Ever heard a Carnatic classical number being sung to the strains of a guitar? Or a classical tune played on a violin match pace with the strumming of a guitar or drum beats?
With the band Karthick Iyer Live performing it is not such an implausible thought after all. Featuring noted vocalist and violin player Karthick Iyer the band is all set to play in the city at Monsoon Nirvana, a charity fundraiser being organised by the Rotary Club, this weekend.
“It’s good to be back in the city, the crowd understands the kind of music we play. We have a very exciting set this time, it is contemporary Carnatic music and some of our own compositions. The basic theme of the whole evening will be contemporary Carnatic,” he says.
Talking about his penchant for creating a fusion of classical and contemporary music Karthick says, “I wanted to create a bridge between Indian classical music and the West. Which is why I came up with this outfit where each musician comes from a different background – rock, funk, jazz etc. The blending of these cultures is very important.” He goes on to add, “We’re born into a generation that is more Westernised and not everyone relates to classical music. What contemporary does is make classical music in all its beauty and tradition a lot more palatable in a global set up.”
The musician, who trained in classical music since childhood, began to diversify in college. “I started playing with a band called Oxygen where we played instrumental fusion music. That was my first experience of working with musicians outside the Carnatic background, which is what I had been doing at my performances at all the sabhas in Chennai. I then played with an international band Emergence. All these experiences got me more interested in the connection that could be established between Indian and Western forms of music,” he explains.
The musician, who still performs at a few traditionally classical concerts, for the most part remains busy with his band and film work.
He has in the past worked with the likes of A.R. Rahman and in the Telugu film industry for music directors like Devi Sri Prasad, S. Thaman and M.M. Keeravani.
Recently he also composed a track in the Vir Das-starrer Amit Sahni ki List . Quiz him about how he juggles his band, concert and film works and he says, “I think one helps the other frankly. The thing is what is expected out of you is totally different outside the studio. But the opportunity to do something diverse is interesting, it keeps you alive. You need certain qualities to record music and certain qualities to click with a live audience.”
The musician, who enjoys listening to music by people like Prem Joshua and Anoushka Shankar, is looking forward to his next number. “The next song of mine that is going to release soon is from a Tamil film called Naigal Jakkirathai by music composer Arun Kumar. I’m quite excited about that song,” says Karthick.
His plan B was to become a pilot if music hadn’t clicked. “That was a few years ago. Today though music is everything I want to do.”
