Derek Julien, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Artur Dutkiewicz, Karim Ellaboudi and Vasundhara - you name them and you will hear them all in the capital. Come Saturday, music lovers are in for a jazz treat as the best in the industry will come together to enthrall the audience.
In its 31st edition, the two-day annual festival 'Jazz Utsav' will feature the best known jazz artistes from India and across the globe on December 5 and 6 at One Golden Mile in R.K. Puram.
Presented by Capital Jazz in collaboration with Teamwork Arts, the annual festival is poised to celebrate the past, present and future of jazz by bringing them all on one platform.
For music lovers, it will be hard to miss Indian guitar legend Derek Julien, who was part of the first wave of jazz in India in the late 1960s.
Another blast from the past is well known pianist Karim Ellaboudi and Vasundhara Vidalur, known for her style within the jazz and blues paradigm.
Vidalur was awarded the best female vocalist at the Jack Daniels Rock Awards 2013.
"With the best of musicians from India and across the world, this year's Jazz Utsav will be an unparalleled celebration of all things jazz and over the next few years. We hope to grow this festival into one of Asia's major music events," said Sanjoy Roy, managing director of Teamwork Arts.
From the current toast of the jazz circuit, there are Arthur Dutkiewicz Trio from Poland and Rudresh Mahanthappa's Gamak from the US to add to the ensemble.
The 44-year-old Indian-American Mahanthappa is a star attraction with his grounding in Carnatic classical music and his passion for jazz. The Gamak project -- an album which he put up in 2012 -- is his latest.
In the stellar line-up, next comes the Woodstock Jazz Band of the students from Mussoorie's Woodstock School, and Joel Lyssarides from Sweden representing the electrifying Future of Jazz.
"This year's festival is special. We have the best of Indian jazz with the amazing guitar of Derek Julien (remember Waterfront?). Women are well represented. If you haven't heard Kittu Sequeira or Vasundhara Vidalur, it's time you did at Jazz this year.
"And if you wonder what the future holds for Indian jazz, see the talented young girls and boys in the Woodstock jazz," said Astri Ghose of Capital Jazz.
Jazz Utsav, which began in 1978, has featured some of the best names in the jazz world, like Sonny Rollins, Larry Carlton and Wayne Krantz. Tickets for the show will be available online at insider.in.
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