Yodhakaa

BAND NAME: Yodhakaa

FORMED: 2006

LINE UP ‘Darbuka’ Siva (drums and percussion), Pradeep Vijay (vocals / guitar), Subhiksha (vocals), John Antony (guitar), Keba Jeremiah (on bass).

THEY CALL IT Contemporary Indian music (refuse to be slotted as world or fusion music)

ROAD SO FAR “Initially, we used to do stuff from different parts of the world, but now it’s very rooted, very Indian,” says ‘Darbuka’ Siva, recalling his days with Zahraa, band he fronted along with Tanvi long before ‘Jai Ho’.

“We now research Sanskrit slokas and give a new sound to traditional ones, drawing influences from around the world, right from Latin music and blues to funk, jazz and Arabic music, but the root is essentially Indian.”

When Yodhakaa performs, you will find that music from around the world — whether it is Nigerian street drumming or Algerian Rai, Cuban Son, Samba Cancao from Brazil or music from the Wolofs of Senegal —blend in perfectly with Carnatic.

The band’s first concert with this new sound was in this January during the music season, when they performed at Hamsadhwani.

“We’ve performed for the U.S. Consulate, MetroPlus Theatre Fest, done a few corporate shows and have a few gigs lined up abroad. The idea is to perform at festivals and on international platforms.”

MUSIC “Our music cannot be recorded in a studio. We’ve recorded a couple of songs, but we’re planning to record one of our shows live and release it as an album. Getting into a studio gives a different vibe,” says Siva, who has also been involved with La Pongal, an electro-Tamil folk band led by Anthony Daasan, a folk singer from Thanjavur.

SAMPLE THEM AT >http://yodhakaa.artseek.in

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