In a world where instruments such as the clarinet is often being looked upon as an antique, New York-based Israeli artiste Anat Cohen has given the instrument a new-found importance. By not just playing jazz, but also pushing the boundaries of world music and fusion with her project, The Choro Ensemble.
The Berklee College of Music graduate now travels the world, leading her solo work as well as the Choro Ensemble and performing with other artistes. Anat will perform at in town as part of her first ever series of shows in India. She says over the phone, “Since so many people go to India to travel and find themselves, I didn’t know my first time will be playing, but I’m very excited about it.” She takes time off to speak to Metroplus about how she got introduced to Choro music and her music tastes.
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve heard about the clarinet?
Some old people, they remember that they used to play clarinet and they remember the squeaks of the clarinet. But I don’t play like that.
What have you heard about the country and anything in particular about jazz in India?
I know people that go there. I know musicians who went to teach there. I don’t know what the jazz scene is like, but it’s a very big country, so I’m sure it’s not the same in the south of the country as it may be in the north.
Another artiste you've collaborated with - Ehud Ettun - was in the country earlier this year. Do you think there’s a West-East connect?
Oh okay, I didn’t know that. Well I think music is one of the clearest ways to connect between people of all differences.
How did you get into Choro? How is it that an Israeli artiste came across a Brazilian style of music?
I went to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, that’s where it happened. I met a bunch of Brazilians in Boston in 1997. It has been a while, that way. My first encounter with Choro was in Boston. When I moved to New York, I met some musicians – especially one person named Pedro (Ramos) – together, we founded a Choro band.
I was playing regularly in New York and then I went to Brazil to learn more about the music there and it became a very big part of my life. I fell in love with it and I’m still in love with it.
It's been more than a year since Luminosa released - what is your set in India going to comprise, for both shows?
There will be a little bit of other Brazilian music but it’s all going to be under the category of Choro.
There will be some songs that were not necessarily written as a Choro band, but we will play them with a Choro configuration, which is a seven-string guitar (Nando Duarte), accordion (Vitor Goncalves), pandeiro (Sergio Krakowski) and clarinet.
What other kinds of music do you play?
Everything is under the category of jazz. But of course, you can play a lot of different things with the accordion. I play world music. With these guys in India, it’s going to be Brazilian instrumental music. You can call it jazz with Brazilian influences – we’re not playing in a very traditional way. All the musicians coming to play are very much jazz musicians. It’s called Choro but it has the adventurousness of jazz.
What other music do you listen to? Are there any guilty pleasures, or is it jazz music all day, every day?
I like to listen to African music, I like to listen to Brazilian music that’s not just Choro. I love to listen to Radiohead, I like to listen to James Brown – any music.
Do you have any other plans while you're here in Bengaluru?
No, not much. I don’t have any break until the end of the year.
I’m teaching Brazilian music in the West Coast after India and then in September, I have a show in Chicago and in October, I’m touring with a Cuban singer called Omara Portuondo.
Anat Cohen Choro Ensemble performs at Windmills Craftworks on August 19 and 20. Tickets: Seating Rs. 1500 entry + 500 Cover or Rs. 500 Standing.
