The place to find world music, tabla fusion and kathak dance.

This past Saturday, Rhythm Riders took audiences on a musical journey around the world with a fusion night held at a prestigious family club.   The evening began with Pt. Divyang Vakil’s tabla fusion ensemble Tabla Ecstasy.  Unlike their last two performances at cultural festivals, where the audience was primarily college students, the audience at fusion night was primarily mid-aged adults (parents of college students).   The response however was no different.   What is normally considered a quiet audience, still expressed their appreciation with their loud applause and requests for a repeat performance at the end of the segment.

Following on the heels of Tabla Ecstasy powerful performance, composer and keyboard player Rushi Vakil’s world fusion group Taan took the stage and captivated the ears and hearts of the audience with music from around the world.   Their fusion of an African folk love song and a rock ballad was just as appreciated as its most Indian track Om Namah Shivaya.  Bhairavi Grooves taught the audience rhythm and everyone was on their feet moving to the jazz music.   Aniket Khandekar gave vocal texture to the tracks, while Chirag Katti impressed with his personal invention – the sitrazz – a mix of the sitar and guitar and Jignesh Sheth supported on lead guitar.   Bass guitarist Steven Francis and Suresh Bhadricha brought the western flavour, while percussionists Kaumil Shah and Sahil Patel provided grooves and rhythms from India, Africa and the Arab nations.

Overall, the night was a great success and another feather in Rhythm Rider’s cap.