Project Jazz Raga

Yet another evening of fusion music. Yawn, so what's new?  More cacophony of sounds and jarring hits and misses on a variety of instruments? Purists can be forgiven if they squirm in their seats at the sound of guitar, esraj, sarangi, keyboard, table and vocals all playing out together inexpertly. But “Project Jazz Raga” offered both music buffs and lay persons a chance to listen in and truly appreciate music that combines the best of East and West.
The line up of musician who created true fusion rather than bewildering   confusion was impressive to start with. On the tabla and percussion was Amjad Khan, son of renowned esraj player Ustad Allauddin Khan,  complemented with  Deepak Castelino (guitarist), Arshad Khan (esraj), Kashif Ahemad (sarangi and vocals), Dr Radhika Chopra (vocals), Peter (keyboard).
The evening got off to a slow, conventional start with Arshad Khan and Kashif Ahemad's jugalbandi set off expertly by some adroit tabla by Amjad Khan. But as the evening wore on the musicians and audience really got into the thick of it all even though esraj player Arshad Khan outdid Kashif Ahemad's faltering sarangi.
Next accomplished guitarist Castelino, Peter and drummer took over with some great jazz music.  They were followed by renowned ghazal singer Dr Radhika Chopra who performed the familiar “Meri Saason ko jo mehaka rahi hai”, a film song originally sung by Lata Mangeshkar. This was in Raga Pooriya Dhanashree--a testimony to the singer's versatile prowess. She also sang her own composition “Pyar ki sari misalon pe tera naam likhoon” in Raga Rageshwari.
The evening came to an end with some Sufiana Kalaam by Arshad Khan and Kashif Ahemad. This time Kashif Ahemad was in his element as he invoked great Sufi songs.  Finally all the performers joined in an eagerly awaited encore with the familiar Sufi devotional song “Duma dum mast kalandar', immortalised by Bangladeshi diva Runa Laila.
It's interesting how the experimental concert “Project Jazz Raga” came about. Amjad Khan says that the project evolved in 2001 at Stuttgart, Germany where he and some other Indian artistes had gone to play at a concert. Present there was also a group of jazz artistes from the US. While the two groups maintained their distance from each other, all barriers broke down when Amjad Khan heard their music in the green room. “It sounded just like Raga Pooriya Dhanashree,” says the excited young Khan who has  performed extensively in India and abroad. He is also the president of Cosmic Art Foundation, the organiser of the show.
Going by the response to the great experiment that followed the other evening exotic sounding jazz raga has truly come of age.