REVIEWS:The Weekly Voice - Canada's Leading South Asian NewspaperIndian Electronica - The Next Big Sound? /table
Monday, 31 July 2006
By Lachman Balani
1977- The Rolling Stones
1980- U2
1984- The Guess Who.........
2006-Indian Electronica!
Remember the El Mo? The launch pad for local talent and the last bastion of live rock shows that the public said had bitten the dust? The neon palm club just off the corner of Spadina Avenue and College Street, that was the venue for such legendary greats as The Rolling Stones, Elvis Costello, Duran Duran and U2 among several others? Well on July 20, 2006, Qasim Virjee, affectionately known as Abdul Smooth, Anuj (live on the tabla), Sandra on vocals, Monika performing the kathak, and others, revived the sprit of El Mocambo's bygone days by giving the enrapt and appreciative audience a thrilling and brilliant rendition of Indian electronica, blending classical symphonies with modern electronic music.
On the stage, behind a huge low draped tapestry designed with Lord Krishna on the flute surrounded with his Gopis, an extremely young and smooth Abdul started the evening off giving the public a taste of electronic music wonder sending them into a trance. The piece de resistance was a classic Lord Krishna flute (murli) piece accompanied by recorded tabla and enhanced with live tabla by Anuj. What with Lord Krishna and his Gopis in the background and in one's inward eye and the synergizing of ancient melodies with contemporary electronic fare, it was instant transportation to nirvana.
Soon after, Sandra joined in, adding excellent vocals to the entrancing fusion. Then on came Monika and enthralled the audience with her kathak performance done to new-age electronic music and a booming bass that pounded right through one's heart. The whole happening was to die for!
The ensorcelling music continued as the audience kept on being tuned in and turned on, mesmerized by Abdul's 'crazy' (as he calls it) jam. All in all, it was an extraordinary evening, a bindaas chill-out session, with a very avant-garde electronic music genre and extremely innovative interfusions of the old and new. Their pioneering style and enthusiastic vitality hold promise for them and will take them far and wide. They already are set to perform next month in Birmingham and London in the UK.
Yes sir, a truly superb act and all homegrown in the multi-cultural mosaic of amchi Canada.
For more information, please visit http://www.indianelectronica.com/
DESI NEWS MAGAZINE - January 2007
Young Desi!
Poetry in motion
I’ve been learning it for seven years now and I really enjoy Kathak. Kathak comes from katha, or story, and is the art of story-telling through dance. The hand movements are so elegant. Because I’m a trained Kathak dancer, people ask me for my reactions to Umrao Jaan! I think Aishwarya Rai is a good Kathak dancer, but Rekha was amazing. I enjoyed the new Umrao, but I think they have blended an element of Bollywood in it. I can understand why, they have to make it appealing to newer audiences, but I loved the old one! I thought Madhuri Dixit was fabulous in Devdas.
I’m freaked out by: Wars and terrorism and innocent victims caught in the middle.
? /table
Toronto gets ready for first annual RBC desiFEST One of a kind all Canadian South Asian music festival On Saturday, May 26 and in celebration of South Asian Heritage Month, Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square will come alive with the spirit of South Asia. RBC desiFEST, Toronto’s only Canadian South Asian music festival, will feature a 12-hour music bash showcasing some 20 plus outstanding and internationally acclaimed Canadian South Asian artists.RBC desiFEST will present the very best in Canadian South Asian music and dance with contemporary indo-jazz fusion and world music along with cutting edge DJs from the Asian Underground music scene.Headlining artists will include R&B sensation Deesha who recently picked up a 2007 JUNO nomination in the R&B/ Soul Recording of the Year category, internationally acclaimed indo-fusion duo JOSH, the Dub Slingers, The Bilz best known for their international hit single 2Step Bhangra and up and coming rock band Zameer. Other performers will include master tabla player Trichi Sankaran, Friends of Raggas, Toronto #1 DJ Baba Kahn, katak phenomenon Monika Monga and the mesmerizing dancers of Kama Entertaiment. The 12-hour music extravaganza will end with an explosive finale featuring Dj Amita & Bollywood Grooves.RBC desiFEST will also feature dance and music workshops, cooking demonstrations as well as arts and crafts vendors and traditional South Asian delicacies.Get your desi-groove on and celebrate South Asian Heritage Month with RBC desiFEST. Come and experience the modern sounds, delectable sights and aromatic flavours of South Asia right here in downtown Toronto.
RBC desiFEST
Saturday, May 26, 2007
11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Yonge-Dundas Square, TorontoToronto’s first and only Canadian South Asian music festival
FREE event/
REVIEWS:The Weekly Voice - Canada's Leading South Asian NewspaperIndian Electronica - The Next Big Sound? /table
Monday, 31 July 2006
By Lachman Balani
1977- The Rolling Stones
1980- U2
1984- The Guess Who.........
2006-Indian Electronica!
Remember the El Mo? The launch pad for local talent and the last bastion of live rock shows that the public said had bitten the dust? The neon palm club just off the corner of Spadina Avenue and College Street, that was the venue for such legendary greats as The Rolling Stones, Elvis Costello, Duran Duran and U2 among several others? Well on July 20, 2006, Qasim Virjee, affectionately known as Abdul Smooth, Anuj (live on the tabla), Sandra on vocals, Monika performing the kathak, and others, revived the sprit of El Mocambo's bygone days by giving the enrapt and appreciative audience a thrilling and brilliant rendition of Indian electronica, blending classical symphonies with modern electronic music.
On the stage, behind a huge low draped tapestry designed with Lord Krishna on the flute surrounded with his Gopis, an extremely young and smooth Abdul started the evening off giving the public a taste of electronic music wonder sending them into a trance. The piece de resistance was a classic Lord Krishna flute (murli) piece accompanied by recorded tabla and enhanced with live tabla by Anuj. What with Lord Krishna and his Gopis in the background and in one's inward eye and the synergizing of ancient melodies with contemporary electronic fare, it was instant transportation to nirvana.
Soon after, Sandra joined in, adding excellent vocals to the entrancing fusion. Then on came Monika and enthralled the audience with her kathak performance done to new-age electronic music and a booming bass that pounded right through one's heart. The whole happening was to die for!
The ensorcelling music continued as the audience kept on being tuned in and turned on, mesmerized by Abdul's 'crazy' (as he calls it) jam. All in all, it was an extraordinary evening, a bindaas chill-out session, with a very avant-garde electronic music genre and extremely innovative interfusions of the old and new. Their pioneering style and enthusiastic vitality hold promise for them and will take them far and wide. They already are set to perform next month in Birmingham and London in the UK.
Yes sir, a truly superb act and all homegrown in the multi-cultural mosaic of amchi Canada.
For more information, please visit http://www.indianelectronica.com/
Review of Toronto Waterfront Marathon: Thank you so much for your superb performance and participation at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. We have recieved a letter from the organizers praising our performers and the quality of their performance. Congratulations! Our effort is to bring our artists to the mainstream and make sure that they benefit from such exposure on every stage. I look forward to seeing you in future on bigger and better events and thank you once again for your input. All the best and keep in touch. Regards Asma - Director Creativity Studios
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