It all started when Mumbai-based singer Sabiha Khan and tabla player Vinayak Netke met Slovenian singer Nika Solce and accordion player Matija Solce at a music festival in Australia. The next encounter was in Slovenia, and the musicians decided to collaborate.
The result is the Indo-Balkan fusion band called Zamee, which will make its debut performance in Mumbai on Tuesday evening. The other members of the line-up are Tilen Stepisnik and Dino Dzopa on guitars, Toby Kuhn on cello, Ziga Sercer on percussion, Prateek Shrivastava on sarod and Shovon Mukherjee on double bass.
The band’s sound combines Sufi poetry, rustic folk songs and sacred Indian invocations with gypsy tunes and soulful Macedonian melodies, blending contemporary creations with a rich classical base.
Khan recalls, “When Vinayak and I first met Nika and Matija, we realised there was a lot in common between our music.” Adds Nika, “I was quite familiar with Indian music, and this came across a great idea to blend our styles.”
The group has been performing across Slovenia and Austria for the last four years for audiences as diverse as seasoned classical musicians at Koper Museum, world music enthusiasts at Celica and even circus performers at a white winter carnival.
The word Zamee can be loosely translated to ‘special ground’. Explains Netke, “Initially the four of us started together, but slowly other members came in, some as guests too.”
Matija plays a major part in the composing. “Balkan music is very unique. We use a lot of accordion, and for this group, we have used cello, which is popular in both classical and folk music.”
The musicians have considerable experience under their belt. Nika absorbed various influences at an early age. She has focused on the gypsy brass band, Balkan wild rhythms and spiritual songs from India.
Khan has learnt from Suresh Wadkar from the age of 12, and has recording experience in films, albums, television commercials and documentaries. Netke began learning tabla under Acharya Jialal
Vasant and his disciple Avinash Aher. Matija specialises in many folk forms. A special tune created for Tuesday’s show is an adaptation of R.D. Burman’s Jawani Diwani hit ‘ Jaane Jaan ’. “We have fun with whatever we play. Our music is seamless,” says Khan.
Mumbai is definitely in for a new experience.
The author is a freelance music writer
Zamee will perform at 7.30 p.m. today at Balgandharva Rangmandir, Bandra (West), and at 8 p.m. tomorrow at The Cuckoo Club, Bandra (West).
