J4Jazz Weekender Edition unveiled to Chennaiites back to golden era

CHENNAI: In the 1950s, the jazz clubs in New York were filled with glamourous bebop and classy ballads. To take Chennaiites back to the golden era, Hyatt Regency has unveiled its first-ever J4Jazz Weekender Edition, in collaboration with Social Spirit.

The participating bands include AV Trio, Joey Sharma Band, Matt Littlewood’s Quartet, Kirtana Krishna Kvartet, Many Thinga Ensemble, Refuge by Aman Mahajan, Suryan and Shanks and Tuesday Jazzers.

Talking about the city’s jazz scene, AV Trio says, “Musicians in India are getting curious about jazz because it gives a different perspective in music, multi-dimensional, new sounds and new fields to explore. So, naturally many are moving in that direction. Jazz is not an easy music to learn, one has to be equipped with Western musical education, solfeggio and Western musical grammar. So, the field of the audience grows accordingly to the offer.” Matt Littlewood’s band feels that the style of jazz is greatly influenced by the culture of the region. “All of us who play jazz have been influenced by our heroes from the 40s and 50s onwards and will continue to be. But the jazz at that time has less to do with the jazz of today, especially in India. Jazz like many forms of music is embedded into the cultures that surround them. This is what makes our music fascinating and why we can develop unique forms of jazz anywhere in the world. Jazz in India would be one of those,” they share.

On the other hand, Aman Mahajan from The Refuge believes that of late, there has been more access to jazz music and its education. “There are more jazz-oriented bands coming out. This music has always been about innovation based on one’s own cultural context. It is not just covering the music in a conservative sense but more of personal songwriting. In Chennai, Maarten Visser has taken the initiative to hold weekly workshops, giving impetus to several upcoming musicians playing jazz and contemporary improvised music,” he states. When asked about the reception among the listeners, AV Trio believes that the music should be digestible and not heavy or over-performed. “Jazz will always have a hard time competing with other forms of music. Even in countries where it is listened to more, it will rarely gain mainstream traction. Jazz has certainly come a long way in India. The beauty is that we have a brand of music that is completely unique to the country- a piece of music that has fused traditional jazz with the classical music forms of India,” remarks Matt Littlewood.

The musicians hope to see more such initiatives in the city for the progress of bebop. “We strive for new exploration, achievements and new ways to take the music to the listeners. Jazz is one of the spaces for humans to find their inner growth and progress,” adds AV Trio.

The immersive experience is beyond music. Indulge in brunches at 365 AS and Focaccia, and high tea at the Lobby Lounge.

Explore the world of jazz at the Hyatt Regency Chennai, Anna Salai, today from 11 am to 11 pm.