World Jazz Festival brings together Bengaluru jazz fans

Artists from several countries will share the stage with Indian jazz greats at the MLR Convention centre

Mumbai based event organisers Banyan Tree are bringing the second edition of their World Jazz Festival to Bengaluru. The event starts today at MLR Convention Centre in J.P Nagar.

"We wanted to bring a fusion of world music and jazz to the music enthusiasts of Bengaluru," said Mahesh Babu, founder of Banyan Tree and curator of the World Jazz Festival.

The one-day festival will be headlined by pioneering jazz/Carnatic guitarist Prasanna, legendary Dutch tenor saxophonist Alexander "The Hurricane" Beets and jazz/hip-hop fusion artist Saskia Laroo.

"To prepare for the festival's launch, we researched jazz festivals across Europe and then collaborated with one of the most respected jazz festivals in Europe, the Amersfoort Jazz Festival from the Netherlands," said Babu to DH. He told DH that he wanted to bring the festival to Bengaluru after the first edition in Mumbai.

Dutch jazz/hip-hop fusion artist Saskia Laroo will be performing alongside the more traditional jazz acts. Dubbed the "Lady Miles Davis," Laroo combines rap, bossa nova, and jazz fusion elements in her music. One of the most innovative acts in jazz today, The Saskia Laroo Band in the line-up, is a treat for the significant hip-hop community in the city.

For the more hard-core jazz fans, the Alexander Beets Quintet will be performing Beets' original compositions and jazz favourites. With guest vocalists Paul Van Kessel and Nathalie Schaap, the tenor sax powerhouse will be performing his signature blend of explosive swing and sentimental ballads.

He is currently touring the world, supporting his 2021 album "Big Sounds", and will also be performing in Mumbai and Delhi later in the year.

The festival's biggest draw will undoubtedly be guitar legend R. Prasanna. Better known as "Guitar" Prasanna, the Berklee educated guitarist and educator, has been described as a "living hope for quality music" by Oscar and Grammy-winning composer A.R Rahman. Famed for his improvisational skills and blend of Carnatic and rock music, he has been India's premier guitar hero for over three decades.

Speaking upon the importance of jazz today, Babu and his wife/co-director Nandini Mahesh share their vision for future editions: "We are looking to build an audience for jazz through our festival. The goal is to eventually get to a point where we can invite international jazz artists for masterclasses and workshops. Jazz and World Music are as beautiful as Indian classical music, and we hope to introduce them to newer audiences every year."