MUMBAI: The Jonnie Walker Festival is back with its sophomore edition with one day of music by three different acts. This year, artistes performing at the festival include electronic artiste Simon Greene aka Bonobo, opera prodigy Paul Potts and contemporary jazz band Snarky Puppy led by composer Michael League. The festival will be held at Mehboob Studios in Mumbai on 13 December.
Greene, Potts and League spoke to Radioandmusic.com about their music and performing in India. Brtish DJ Greene is known to combine different music genres such as electronica, trip hop, acid jazz, chill wave and down tempo in his tracks. When asked if he would combine other genres as well, Greene said, “Music genres is not something I think about while writing music, I just love making music and will continue to make music even if no one is listening.” Greene has been touring for the past 18 months with India being the final destination. After this, he plans to “have a break”, and then release his upcoming EP ‘Flashlight’ and “think about his new record.”
Similarly, Paul Potts, known for his operatic voice says that he has covered different styles of music. He said, “I like my music to be a real mix and it should be all about the music that people will connect to.” Potts is currently promoting his new album ‘Home’ and will perform songs from the album at ‘The Journey’ concert, which he will continue to promote in Korea after his India tour.
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Meanwhile, Michael League’s Snarky Puppy along with Lalah Hathaway won the Grammy award in January in the Best R&B Performance category for their rendition of the Brenda Russell song ‘Something’ from the band’s album ‘Family Dinner: Volume 1’. Speaking of the win League said, “Winning the Grammy changes the way people perceive our music, though we as musicians remain the same. Now, while touring, there is comfort on the road, and that is always good.” After 10 months of touring around the world, the New York-based jazz group will commence work on the follow up to their aforementioned album called ‘Family Dinner: Volume 2.’ Snarky Puppy has also collaborated with the Metropole Orkest which they will release on an album called ‘Sylva’ in April next year.
Besides Potts, both Greene and League are great admirers of Indian classical music, especially that belonging to the late Pandit Ravi Shankar. Greene has been playing the sitar for the past 15 years and League was taught music in school by an Indian teacher who exposed him to the works of Ravi Shankar. He also added that his brother learned to play the table when he was in school.
All three of them are excited about the prospect of collaborating with Indian music artistes if the right opportunity presents itself. With ‘The Journey’, the festival aims to celebrate critically acclaimed musicians and artistes and bring them to India. Along with music, ‘The Journey’ will also feature a screening of the Paul Potts biopic ‘One Chance’ starring James Corden and physical theatre act ‘Dislocate’.
