A kids' metal band. A Tamil hip-hop group. A jazz band. A mohan veena exponent. Two pop bands. A Carnatic vocalist and a singer from Africa. They have one thing in common — a devotion to non-film music. The motley group performed at Ampa Skywalk at the launch of ‘One Chennai, One Music', an initiative by 94.3 Radio One to promote music outside films. To be aired every Sunday, the programme makes its debut on December 26.
A variety on offer
Going by the groups lined up for the on-ground launch at Ampa Skywalk, there is out-of-the-ordinary music in store. Hip-hop Tamizha, looked upon as a movement and not a band by its members, has carved its own beat-boxing style, based on the sounds of traditional Tamil music instruments. Among its offerings was a single ‘Clubbula Mabbula', picked from an album by Adhi, the group's mainstay.
The surprise of the evening came in a small package — Nailed, a death metal band consisting of three children and a senior. Probably, the youngest metal vocalist in the part of the world, Jason Rozario (11) cut a curious figure as he head-banged between growls into the mike. Drummer Ricardo Rozario (14) captivated the audience, which included classical pianist Anil Srinivasan. Chester (14) on the bass guitar was the other tiny presence that proved that young shoulders can carry a band. Nailed's guiding force is, however, 54-year-old Austin Lippert, a lead guitarist and a promoter of fledgling musicians. Austin defines Nailed's music as ‘melodic metal'. The band also performs contemporary music. Nailed sang a tribute song to Armour of God, a ‘melodic death metal band' from Chennai.
Groove #3 gave a taste of funk-jazz. The group performed ‘Groove #3', their composition that is tuned to funk-jazz and rambles over the territory the group has so far covered. In keeping with the spirit of the season, the second performance was a carol presented in the jazz format. Poly Varghese, among a handful of mohan veena exponents in the country, unwound the charms of the instrument. His playing was soulful and intense. Michael Black, who has come from Africa to Chennai for studies, sang a beautiful song he composed, to show his gratitude to his self-sacrificing mother.
Carnatic vocalist Gayathri Venkatgharavan, Suprita and The Band and Cynosure brought a lot more of the musical treasures that lie beyond film music.
But interestingly, film music could not be totally kept out. Thanks to popular demand from his women fans, actor Aadhi (one among a flock of special invitees, most of them easily recognisable names in the film music industry) warbled a song from his hit film “Earam”.
