In the midst of a stage crammed with the usual musical paraphernalia, singers and instruments, aspiring musician and student Manick Vennimalai is something of a lone wolf. The gleaming saxophone he holds sets him apart from the pack, as well as the style of the music he plays, a genre that is rarely heard on most stages in the city: jazz.
Played behind the closed doors of pubs, bars and coffee shops, “jazz’s emergence in Chennai, started sometime in the 1960s,” according to Eddie Prithviraj, organiser of the Madras Jazz Festival. “There’s always been a community of musicians who play jazz,” says Maarten Visser, a saxophonist and experimental musician. “In the late 90s, I used to play with artistes like Keith Peters in a coffee house named Quickie’s on Sterling Road to a packed audience. The awareness about jazz has always existed, and some of its best musicians, like Frank Dubier, come from here.”
The last few years have seen a spike in young musicians studying jazz, with the Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music being one of the country’s central hubs of learning. “It was the first place where I was exposed to jazz,” says Sahib Singh, who graduated a few years ago, “It’s a demanding style of music that’s based on improvisation. You have to be creative. I’ve been learning for two years now, and I’ve barely made a dent.”
“It’s extremely challenging and you spend most of your hours at practice,” adds Azan, another graduate, “Studying jazz encompasses genres like pop and rock, so you’re learning much more about music itself than you ever thought you would.”
With an audience whose interest is slowly rising, Manick, who’s been studying jazz for the last year, explains why the reception to jazz has taken this long, “It can be intimidating to learn, and to listen to,” he says, “The improvisation-centred style of old-school jazz can be perceived as self-indulgent by today’s audience, and can cause them to tune out early, not giving the music time to work its magic.”
Giving listeners something to engage with is the key, with Maarten saying, “It’s really an acquired taste. My philosophy is this: people may not always react to the intricacies of the music, the harmonies and the melody, but they will always respond to the energy in that music, and that could be what draws them in to learn more.”
Although distanced from the mainstream, jazz gigs and shows persist throughout the city, with the annual Madras Jazz Festival and upcoming Madras Jazz Hub set to take place at the Unwind Centre.
“Audiences are growing more aware and the buzz is increasing,” says Eddie, “We’ve seen first-time listeners get up and dance; they’re enthralled by what they see. These venues are great platforms for people to change their perception about jazz, and show them that it can be vibrant, lively and fun.”
Jazz is also witnessing its reincarnation in the form of fusion, a tactic that may ensure its survival, “You can’t just throw jazz at an audience that’s unfamiliar with it,” says Sahib, “You need to mix it up, and throw in jazz elements into pop and rock for people to be able to relate to it.” Musicians have learnt to dabble in different styles and techniques, bringing different sounds to conventional jazz, “As a bass player, I don’t stick to classical jazz,” continues Azan, “It’s always evolving. You have rock jazz, Indo jazz, pop jazz, and by playing them, you aren’t compromising on the authenticity of jazz at all.”
A solid future, as well as the creation of a larger scene lies in the students of jazz, believes musician Keith Peters, “It needs to be carried on by the musicians who play it,” he says, “Most students end up going into the film industry, and that needs to change. It is a hard form to stick by, but at the end of day, it’s your heart and soul.” Consistency and standing by the art form could eventually see it peak, “All of us come in making a commitment to the music,” says Manick, “A commitment that turns out to be worth it.”
Artistes you should be listening to
Classic | Contemporary |
Ella Fitzgerald | Snarky Puppy |
Nat King Cole | Max Ox |
Louis Armstrong | Lettuce |
Miles Davis | Robert Glasper |
Sonny Rollins | Esperanza Spalding |
