Global bands enthral crowds at jazz & blues fest

The fourth edition of the international jazz and blues festival, organised at Hotel Royal Orchid, was an enthralling mix of music and food.

Music lovers in the city were seen having a gala time at the extravaganza which brought together some of the biggest musicians from across the globe.

The one-day affair kickstarted with an eclectic performance by Bengaluru-based band ‘By2Blues,’ who mesmerised the crowd with their unique blend of powerful vocals and rock-solid rhythm woven together into a rich tapestry based on the individual styles, inspirations and personalities of each of the members. They were followed by ‘Blues Power’, with Goan icon Herman Abreo on vocals, who got the crowd swaying to their renditions.

‘Moonarra’ then took the stage by storm as they performed Indian classical, jazz and world fusion music. The city-based four- member ensemble were the ambassadors of culture, bringing the message of peace, harmony, goodwill and tolerance.

As the sun set, ‘UNK’s Radha Thomas Ensemble,’ consisting of a contemporary, cutting-edge jazz/world music band set the mood for the evening. This was followed by an enthralling performance by ‘Jazz Junction,’ featuring some of the most accomplished jazz musicians including Russian singer Olga Andreeva, Latin Grammy-winning Italian drummer Matteo, Gerard Machado, Jason Quadro and Colin D’Cruz.

The evening culminated with an exhilarating performance by the headlining act, Thailand-born artiste Passakorn Morasilpin and his quintet, who mesmerised the audience with their renditions. Jazz aficionados were seen craving for more as Passakorn played his popular jazz rock combinations in traditional Thai style.