Kaava has certainly not reinvented the way a music band sounds. They are an intuitively operating band with one foot firmly in the music of the bygone days and the other in contemporary abandon.
Ready with three original songs Kaava (a locally brewed black tea laced with spices) combines angst-ridden lyrics and vocals with solid rhythm, firm guitars and a blend to which people from all walks of life can relate. The band was launched without much fanfare recently.
Fertile ground
“Mattancherry and Fort Kochi has always been a fertile ground for music and musicians. Despite hardships, fighting to survive West Kochi has produced generations of talented musicians. And there so many still undiscovered. Kaava will be a platform for young talent. All of us, the present members of the group, have known each other for many years, been through rough and good times. So, it was relatively easy to put Kaava together,” says Rajaneesh Babu, a ad-film director who manages this group. Rajaneesh has also directed the teaser and the video of one of the songs.
Choosing the right musicians is crucial for a band. There also needs to be a compatibility. Playing in a band is about having fun, getting along well with the band members. “We have grown up together as musicians. We share the same passion, are open-minded to various music genres. Though most of us have not really been professionals as such we are all fully committed to music and do perform,” says Sajid Thentral, music director and lead singer of the group.
A chemical engineer, Sajid chose to work as a marketing professional, to squeeze in time for his music. A singer in various troupes for the past seven years Sajid’s foray into music direction in the album 143 led his to his first film. “The audio release of the Tamil film Thagaval , my debut, was held in Chennai recently. The film is slated for release some time in August. There are six songs in the film and are sung by singers such as Hariharan, Shankar Mahadevan, Unni Menon, and Karthik. I have also sung one. The response has been very encouraging.”
For Kaava Sajid has composed three songs written by Ajay Pai. “We are ready with three originals. Kaava will have Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam songs, originals and covers. The covers will be innovatively remixed versions. Unlike most bands we start the show with our song, a Kochi song. The audio and video of the band’s official song Khamoshiyaan has been released. We will have one which is a combo of Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam,” says Sajid.
Singers Prem C Pratap and Metz Joseph, Anoop Anand (keyboard), Manoj Mohan (drums), Siju Joseph and Sumesh Parameswar (guitar) are the others members of the Kaava .
Reflection of their lives
The slickly shot music video and teaser is a taste of what Kaava is all about. “The entire shoot was done in and around Fort Kochi and Mattancherry. A godown was lit up and we shot the sequences of the band in action there. The streets and other places were used as our locations. We completed the videos in around ₹10,000. Thalhath Mohammed has done a great work with his camera,” informs Rajaneesh.
For a band the product is the music they create. And being a live band the product is the experience that they create for the audience. It is a collective experience and Sajid is fully aware of the challenges. “There’s nothing like a live performance. As a band, we realise, the presentation, the flavour, and the way it is accepted are all important. It calls for a great level of commitment. We are also nurturing a second line who we hope will carry Kaava ahead. Our music is a reflection of our lives and we hope we can inspire the talented youngsters around,” says Sajid.
