Ranjit Barot and Serge Bromberg

Well one of the most important highlights of the Kala Ghoda festival was the Ranjit Barot concert. (on the 9th of February 08)
was held at the Asiatic Library, a stage was set up in front of the steps to the library and the audience was seated on the steps. great ambience, great feel and a great energy around the place was felt. i was expecting company but i reached there by myself. im a wanderer as u kno by now...so was happy by myself too.

the stage was getting its final touches, sound check, lightings and the likes...and then it started. the seven member band is structurally instrument driven. but its peppered with Vijay Prakash (vocals) lending his carnatic tones when needed. Shravan, a pale guy, offered freestyle vocals...(frankly i couldn't figure if he was babbling or singing. but no offense. (yeah! watever!)) the music they made was good. ranjit is a great percussionist. there was this black hand held casio kinda instrument he had with him which made sounds of the rain or the clanking or metal and stuff like that. all in all, it was good, would have been great had they lost babble mouth somewhere. (i think i'm being too harsh on him...mebbe it was just his bad day!).




By this time, my company was around and i was chattering non-stop. telling them all that they could see. two of them remained away the whole time. (they've learnt from their mistakes!).
this french guy was next on stage. Serge Bromberg was his name. he is passionate about films. and all sorts of film. old film, new films, ancient films and even film reels. he first showed us how the reel has improved over the years and then lined up movies that were more then a hundred years old. Ranjit and Serge supplied music to these old, simply magnificient films. It was such a treat i wouldn't forget it for a long time...Can't really describe the movies without being unfair, hence i won't do that...just trust my judgement when i say it was truly awesome.
Ranjit was real kind to oblige when i asked him for a picture...

next update to come up soon!

nighty nite!