SAX, bansuri and ice gola

Musician and DJ Jarrod Wood tells The GUIDE why India has a cutting-edge electronic scene, how he hunted down Hariprasad Chaurasia, and why you should be at Blue Frog tonight

Musician and DJ Jarrod Wood tells The GUIDE why India has a cutting-edge electronicu00a0scene, how he hunted down Hariprasad Chaurasia, and why you should be at Blue Frog tonight

For a British native who has grown up in sparse New Zealand, it's not surprising that Woody loves Mumbai's human traffic.

The 35 year-old who came to Mumbai in 2005, has no complaints about its dirt, pollution or language barriers. In fact, he plans to settle here permanently.

Woody had one purpose when he came to India: training under bansuri maestro Hariprasad Chaurasia. "After sending him my demo tape, he invited me to India to train under him, and I've been with him for the last four years," says Woody, while gearing up for a practice session.

Woody, who started playing the classical clarinet, moved with his parents to New Zealand when he was 9, and went on to learn the Western flute and saxophone. One day, while watching a Bollywood film that featured a Chaurasia composition, Woody was intrigued enough to look him up and learn more about the Indian flute.

"The sound is very cool. The Western flute is more like a machine, with all the notes. But, while playing the bansuri, the whole body is involved. It helps you be more passionate, expressive
and descriptive."

Jazz, Indian classical all aboutu00a0 improvisation

Woody started playing the saxophone professionally in 1985, and is also an electronic producer and house DJ. He is one of the few artists to fuse all talents, and his USP lies in improvisation. "Jazz music is all about improvisation.

Just like Indian classical. With Hariji, I have learnt to develop the raga or mood. The expression of this mood is the most important aspect in jazz too." Woody's repertoire sees performances with a wide range of artists, from percussionists Taufique Qureshi and Sivamani to house DJ Ma Faiza, jazz maestro Louiz Banks, and a host of Bollywood films Bas Ek Pal, Bhram, Hari Puttar and Sorry Bhai.
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The resident DJ at Dome, The Intercontinentalu00a0 shrugs off a "your favourite bar" query, with, "I like the energy at bars, but I prefer to relax at a quieter place. There is nothing like watching the sunset at Juhu beach and having an ice gola!"

India is third best in electronic music

You get to hear creative electronic music in Vienna and Holland, and India is in the same league, Woody believes.

"It's not lagging, especially Delhi, unlike Australia and New Zealand that are still stuck in the 80s," he says. "Electronic outfits Midival Punditz and Jalebee Cartel fuse electronic tracks with live instruments; it's a lot like what I do, and I'd like to play with them."

Tonight's gig sees Woody perform solo. After a 20-minute warm up with downbeat lounge music, he'll spin dance and house music, with a mix of live saxophone, flute and bansuri.u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0

Catch DJ Woody tonight, 10.30 pm onwards at Blue Frog, Mathuradas Mill Compound, Lower Parel. Entry: Rs 500 per head.
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Call: 40332300

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