JOIN USAfter 7 years with ‘Swarathma’, percussionist Montry Manuel left the folk fusion band to make more ‘organic’ sounds. Since then, he has created numerous instruments from dry waste and gone a long way with his music project ‘Thaalavattam’, which means ‘A circle of rhythm’.
Through the percussion project, he attempts to harness the universal power of music to inspire people to ‘Reduce, reuse and retune’. These organic ‘grooves’ come from discarded tubes, paint cans, plastic bottles and more. An unusual sight, Montry tries to channel the beauty of street music and the nuances of percussion whenever he gets a chance. In a chat with Ananya Revanna, he talks about his upcoming gig at The Humming Tree, collaboration with British hand pan musician Daniel Waples and his love for organic sounds.
How many instrument have you made so far?
Around 35. Everything around us can be used in some way. Take for example a plastic bottle, it can be turned into a shaker.
Who inspired you to go the organic way?
My father. He always tinkered with dry waste and made instruments out of them. At the time, I wondered why he was wasting his time. It took me a long time to understand the effort and patience that went into what he did.
So, does that mean you think brands are overrated?
For me, yes. When I was in ‘Swarathma’ I was very brand conscious but that changed over time. As a street musician, you can’t afford to carry heavy equipment with you; just a guitar or bucket.
You haven’t had a formal college education but that hasn’t hindered you in any way. What does this say about the education system?
I dropped out of school after 12th standard because I wasn’t interested in studying. But I’m not saying everyone should do the same, it’s just something that worked for me. In the time I would have spent in college, I worked at different places and got more hands-on experience. I have worked as a bus boy and a graphic designer; I’ve done a lot of things, and this practical knowledge is what helped me move forward. Whether as a musician or an artist, I’m self-taught as I follow a different process of learning.
Street music in India, especially in cities, is generally associated with begging. Do you think this notion can change?
Yes, it’s already changing, slowly. We, as humans, are very judgemental. Whenever I’ve tried to perform on the streets in India, the police have either asked me to leave or taken me to the police station, saying that street performances are illegal. But there are some places like Rangoli Metro Art Centre that are changing this notion.
Can you be financially secure as a street performer?
Yes, in Europe where people are more responsive towards us. I’ve been going to ‘Ozoro Music Festival’ in Hungary for the last 2 years (I will be going this year as well), and street musicians from all over the world come together and jam. There is no one genre that binds us, which is what makes it so diverse. We make money there. Europe and Australia are good places to perform and find street artistes.
What can we expect from your performance on June 25? How did you and Daniel meet?
We met at ‘Ozoro’, we shared the same stage there. After that we stayed in touch and he said he wanted to visit India. This will be his second performance in the city this year. We haven’t come to a conclusion about what our sound is; it’s new and different.