes, led by guitarist-composer Dhani Muniz from Auroville will also be a part of the event.
Music students can avail 50% off on the day pass by contacting Courtyard Koota. “Most of the time, students want to attend but are put off by the cost,” says Aman. Visitors can also buy tickets for the shows of specific artistes as well.
Courtyard Koota Jazz Festival is on September 1 from 12-8pm. Tickets and schedule on Skillbox and courtyardkoota.com
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