There are bands that claim to be frontrunners of world music, but none will come close to the Hadouk Quartet in actually showcasing a sound that is global in its truest form. The world jazz foursome from France are famous for using an eclectic range of instruments and styles from across the world in their music, and they are bringing their songs to Bengaluru this weekend at Windmills Craftworks, Whitefield,
Featuring Didier Malherbe on the doudouk, flutes and saxophone, Loy Ehrlich on gumbass, hajouj and ribab, Eric Lohrer on guitars and Jean-Luc Di Fraya on percussions, the Frenchmen put up a beautiful ensemble of musical elements from across the globe to create a unique, mystical and evocative sound somewhere between jazz and world pop.
Didier exclaims that it’s a real joy to be in this beautiful city. “We don’t know Bengaluru as much as we know Whitefield though,” he says and laughs. “This is our third visit to the city, and as usual, we are spending a majority of the time in Whitefield around Windmills Craftworks. We do plan to visit the other parts of the city sometime this visit.”
Hadouk quartet, le 2 mai 2013 aux Lilas
On their list of songs to play is a whole lot of music from their latest album The Fifth Fruit . Didier points out that their biggest takeaway is the “Innovative combination of sounds which is part of our world music repertoire. We bring a special blend of sounds from different countries. To start with, our instruments are very different. Loy plays the main bass instrument – the hajouj, then we have the electric guitar, and hand percussions from various countries, and I’m playing the doudouk, which is not very well known in India. It’s an emotional and impressive instrument. People will definitely take something from it since it is very hearty. It’s big in the way it connects. I also play the Chinese bamboo flute, the Indian bansuri and the saxophone. From the instrumentation itself, people will be surprised by the sound we have.”
He elaborates that the music itself “Is a tapestry made out of our own experiences. We all mostly originated in jazz music, but have different inspirations. Loy was part of the African wave and he also plays a Moroccan violin called the ribab, which is like a little fiddle. Our basis is jazz but it goes all around the world. I’m strongly influenced by Indian music too, since I came here to India in the 60s.”
He recalls that he was 14 when he started playing the saxophone and 20 when he came to India. “Since childhood, I’ve had a passion for collecting instruments. I took home a bansuri I bought from Chennai back then and I still have it.”
Throughout his travels, Didier collected exotic instruments from the far corners of the earth, and after a series of short-lived experimental rock ensembles, in 1994 he embraced world music by forming Hadouk with multi-instrumentalist Loy Ehrlich, a specialist in the hajouj, the African three-stringed bass that, along with the Armenian double-reed instrument the doudouk, gave the project its name. They initially recorded and toured as a duo, issuing their self-titled debut LP in 1999. With the follow-up, their ranks swelled to a trio and then to a quartet with the addition of famous French jazz guitarist Eric Löhrer and the classic percussionist and singer Jean-Luc Di Fraya.
Looking back, Didier says in the 70s he was with the famed psych-prog group called Gong, which he co-founded with Soft Machine alum Daevid Allen.
“It was very famous and slightly more rock. Now with this project, we have a mosaic of styles, including our very own special French folk and classical influences, blending together in our compositions and improvisations.”
What is at the heart of their music? Didier admits: “To tell you the truth, we don’t know very well. Music is a bit like telepathy for us. It’s in the air. We’ve got our compositions pre-planned, but when it comes to the improvisations, we are thinking and applying what comes in our mind on the spot. It’s like fishing for melodies.” He adds that emotion plays a big role in their music. “We want to share those emotions with the people. It’s a beautiful journey for us and we want everyone to come along with us.”
Catch the Hadouk Quartet perform at Windmills Craftworks, Whitefield, on November 10 and 11 from 9.30 pm onwards and November 12 from 8 pm onwards. Call 8880233322.
