Slow Life and Jazz at the Labia Theatre present Avataar

Sun Sep 23, 20:00 - Sun Sep 23, 22:00

The Labia Theatre

ABOUT

Avataars music marries jazz, rock, Indian classical and electronica. Imagine John Coltrane taking in the atmosphere of an open air night market in the streets of New Delhi while the sound and smells of the earth and sky filter in. Its a mesmerising blend of rythmic hypnotism, sonic landscapes and soaring melodies that marry ancient and modern


Avataar as a band has been together for over 10 years, existing in several incarnations (ironically, as the name Avataar would suggest). Several notable lights from the Canadian jazz/world music scene have been a part of, or performed with the band at some point in its history. The current touring group includes saxophonist/flutist Sundar Viswanathan (Wynton Marsalis, Jaffa RoadCharles Tolliver Big Band), vocalist Suba Sankaran (Autorickshaw, Bobby McFerrin), tabla maestro Ravi Naimpally (Tasa), guitarist Michael Occhipinti (Sicilian Jazz Project, Don Byron, Bruce Cockburn), bassist George Koller(Peter Gabriel, Laila Biali, Toronto Tabla Ensemble) and drummer Max Senitt (Alex Cuba, Eliana Cuevas). Collectively, these award-winning artists have performed worldwide, and have accrued numerous JUNO (Canadian GRAMMY) nominations and/or wins.

 

The group is the artistic vision of Sundar Viswanathan, who developed the band as a vehicle for his genre-bending compositions, as presented on AVATAAR's recent, and award winning CD 'Petal'. Viswanathan’s musical interests have ranged from Antonio Carlos Jobim to Shakti, Enya to Pink Floyd and Babatunde Olatunji to Balinese gamelan, and eventually integrated with his extensive training and performance experience in jazz. The music has drawn comparison to Mahavishnu Orchestra, Keith Jarrett with Jan Garbarek, late Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, and Oregon – everyone seems to hear something different in the compositions.


THANKYOU PAUL BOTHNER'S FOR THE BACKLINE SPONSORSHIP FOR THIS SHOW. http://bothners.co.za/

DIRECTIONS

Slow Life and Jazz at the Labia Theatre present Avataar
The Labia Theatre
68 Orange St, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
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