[Pic:eer-music]
Chennai is yet to take a breather from the crowded book fair but then there’s no time. Saarang 2005, the cultural mishmash of IIT Madras is happening again. I shouldn’t be saying it’s happening. Because as the IITians says, it isn’t an event. Saarang is a state of mind. And this yearly festival starts from 21st Jan 2005 and goes on till the 26th. This is an inter-college show and so the youth is outta there. A gentle breeze after the rather dry december music festival and the book fair.
I’ve been a regular to this yearly event for close to a decade and it gets better every time. Be it the pro-shows or the arrangements or the fashion statement, Saarang simply rocks. It makes you feel young and yearn for those good-old college days. A true extravaganza. Last year, Saarang was devastating. Euphoria and Strings created a magic on the last day and I could still remember the whole stadium singing Maa Thuje Salaam. Also Decibels, intre-college western music show was the best of all the years. And I hope this year it will become even tougher. You also have this usual nice to watch Ad-Zap, Jam and creative writing competitions, not to forget the popular Mr and Ms Saarang.
This year’s schedule is out. For the pro-shows KK(the same Kakkha Kakkha KK) will be performing light music on 24th. Orange Street alongiwth Moksha will perform the rock show on 22nd Jan. There comes a suspense which I nearly guessed(rather wanted to happen). Guitar Prasanna will be performing again for the Jazz show named, Be the Change. Be the Change is actually the latest album released by Prasanna in the mid 2004. He along with Jeff Coffin on sax, Kai Eckhardt on bass guitar and Derico Watson on drums will perform the show. During Saarang 2000, he played along with Alphonso Johnson. I had been to that show and I must say it was exhilarating.
Guitar Prasanna is well known to Chennai music fans for his carnatic compositions with guitar. I did like his albums on Jazz than the carnatic ones. He was probably inspired by the Miles Davis school of jazz and took over jazz from blues. He owns more credit for spreading the reach of carnatic music in the American music circles. With Illayaraja his last work was for Vaanavilley in Ramana. He played those enchanting acoustics for Yej Jo Hai Tera of Swades for A R Rahman. I am definetly there for this show and also for the KK’s light music.
Catch up with the never ending State-of-Mind Saarang next week. If you are coming do let me know and we can plan along.
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