22 January,2014 10:36 AM IST | | Swapnal Tilekar
The GUIDE chatted with singer Dennis Taraporewala who will be performing a mix of romantic numbers as well as abhangas by saints
Mumbai-based singer-songwriter Dennis Taraporewala is coming to the city to perform at a one-of-a-kind show that features live acoustic and blends music and spirituality. The GUIDE chatted with the versatile artiste about his music and upcoming performance:
Musician Dennis Taraporewala
How did you begin your journey in music?
My stint with music started very early when I was about six years old. The guitar was the first instrument that I learnt to play because I saw my brother playing it. But as I got proficient in it, my teacher encouraged me to take it further. So, by the time I was 10, I already knew how to play instruments like the guitar, piano, harmonium and tabla. As my interest in music grew, I started composing my own songs. I performed at several music concerts and college festivals with my band. The kind of music I make is niche.
It has topical themes like what is happening in our society and what problems the country is facing. Incidents like the Delhi rape case and politics also inspire me to come up with more original stuff. Moreover, spirituality is a factor that dominates my music and writing.
What should the audiences look for in your performance?
The performance will be a diversified blend of music. I will present some of my original compositions, including romantic numbers.
I am planning to sing the hymns of well-known saints from the city. I will perform songs by Tukaram, in Marathi (original) and English for the audience with a little twist. I tend to play the guitar as if it's a blend of the sarod and sitar. There is a great amount of spirituality and understanding involved in the âabhangas' of these saints. It can tell us the way to live life. Unfortunately, not many people understand them. My idea is to exhibit their sayings in a way that people will understand and enjoy at the same time.
Abhangas like Aanandache Dohi, Dev Majha and Hanuman Chalisaa will be part of it. I will also read out few poems that I have written so far which talk about how we relate to the world. As it will be my first time to perform in the city, no premise could have been better than this and I am really looking forward to it.
What are your upcoming projects?
I had released my last album, Blackbirds, that included softmelodic numbers for a private circulation. I recently released a single on iTunes. Now, I am planning to turn it into a full fledged album in a few months. It will deal with the Indian emotions and spirituality but in a Rock format. So it can be vaguely called as Spiritual Rock.
