CHENNAI: The evening was an overload of percussion, adequately compensated for by well-rendered music from all over the world When a music concert opens with four boys (students of KM Music Conservatory, Kodambakkam), clad in impeccable white veshtis, singing the 20th Century Fox Theme, you begin to think that this probably is not a bad idea for a Sunday evening. And as time goes and Global Rhythms, a US-based music group, begins performing, you realise you are in for a treat.They began with Dil Se Re, grooving cautiously to the percussion, uncomfortably worrying for the safety of their saris and veshtis.But as the song went on, they got more into the act and the energy was splendid.This might have been an indicator that the event, organised by the Rotary Club of Madras Coromandel, in association with Royal Enfield, India Cements and Grundfos, was going to be another one of those filled with pretentious versions of some of our best Indian songs. But as some of the senior members of the group performed two pallavis effortlessly, we realised we might be wrong.The mridangam, which miraculously popped up on stage, seamlessly created harmony with the steel Caribbean drum. After doling out some peppy Cuban tunes, the group performed an almost gospel-like African American piece. Just when we were beginning to forget about the opening quartet, they came back on stage to perform a well-practised Ray Charles’ Georgia on my Mind.After the quiet piece brought on by the two performances, the juxtaposition of traditional percussion instruments with more contemporary ones, was a pleasant wake up call. The ensemble’s versions of Yuhi Chala and Vellai Pookkal (Kannathil Muthamittal) were compelling, though the singers could have worked on their accents a tad bit more.As a teaser to workshops that Global Rhythms will be conducting here in the near future, the troupe carried out an impromptu workshop at the auditorium, with the KM Conservatory students in the audience sincerely trying to keep up.Speaking of impromptu occurrences, popular musician OS Arun also rendezvoused with the Americans.“When we started Global Rhythms, we wanted to make sure that classical music is also entertaining,” said Srinivas Krishnan, the founder of the band. As entertained as one can be at the end of the show, we sure agree!
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