Volume 22 Issue 7 - April 2017

KAREN E. REEVES
present “Tabla and Taiko: Two Ancient
Traditions Meet” at the Toronto Centre
for the Arts. The promotional material
states the concert is to serve as a “crosscultural
music collaboration of Indian and
Japanese percussive traditions with the
goal of bringing communities together.”
It promises to be a textbook demonstration
of how the evolutionary processes of
artistic hybridization can be developed
over years and successfully presented.
I’ve written before about how both
Toronto-based ensembles have significantly
contributed to the Canadian world
music scene since the 1990s. In pursuing
their groups’ artistic vision they have
both succeeded in raising the profiles of
received Indian and Japanese musics. In
this concert they join hands and drums,
featuring compositions by the two ensembles’
artistic directors, Ritesh Das and
Kiyoshi Nagata. Each is creating works
that maintain their home traditions’
integrity while also searching to integrate
the other group’s inherent strengths. I spoke
to each AD to better understand their collaborative
approach.
“I wrote Sare Panch, in a rhythmic cycle of five and a half beats,”
said Das. “I then modified and fine-tuned it in rehearsal so it would
work with the extreme dynamic range of the taiko ensemble. I’m also
looking forward to performing a piece by Aki Takahashi in 14 beats, as
well as a work where I play solo tabla and Kiyoshi plays the chappa, a
Japanese cymbal.”
How would he characterize the common denominators between the
two quite different groups? “We both share values of respect, discipline
and knowledge,” Das replied without pause.
Kiyoshi Nagata added: “I agree we share those values. [On the other
hand] I always tell Ritesh it’s not our similarities but our differences
that complement one another! For example taiko is loud, tabla is
quiet; taiko is primal, tabla intricate and technical. It’s those kinds of
juxtapositions which offer rich new sonic and artistic possibilities.
“In addition, both our ensembles work within the oral tradition,”
continued Nagata. “Not being bound by notation makes it easier to
communicate, I find. As we like to recite to one another: ‘Once you
say it, you can play it!’ It’s quite liberating to be able to internalize
music in order to express yourself. You could reduce the process to
memorization, internalization and finally
expression. After all, the goal of taiko
practice is that the body becomes the
extension of the rhythm.”
Finally Nagata added “Collaborations
like this are pretty hard to come by.
Toronto is one of the few places where
this could happen. There’s a certain
convenience in having both groups in
the same town. They’re 20 minutes from
us, so we can get together any day of
the week!”
Aga Khan Museum’s “Entrancement”
As for presenters, they are continually
evolving ways to reinterpret aspects of
musical inclusivity, diversity and cultural
framing to their audiences. The Aga Khan
Museum is one such presenter and venue
which has actively welcomed the music
of the world right from its beginnings in
2014. I spoke to Umair Jaffar, performing
arts manager at the AKM about its latest
efforts to retag its concert series in order
to keep it relevant to its patrons.
“We’ve had series called ‘classical’ and
‘world music’ in the past. Now we’re
considering using the word ‘entranced’ however,” said Jaffar. “Trance
is a word that aptly describes and connects several of our upcoming
performing arts programs.”
It is an idea clearly reflected in the “mesmerizing and mood-altering
grooves of Vishwa Mohan Bhatt’s slide guitar” that will be showcased
in his April 22 concert presented in partnership with Raag-Mala
Toronto and Small World Music’s Asian Music Series. The Grammy
Award-winning Bhatt performs exclusively on his bespoke 19-stringed
mohan veena. While his instrument borrows as much from the
Hawaiian and blues slide lap guitars as from the indigenous Indian
veena, the music Bhatt plays on it is strictly Hindustani classical,
relying on the performance of raga. Raga itself is a complex concept in
classical Indian music akin to melodic mode, possessing the power to
“colour the mind” of the performer, as well as to affect the emotions of
the listener.
The April crop from the Toronto global seed bed is promising
indeed!
(top) Nagata Shachu; (bottom) Ritesh Das
Andrew Timar is a Toronto musician and music writer. He
can be contacted at worldmusic@thewholenote.com.
TINARIWEN
With Dengue Fever
WED APR 12 ◆ 8 PM
Presented in partnership with
Batuki Music Society and Small World Music
FOR TICKETS CALL 416-872-4255
OR VISIT MASSEYHALL.COM
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