MUMBAI: Dynamic drum player, Gino Banks is all set to perform at The Quarters, this Friday. The show will showcase a new concept called Drumtastic.
“Drumtastic is used, to sum up, what the show will be about – Drums! It’s basically me performing a song from my solo album Logically Speaking which was released last year. I will also be performing drum solo compositions based on Ostinato patterns, thematic concepts, and other rhythmic devices to create pieces of music on the drum set. The audience should look forward to a lot of grooves and rhythms to ambient music and melodies and also experience the drumset as a lead voice in a song,” shared the drummer.
Born and brought up in a musically vibrant family and under the tutelage of the legendary Louis Banks, known as Godfather of Indian Jazz, Gino derived inspiration from many sources, “Apart from dad, of course, there have been many artists over the years. I can’t just name one from whom I have learnt from and have been inspired by. Anyone, who is good at what they do, inspires me. Also, watching great drummers, from India, growing is great. Ranjit Barot, Sivamani, Franco Vaz, Lester Godinho, the late Benny Soans, Adrian D’Souza, Taufiq Qureshi, Trilok Gurtu, Cassy Lobo etc. I was lucky to be around these great players at close quarters because of dad and got to learn and be inspired by them.”
Related Post
Specifying one instance that inspired and taught him a lot, Banks added, “I can say that being a part of Ustad Zakir Hussain’s Crosscurrents tour, over the last two years, was very inspirational. I was on the tour with dad, Zakirji, Shankar Mahadevan, Sanjay Divecha, Jazz greats Dave Holland and Chris Potter, our sound engineers Mujeeb and Benny and our tour manager Ty Burhoe. It was a very motivating and inspiring tour.”
Gino shares why he chose drums as an instrument, “Honestly, it is the most fun instrument to play. The physicality of playing the instrument, plus the groove, sound and its power, I even enjoy practicing it all the time because it’s just so much fun!”
One of the young representatives of music in India, Gino expresses his thoughts on the current scenario of music in India, “Well, over the last 15 years, I have been asked this question. The scene is fine if the musician works hard, stay creative and follow through with the ideas and projects he/she are involved in. They must also evolve with the times while using the knowledge of the past in moving forward in his/her respective art forms. Stay committed, confident and believe in what you do. The scene shouldn’t dictate the artist, but it should be the other way around.”
When asked if which artiste he like to collaborate with, the drummer says, “Jaco Pastorius, a legendary bass player, and composer.”
Catch the drummer live in action
Where: The Quarter, Royal Opera House
When: 19 July
Time: 9 PM
Price: 749 onwards
