BIG BAND JAZZ IN THE CITY🎷🎺🎶

 

(I did not go for the 'NCPA International Jazz Festival', which happened over the last 3 days in Mumbai, this year; but this old post from two years ago, that I wrote on 25th November '2022, came up on FB Memories today. So, am saving it here.)

"Jazz is Freedom and we're so happy to share this Music of Freedom with the city of Mumbai", is what one of the musicians from the Grammy award winning 'Mingus Big Band' from New York, (that thoroughly entertained a packed Auditorium at the NCPA) said, at the end of the show, on Day 1 of the 'International Jazz Festival' today.❤️ 

While these amazing musicians were thrilled to bring the music of Charles Mingus to India, as they celebrate his Centennial; the audience completely enjoyed every moment of their fabulous music. The resounding applause all through the evening, together with cheers and loud whistles too;😆showed how much everyone who was there, loved the music.

I don't consider myself very well-informed or knowledgeable about Jazz (like a very large percentage of the audience was); but I have been for a few Jazz concerts by our very own BCO, SOI and many of our other awesome Indian performers here over the years, and have listened to a few talented Jazz musicians and singers in Goa as well, earlier in 2022. I'm 'Thankful' to them, and also for all the more popular Jazz music and songs, that so many of our talented musician friends constantly share with us. 'Just Listening' is a way to learn too.😊

This however, was my very first experience of hearing and watching an 'International Jazz Big Band' performing 'Live'; and it was worth every moment of the experience. 😊🎶💕 The collective lung-power of everyone in that 'mind-blowing' Brass section, literally 'took my breath away';😂 and the Drummer, the Pianist and the Double Bass player (who is also the Music Director of the Band), were absolutely fantastic musicians too.👏👏👏 

I'm not sure how one would technically and rightly describe, the kind of music I heard today; but from my very 'Limited Knowledge', I think Jazz is a lot about 'Free-Spirited Experimentation and Innovation', that just takes Music into 'unchartered territory and on wonderfully strange and undiscovered new paths, where no one has been before'. That's probably the reason why, the same Jazz song, can be sung and played completely differently, every single time.❤️

I always believe that the 'Best Teachers', are the ones who never stop 'Learning'.✨️ For me, this constant exploring, discovering and trying to savour new experiences like these, are my way of ensuring, that I never stop broadening my horizons and growing through each new thing that I learn. So Grateful to live in a city, that makes these 'Musical Adventures' a reality for us, without even having to leave the country.

Thank You to the NCPA and whoever else played a role in making this event happen.😊

(For those who want to listen to what 'The Mingus Big Band' sounds like, I found this video on YT, of a show that they did in Catania, (Sicily, Italy) about 10 days before this show in Mumbai, back in 2022. I'm guessing that some of the music we heard here, would be the same, since this concert was only a few days before that one.)😊

(Video shared from someone else's page on YT.)