Rabble Without A Cause
Wednesday May 14th, 2014 with Bernard Stepien
TD Ottawa Jazz Festival preview: saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa

The TD Ottawa Jazz Festival is approaching fast. You better get prepared to an onslaught of creativity. On the Improv series this year, one interesting artist is New York City based Indian saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa. Indian music has influenced Jazz for almost a half century. It all started with John Coltrane’s fascination for Indian Ragas which resulted in his famous modal repertoire. But playing modal is just the half of the story. Back then it was considered as a welcome alternative to the European based concept of harmonies that was prevailing in Jazz. What were not focused on back then were the other components of ethnic music, namely their melodic and rhythmic contours and the way they are interpreted. This is where Rudresh Mahanthappa distinguishes himself. However, do not confuse this process with fusion that is conceptually different even if elements of Punk Rock or even Jazz Swing are present. Here, Mahanthappa seems to be more into an extension process. At times the Indian raga is hardly felt and gives way to an authentic rendering of some Carnatic music, but on a saxophone. This by itself is a tour de force since bending notes and reproducing the dynamics of Indian classical music is not natural for a saxophone. Tonight, we will sample his 2013 CD Gamak. Rudresh Mahanthappa is appearing at the Ottawa International Jazz Festival on June 26th at the NAC studio. This is a nice and intimate setting but somehow the energy of his music seems more fit for the main stage… Missed last week’s RWAC show featuring clarinet masters Lajos Dudas and Jean-Marc Foltz? Get it from the CKCU archives on this link: http://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/95/16906.html