Following the launch of Bonjour India – incubating dreams, ideas and projects which aim to move the partnership between India and France into the future, Kolkatawill see the beginning of French band Mezcal Jazz Unit’s 5 city tour with the Indian tabla maestro, Bickram Ghosh in collaboration with Gatecrashand with the support of the network of Alliances Françaises. Mezcal Jazz Unit will perform at the Tollygunge club in Kolkata on 4th February.
Subsequently they will be heading to Lucknow, Chandigarh, Pune and Mumbai.
Bonjour India has already presented some exemplary music acts by French artists, mostly in collaboration with Indian Musicians, in the previous months. Taking this initiative forward, they will be introducing the Indian audience to a strong collaborative jazz project.
Mezcal Jazz unit is led by the bass player and composer Emmanuel de Gouvello. Creative jazz projects were born from Mezcal’s travels and encounters with talented musicians from the world over. In 2008, one such meeting with India’s renowned table maestro Bickram Ghosh led to a fresh fusion of sounds captured in the album, “One” released on Saregama label.
Celebrating a decade of musical partnership, Mezcal returns to meet Bickram Ghosh again in 2018 and enlighten the audience with this creative partnership.
“The French Institute in India is delighted to renew the partnership between Mezcal Jazz Unit and Bickram Ghosh. We are very excited to witness this performance and share it with the musically aware Indian audience. With Bonjour India, we have managed to provide a platform for many such collaborations and paved the way for new creative acts to take form, with the support of our partners” said Dr Bertrand De Hartingh, General Curator of Bonjour India, Counsellor for Cooperation and Cultural Affairs
Venue and dates:
KOLKATA: 4th February – Tollygunge Club
LUCKNOW: 6th February – Mahindra Sanatkada Festival
CHANDIGARH: 7th February – Plaza, Sector 17
PUNE: 9th February – Mazda Hall, Poona Music Society
MUMBAI: 10th February – G5A Foundation
AboutMezcal Jazz Unit:
Mezcal Jazz Unit was founded in 1986 in Montpellier and is led by the bass player and composer, Emmanuel de Gouvello. The music reflects the singular and diverse identity of the group and its relevance to current European jazz streams. Creative jazz projects were born from their travels and encounters with talented musicians from Eastern Europe, India, Asia, Africa or USA. Four of their ten albums are collaborations with some of these gifted artists, such as Bickram Ghosh the renowned tabla maestro with whom the group released the album, “ One,” in 2008 on the famed Saregama label. A second album will be recorded in 2018 as part of a new creative project with Bickram Ghosh.
About Bickram Ghosh:
One of India’s greatest Tabla maestros, Bickram Ghosh also holds the rare distinction of being one of the most well- known names in the world of Indo- fusion music. Having performed the world over with the greatest names in classical music (especially Pt. Ravi Shankar with whom he played for over a decade), Bickram went on to form his hugely successful band Rhythmscape which made him one of the most popular musical stars of his generation.Bickram played on four albums that were nominated for Grammies including George Harrison’s “Brainwashed”. He also played on the album “Full Circl”e which won Pandit Ravi Shankar a Grammy.
About Gatecrash:
GATECRASH is a consulting agency specialized in touring international bands in India, curating Indian and international acts for Festivals and events and managing music-related projects. Our main concern is to support the growing independent music scene in India, with a special focus on promoting and developing jazz initiatives.
About Bonjour India:
The third edition of Bonjour India 2017-18 is a four-month-long mega voyage across India that will celebrate Indo-French partnership as well as shape the next decade of human exchange between the two countries. From November 2017to February 2018, Bonjour India covers 100 projects in 33 cities across 20 states & union territories. Bonjour India provides a platform for enduring partnerships across the themes of Smart Citizen, High Mobility, Go Green.
Bonjour India is unprecedented given the ambitious scale of its partnership with India. People at the forefront of their fields will share their inspiring journeys as they change society through their innovation and creativity. At events collaboratively organised across cities and disciplines, amid performances, debates, seminars and exhibitions, all audiences will find something that captures their imagination.
With Bonjour India 2017-18, India and France will come together to create, innovate and partner towards a progressive and sustainable future.
Bonjour India aims far, Bonjour India supports fair, Bonjour India is fun!