South Africa’s jazz-fusion quartet in city concert

by Emmanuel Mwendwa

Cape Town based jazz-fusion quartet, Babu Band, is this evening slated to thrill jazz aficionados at the Alliance FranÁaise Gardens, Nairobi. The youthful band credited with packaging an intriguing jazz-driven and Indian classical music serving is expected to unleash their trademark energetic virtuoso performance in East Africa.

Babu comprises drummer Kesivan Naidoo — winner of this year’s South Africa’s Standard Bank Young Jazz Artiste award—guitarist Reza Khota, bassist Shane Cooper and percussionist Ronan Skillen who plays traditional Indian tabla drum.

Currently, the group is riding on a popularity crest spurred on by the release of their debut six-track album, Up Roots, launched in May last year. The album comprises of Drunken Caravan, Duggi Style, Eclipse, Close Encounter (Part 1&2) and the title track Up Roots.

Rave reviews

The CD, which draws heavily on jazz, Western, Indian classical music as well as assorted influences from other contemporary styles, earned the band rave reviews.

Babu was among numerous groups, which performed during this year’s edition of the Joy of Jazz festival held in Johannesburg’s Newtown precinct. And watching the fledging group in concert, it was indisputable that Babu’s emergence into the burgeoning and competitive South African jazz scene heralds the coming of age of a new generation of artistes.

There were memorable, significant moments when the foursome delivered intricately delicate rhythms, as twin guitar riffs rendered by Khota and Cooper weaved near-seamlessly in harmony. These blended intricately yet also intimately, with drummer Naidoo and percussionist Skillen prowess and unique artistry.

But it was the individual showcases of each instrumentalist, which caused ecstatic ripples across the audiences, prompting spontaneous waves of applause in the middle of the several solo pieces.

Good Riffs

Babu’s uncompromising and distinctive sound revolves around solid foundation built upon articulate improvisation, composition and interpretation techniques. Budding local instrumentalists keen on developing their artistry are bound to glean invaluable insights from a closely-knit band.

The band members trace their musical background to post-apartheid musical environment — which for several decades spawned forth a vibrant jazz scene. But the band’s focus is zeroed on developing its own signature jazz-Indian fusion style, anchored on a limitless universe of musical experimentation.