Osibisa, 26 November 2010

[Nick H]

In 1974, a young man who had just had his hair cut from elbow length to just above the shouders, and got rid of an unkempt beard (in short, he looked just a little less like a scarecrow than had) went to see this afro-rock band play at a venue called The Roundhouse in London. That young man had probably already experienced some Indian (Hindustani) music and dance (no idea, now, when that first experience was) but was still a listener to "progressive rock" with a little Western classical and some folk.

In 2010, a not-so-young man thought it would be interesting to see what the experience would be like now. Many of our members have wide musical tastes, experience and knowledge: I have more-or-less stuck with Carnatic music for about fifteen years.

In an email to a friend I described it as an old guy goes to see even older guys playing rock music! I doubt that it even occurred to me, back in 1974, that the musicians were fifteen years older than I was. Of course, they still are, although (moving from introspection to review) their stamina (including the band leader who, it seems, lost the use of his legs as the result of a stroke) is incredible.

It was a significant personal experience. In Rajesh's terms, I'd describe the concert as good to very good. As might be expected with Afro-influenced music, some of the percussion was really great. Whilst it was a lesson to me that it is good to keep the horizons flexible, a good neraval would still have been more satisfying.

[srikant1987]

In 1974, a young man who had just had his hair cut from elbow length to just above the shouders, and got rid of an unkempt beard (in short, he looked just a little less like a scarecrow than had) went to see this afro-rock band play at a venue called The Roundhouse in London. That young man had probably already experienced some Indian (Hindustani) music and dance (no idea, now, when that first experience was) but was still a listener to "progressive rock" with a little Western classical and some folk.

In 2010, a not-so-young man thought it would be interesting to see what the experience would be like now.

In two of the several concerts of Prof T N Krishnan's that I've attended, the post-tani talk brought out people who have known him from childhood! Indeed, being someone who has moved between cities so often and kept "knowing" new people while losing touch with old ones, I have wondered what it is like to know someone for decades -- and we're talking of six or more of them!

The way you've put your story of attending these two events, so widely spaced in time, indeed brings out wonderment at another feeling only those who've lived a certain number of years can experience!

[mahavishnu]

Nick, Osibisa did a tour of India and gave a performance in Chennai circa 1981 and it was a wildly successful event. I believe it was in the large ground near Moore market. The musicians spent a lot of time getting to know the locale and people, which is unusual for popular stars of any musical persuasion. I was just a kid then and not allowed to go to shows of this kind. But I saw the highlights on the old Chennai doordarshan TV and found their energy quite appealing.

It is interesting to see the name mentioned again after almost thirty years...1981 was a great musical year for me. The performances that I was "allowed" to go had some excellent niravals though (unlike Osibisa). I managed to see several excellent and unusual combinations like Semmangudi with L.Shankar, MDR with L. Subramaniam, Santhanam-Lalgudi, a very young Seshagopalan with TNK, Kalyanaraman with a young Nagai etc. And listening to mridangam vidwans like TK Murthy and UKS in their prime.

The name Osibisa seems to have triggered some kind of nostalgic trip.

[cienu]

Link in the Friday Review "The Hindu" Bangalore
http://www.thehindu.com/arts/music/article915227.ece

[Nick H]

Wow, you had a great 1981!

I'd say that the Osibisa show yesterday was certainly fit for family viewing --- and there were quite a few family members of all ages in the audience. However, I have no idea whether or not an Indian family back in 1981 would have considered it "suitable"!

The way you've put your story of attending these two events, so widely spaced in time, indeed brings out wonderment at another feeling only those who've lived a certain number of years can experience!

Indeed. In a way, yesterday made me feel young, and in another way it made me very aware indeed of my age. At Smt Vedavalli's 75th clebration, I paused to consider that it would be nothing short of a miracle if I lived to see Sumithra's 75th.

But, to each of us is allotted a chunk of time. Perhaps, in a few more decades people will be amazed at the artists that I knew when they were young, back then in the '90s and the '00s. I will try to be glad for my chunk of time --- and it has certainly had some good things in it so far

Thanks cienu (Brothers on Bongos), I don't think there were any bongos on stage at all! Never mind, poetic licence allows the nice alliteration. It sounds as if the Bangalore audience was more active, although a few in Chennai danced. Even this "old guy" took the opportunity to shake his bones up a little.

[mankuthimma]

1981 !!
The year I landed in Chennai for my first job. And boy !!! I have enjoyed every single day here.

[Nick H]

Lucky man. This bee had to wait another 16 years before discovering the honey pot.