Jazz, Indian and classical music merge for a special presentation by the Queensland Multicultural Centre (BEMAC) as part of this year’s Brisbane International Jazz Festival.
Aathmika are a Brisbane trio comprised of Sudha Manian on sitar, pianist Rohan Somasekaran and Ravikesh Sigh on tabla. Meaning ‘close to the soul’, Aathmika is a passion project for these talented artists as an outlet from their not so rock and roll day jobs. “I’m an accountant,” Sudha laughs. “I know, I’m an annoying, boring, painful accountant and Aathmika is truly my getaway to be honest. You can imagine eight hours of crunching numbers, budgets and reports.”
Taught the sitar from age 11 and receiving her Masters in Music back in her native India, Sudha is currently considered one Australia’s most talented sitar players. “Music is something my parents got me into when I was quite young and I didn’t quite understand the significance of why I’m doing all these things, but just went with the flow. It’s only after I came to Australia that it’s actually blossomed to this level and got me to meet these beautiful, fantastic musicians; they’re so lovely.”
As a musician in accountant’s clothing, Sudha says her workmates and associates are often surprised when they come along to her shows, watching their mild-mannered colleague morph into a sitar virtuoso before their very eyes. “I have some of them who have come to my gigs and they say ‘really, is that you performing out there?’, because I’m in a totally different zone and a different gear. And I say ‘yes that’s me, but guess what? Tomorrow morning I’ll still be chasing you for the purchase orders!’” she says with a laugh.
For the Brisbane International Jazz Festival, Aathmika will be performing at the Queensland Multicultural Centre in a show that also features a performance from Iranian/ Australian classical ensemble, Barbod Valadi. “We’re going to be playing some very classical raags [a mode in Indian classical music; a series of notes upon which a melody is built], one which is very close to me and one of my favourites, raag Jog which is set to a classical beat of 16 accompanied by Ravi on the tabla, with Rohan adding in his jazz tones,” Sudha says.
“I’m also going to be playing a jazz tune called ‘Bésame Mucho’ on the sitar with him, so it’s going to be a mix of jazz and classical raags to hopefully create something magical.”
Sudha plays in a style of Indian classical music called Hindustani which originates from North India. Although guided by basic structures, the form allows for greater improvisation and rendering by the artist in contrast to the rigidity of its South Indian counterpart, the Carnatic style.
While jazz, Indian and classical music seem unlikely bedfellows, through her work with Aathmika, Sudha says she has come to realise the true malleability of music and that creativity is limited only by the artist’s imagination. “Funnily enough, ‘Bésame Mucho’ is very close to a classical Indian raag called raag Kirwani,” Sudha explains. “You can now say music actually is universal, it doesn’t matter whether you call it jazz or Indian or classical; it’s just so fascinating. It has no boundaries whatsoever.
“If there’s any limit, it’s the artist and I personally take that because the very fact this raag matches this beautiful, very popular jazz tunes proves that. Rohan plays some of my raags and we just play by ear when we start, then structure it. We bounce off each other and it’s beautiful that two accountants can create something magical.”
Aathmika and Barbod Valadi Ensemble perform as part of the Brisbane International Jazz Festival at BEMAC 8 June.
