Let's Jazz things up

Jazzification will see flautist Rajeev Raja, guitarist Sanjay Divecha, saxophone player Rhys Sebastian and several other musicians come together to present popular tunes by artistes ranging from Michael Jackson to Adele, all with a twist of Jazz

Jazz notes will be swirling across Tata Theatre as eight musicians will perform hit songs in a Jazz style. The concert, titled Jazzification, features a line-up comprising Rajeev Raja (flute), Merlin D’Souza (piano/keys), Sanjay Divecha (guitar), Karl Peters (bass), Ryan Sadri (saxophone), Rhys Sebastian (saxophone), Karim Ellaboudi (piano/keys) and New York-based musician Ruben Steijn (drums). Merlin D’Souza has done the musical arrangements.

Flautist Rajeev Raja

Jazzification will see the musicians perform songs such as Bourrée by Bach, Norwegian Wood by The Beatles, Light My Fire by The Doors, Somewhere Over The Rainbow by Judy Garland, Rolling In The Deep by Adele, and songs by Michael Jackson and Led Zeppelin. The event is an initiative by the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) and Jazz Addicts (an association of serious Jazz enthusiasts) to promote Jazz to an audience that is unfamiliar with the genre.

drummer Ruben Steijn

“The whole idea behind Jazzification is to make Jazz more palatable to the audience, by ‘jazzifying’ popular tunes down the ages,” explains flautist Raja, who also has his own Jazz Fusion band, the Rajeev Raja Combine.

Saxophonist Ryan Sadri

Raja adds that the tunes that will be performed are popular hits down the ages. “It has songs that everyone in the audience will know, making it all the more interesting when they hear it done ‘Jazz style’. We are trying to highlight that Jazz music can be enjoyed by all and need not be the privilege or passion of a few,” he emphasises.

While Jazz music was quite popular in the city earlier, it’s not the same scenario today. “True Jazz musicians are few, and the audience doesn’t flock in for a Jazz show any longer. It is our endeavour to popularise Jazz as much as we can, and concerts like Jazzification are just one step in that direction,” observes Raja.

Based on the response to the event, the musicians might even plan a Jazzification tour.

On: Today, 7.30 pm onwards
At: Tata Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point.
Call: 22824567

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