Music is magic and since the instruments are made out of wood, the band is called Bosque Magico. The name, says the band’s composer and guitarist Ralf Seidhoff, is Spanish for ‘magic forest’, since wood comes from the forest.
Bosque Magico is all set to play today at the Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan with Ralf on the guitar, Mykyta Sierov on Oboe, and Bengaluru-based musician Karthik Mani on percussion.
“Mykyta and I have been working together for the last two years. This year we decided to make an album with percussionists and we came here to record Karthik. The album will be released in October,” says Ralf, who has been collaborating and performing with several musicians from Edwin Sadowski, to Manuel Delgado, and Ernest Martinez.
Bosque Mágico’s music is inspired by flamenco, jazz, world and classical music and features improvisations in classical, Indian, Balkan and pop music-inspired compositions, to open up new worlds of sound, especially on unusual instruments such as the oboe (in this context).
“I have always been interested in music from other cultures. I went to India to learn classical/Indian music under Rama Mani at the Karnataka College of Percussion in Bangalore, I have worked with musicians from the Balkan regions, Arab regions, and Turkey, I worked for 20 years with a flamenco guitarist from Spain. All of this is mixed into my composition,” explains Ralf.
The compositions, he describes, centre around the acoustic guitar, that provides harmony, and bass components, with melody from the oboe and rhythm from the percussions.
“I have worked with musicians from around the world and I learn with every experience. What I keep in mind when I work on these projects is the tone (based on the instrument), and the rhythm that would suit the song. The first step, for me, is to listen to the song and get the sound in my head,” adds Karthik, who will be playing a range of percussion instruments in the concert, from the djembe to the ghatam and some vocal percussion.
“The music this time, will be a mix of soothing melodies with pumping rhythms, that are sometimes groovy.”
Bosque Magico’s performance will take place today (August 30) at 6.30 pm at the Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan. The concert is open to all, call 22511300 for details.
