The sweltering heat of Hyderabad witnessed a whiff of cool air in the form of another concert from Hyderabad Western Music Foundation. This concert’s main event featured the popular Adrian D’Souza quartet which featured Adrian himself on the drums, Karan Joseph on the keyboard, Lydia Hendrik Je Hornung on the vocals and New York-based saxophone artist Pawan Benjamin.
The serene ambience of Secunderabad Club got an additional grace with this much awaited show. Before the big jazz feast, there was a striking choir performance by Deccan Voices — a group of enthusiastic individuals who performed songs varying from jazz to pop supported, ably on the keyboard by Joe Koster. The real surprise package pitched in when the choir performed the choral version of Ballelilakka a chartbuster from Rajnikanth- starrer Sivaji . This feisty choir exhibited confidence and good energy levels and also showed great balance between sopranos, altos ,tenors and bass. The audience rejoiced the relaxing number such as All Things Bright and Beautiful along with a peppy number such as Take Five .
Adrian D’Souza’s quartet immediately transported the audience to Jazz Clubs of New York where the genre is the forte. They exhibited consistent co-ordination and mastery over the genre by choosing enthralling compositions like Yes or No of Wayne Shorter and Beatrice by Joe Henderson. The quirky saxophone by Pawan Benjamin was tantalisingly followed by Karan’s funky keyboard. Adrian’s precise yet expressive drumming was another highlight of the show.
After performing a few quick instrumentals, the German based Lydia Hendrik took over the stage with her mellifluous voice by rendering timeless jazz numbers such as Speak Low , Tenderly and Moonlight in Vermont . Her velvety voice was effortlessly in sync with the instruments and created a magical atmosphere. The multi-hued nature of jazz was flawlessly brought into live effect with this talented quartet!
The audience was clearly yearning for more Jazz numbers from the quartet even after the show came to an inevitable end! Just like one of the tracks by the quartet has the lyrics East of the Sun , there is always a next time for the city.
