MUMBAI: It takes a legend to bravely take on another’s works. Sitar maestro Purbayan Chatterjee has accepted the open invitation to reinvent Carlos Santana’s extensive Latin rock discography for Paytm Insider Presents Jim Beam Originals. Creating an original set that draws from multi-cultural influences, Purbayan will leave his indelible stamp on Santana’s inexhaustive works, on 21st November.
Renowned for his rich, soothing melodies that seamlessly balance world music disciplines, Purbayan, along with his band of merry music-makers — vocalist Gayatri Asokan, Sangeet Haldipur, Rickraj Nath and Shikhar Naad Qureshi - will be reinterpreting iconic numbers like Black Magic Woman and Game of Love through the grammar of Indian ragas, as well as compositions in the Thumri-Dadra-Sufi space like Aaye Na Balaam, Sanu Ik Pal, among others.
The first session on November 7 of Paytm Insider Present Jim Beam Originals, saw Indipop icons Colonial Cousins (Leslee Lewis and Hariharan) give their distinctive take to The Eagles’ many classics in a special digital concert. A fun session that combined rich music with personal interactions for the audience, this was a resounding success as many a fan was seen urging the duo to consider turning this performance into an album.
Purbayan is no stranger to working with different cultural influences yet speaking the same language of music. A veteran of incredible collaborations with the likes of eminent playback singer and composer Shankar Mahadevan, percussionist Ustad Zakir Hussain, and jazz legend Pat Metheny, he is credited with conceptualizing the ground-breaking project Shastriya Syndicate, the world’s first Indian classical band. He has countless international albums to his credit in addition to several classical albums with top record labels of the world.
Speaking of his excitement to participate in the series, Purbayan says, “Being an Indian sitar player, one of the obvious lenses for me to look through was that of an international guitarist. And what better choice than a celebrated legend like Carlos Santana? It is always a special feeling to share your music with the audience through a live show. Live concerts often translate into an out-of-the-world experience for both the artist and the audience. I am truly grateful to Jim Beam Originals for giving me and the band a top-tier platform and allowing us to recreate the live concert experience digitally.”
This performance is the second in a series that will also see notable Indian artists creating their own sound to immortal classics of international legends.
Tickets for this concert on November 21 are priced at INR 299, season pass for all 9 shows are priced at INR 1500 and can be booked on: https://bit.ly/PR_JBO_PurbayanChatterjee