Sur-Jahan, literally, music of
the world, aims at doing just that - bring the world music of the world
together, for global peace, harmony and the brotherhood of man. In its earlier avatar,
the festival was known as Sufi-Sutra, an annual event that had curved out a
niche for itself, both in the global musical calendar and in the hearts that
beat as one, held each February in Kolkata with a follow up act in Goa.
A unique facet of the festival is
the workshops it throws up – collaborations between the visiting bands and the
local musicians and troupes. These workshops are in fact a tool – a binder of
souls that brings diverse sounds from the far corners of the globe together –
transcending the barriers of space and time in search of some greater truth.
Workshops, that are a treat to the performing artists and the audience alike as
they savor the process of creation, the union of musical strains in the melting
pot of life.
Grant McFarlane of Cherry Grove, Scotland hit this chord of
cultural assimilation through music when he said, “it has been very exciting to
hear all the bands from all over the world. We don’t often get to hear the
different cultures and their music. We were sitting in one of the concerts last
night and were very excited about the music. We danced and enjoyed ourselves to
the fullest. It was just amazing to experience the different types of music
from all over the world”
Sidhu, the front man of the Bengali Rock Band from Kolkata,
Cactus, who collaborated with the Cherry Grove also highly appreciative of the
effort: “you know, when the weathers of the two countries are different, the
music is ought to be different. This was
kind of an amalgamation of genres of music”. His band mate, Dibyendu too, was
equally enthusiastic “It was filled with positive energy throughout. There was
a lot of energy and it was looking nice from the stage. I liked the audience a
lot”.
Alanna McCuaige, who performed as part of the team Cherry
Grove, both in Kolkata and Goa was swayed by the underlying spirit of the
festival and was categorical in her desire to be a part and recreate the
feelings in the future as well. “I would take this opportunity to thank
everyone for Sufi Sutra - Amitava and his whole team. We would love to come
back here and it has been a great experience”.
Mamadou Diabate , the front man of Percussion Mania, was
much more detailed in his take : “I can
say that Sufi sutra is a very big experience for me, and coming here and meeting
such nice people feels amazing. The program was very good and my colleagues,
who are now my brothers, sing very well. It’s fantastic and I have a very good
feeling here. Sufi sutra is very well organized and I hope to come here every
year and bring more musicians with me and to meet the children in India,
particularly in Kolkata. It is very important to organize something like this.
It’s good for the children and also for people like me who come from other
countries and get a chance to promote their music and culture. If not for Sufi
Sutra we wouldn’t have been here. Upal is like a big brother. Also, I just want
to say that Sufi Sutra should organize more programs and bring more people from
different countries together. Thank you very much for the invitation. We would
love to get in touch with Upal and play music for his band”.
Upal, singer, composer and one of the lead vocals of cult
Bangla Band Chandrabindoo, who collaborated with Percussion Mania was equally
ecstatic “I was really scared in the beginning because this is a whole new
experience for me. I feel that if one
does something from their heart it is bound to succeed. And that’s what
matters. It was a wonderful experience and I never thought that it would come
out so well on stage. I am familiar with African music from quite a long time.
I have heard a lot of musicians from Africa, but the people from Kolkata are
not familiar with it. Africans have a great tradition of music. I think Sufi
Sutra is doing a great job by bringing Africa and India, especially, Kolkata
together. We are very eager to get a
call from Burkina Faso, so that we can work with them again. I have also heard
from Amitava of banglanatak that Mamadou’s band has a Kora player and we
desperately needed one while recording our ninth album but we didn’t have
anyone in Kolkata. In fact I am not sure
if there is a Kora player in India. So I
would love to contact them again through emails and work with them”.
“It is not only something that is esoteric” says Amitava
Bhattacharya, of banglanatak dot com, who initiated the Sufi Sutra, has been
the moving spirit behind its journey so far and is now preparing to take it
forward with a new name and style “when Upal talks of incorporating a Kora
player from Mamadou’s band, the richness that such an introduction brings to
the music that emerges, is also a goal achieved for the festival. Similar is
the case when musicians from Africa talk about enjoying the company of children
in Kolkata”.
At the end of the day” says Amitava with a smile of contentment,
“the festival is about souls connecting. For, when hearts unite and souls
merge, music follows naturally.” Touché!
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