MUMBAI: One of the best examples of global confluence would be, Jazz, an American art form will be presented in India by two Japanese artiste and an American artist. This is nothing but a happy coincidence.
The lead Pianist, Makoto Nakamura, shares, “Jazz I think has capacitated various aesthetics and has a wide spectrum of bringing in many influences. I think that is one of the virtuous aspects of this art form. I am glad to pay respect to that.”
India, as a country has been receptive to various forms of art and music. The audience for Jazz is obviously niche but is certainly evolving in India. Nakamura explains, “Jazz has been accepting various forms of music. Personally, speaking I have no idea of how it will gain popularity in India but, as a subjective view, India as a country has many viewpoints, values, morals, aesthetics, all the up to religion many races, languages, in that essence I think in India will be open for Jazz as an art form. And I hope that the Indian audience feel the same way about Jazz.”
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Our music has reached every corner of this world, Nakamura is not completely unaware of this great form of music, we understand as he shares, “I am not an expert on this topic, but my colleague (Ko Omura) is always studying Indian rhythms through Tabla. I met his teacher Yogesh Samsi and I think he is an amazing artist. And I love listening to recordings of artists like Kishori Amonkar. I have not heard them live but I’ve been really intrigued by their mastery/artistry, and this trip I’d like to be able to soak in those influences as much as possible.” This Nakamura’s second trip to India, the first being in 2017.
Being a master of his art, Nakamura observes similarities and differences in the American and Indian form of music, “Jazz and Indian classical music I think as an art form share a huge element in improvisation. I think there are many common threads but there is a crucial difference, which is the time duration of music pieces. A Jazz tune for example would maybe last, even it’s a long performance 10-20 minutes but, an Indian music I believe performance for one raag or a rendition, a piece could go on for one hour or even longer. So, in that aspect the sense of time, approaching one of these musical forms would be different and that would inevitably produce different elements in the music.”
Nakamura is all set to mesmerize the Jazz lovers in Mumbai on 28 February 2018 at NCPA. He would be performing with two other masters D Wood (Bass) and Ko Omura (Drummist). He can’t wait to be a part of this, sharing his excitement he says, “I met Mr. D Wood last year in 2017 on my first trip to India and he was through Bandra Bass where he runs an event Bombay Jazz Club. I got to play a few sessions there which was a treat. His playing style and his personality has a very charismatic, unique, aura that I do not really sense in other human beings. I am not an expert English speaker but through the communications that I have had with him, linguistically limited I felt something and it was very inspiring and I was also influenced by his words. Ko Omura is someone I really need in my musical life. We trust each other and we have played main music a lot through the last few years, yet we will try to preserve the novelty always be productively critical of each other and also be supportive of each other’s aesthetics. So yes, I’m looking forward to making music as a trio with these two musicians.”
The master is eager to perform here considering the happy coincidence, “An American by birth living in India for a long time and two Japanese people playing an American art form in India is really an interesting event. To be able to host that and to in curate that event in a place like India which I think is really rich in culture and just many arts forms have spread out in this country, being able to perform there in this context is a treat for me so personally, I am really looking forward to my stay here and I would like to soak in as much as possible of whatever inspiration that I could get and turn that to the audience.”
For all Jazz lovers, this event is unmissable. Note the details:
The Makoto Nakamura Trio
Jazz Music Event
Experimental Theatre- 28th February 2018 – 7.00pm
Ticket Rates: Rs. 750 and 500 Plus GST
