Seema Ka
sthuri
ballwin The concert coming up April 6 at Grandel Theater in Grand Center is called Harmony in Music. Its title just as well could have been Melody or Rhythm in Music, since all three are essential elements of the art form. Vocalist Seema Kasthuri seems as intent on making several distinct genres work in harmony during the performance. Traditional classical Indian compositions will fill the hall, often blended with folk, pop and rap. Yes, even rap. The beautiful song “Janivara - Higher Power” is infused with a spiritually leaning rap interlude by Zach Harrison of Columbia, Missouri: Maybe my hope is too low to think about a higher power Too busy checking my social analytics by the hour And how are we to be at ease with looking at ourselves honestly When all I see in my feed are people fake livin’ perfectly … My nine to fiver doesn’t mean I don’t want to dream. “There’s a thread that runs through, connecting us all,” says Kasthuri. “We should learn that we all really have the same goal.” The group, consisting of about six people, will largely perform Carnatic music, an Indian classical style, blending it with new age and American jazz. The concert will bring together the best of many worlds, touching on original scores and incorporating fusion. The audience stands to enjoy upbeat selections from The Beatles catalog, the smooth song stylings of Nora Jones, even a rendition of the Irish “Road to Tipperary”—with a comical hillbilly twist, no less—along with Bollywood’s infectious tunes. Kasthuri has been a practitioner of the Carnatic style for decades and will present several of her original compositions. One must note, quite
frankly, that she was less than wildly enthusiastic about the Fab Four. “I really like the lyrics,” she acknowledges. “The music is very simple.” Even after hearing her mellifluous vocals coupled with the adept players’ precise instrumentation, someone who’d first experienced the trendsetting British pop group on The Ed Sullivan Show, 60 years ago this month, may remain to be convinced. Joining Kasthuri will be national touring and recording artist Todd Mosby—a guitarist who will fuse jazz with North Indian Hindustani music, which he studied for more than 10 years under the legendary Imrath Khan, who actually built one of Mosby’s unique guitars. She and Mosby plan to showcase what traditional music can offer when presented with a jazz twist. The creative team includes rhythm expert, percussionist extraordinaire, dancer and metro dance instructor Prasanna Kasthuri (Seema’s husband), drummer Steve Davis and St. Louis-based jazz bassist Ben Coan. Listeners can expect the artists to improvise on traditional Indian ragas while exploring complicated rhythmic patterns. “There will be a lot of rhythm,” exclaims Prasanna, an accomplished drummer who was tired the afternoon we visited, but from footwork, not stick work—having taught a dance class that morning at the Kasthuri home and soon to leave for another. The production starts at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available through Metrotix. More information is available at sooryaperformingarts.org. The local nonprofit’s mission is to enrich cultural diversity and artistic excellence in Missouri and nationwide by preserving and propagating Indian performing arts through teaching, training and performance.
THERE’S A THREAD THAT RUNS THROUGH, CONNECTING US ALL ...
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NOW TOGETHER, INVITING CONSIGNMENTS Celebrating 10 Years in St. Louis! Freeman’s | Hindman is welcoming consignments for its May Western & Contemporary Native American Art auction.
Anna Shaver | 314.833.0833 stlouis@hindmanauctions.com hindmanauctions.com
Ed Mell (American, b. 1942) Vaulting Clouds, 1993 Sold for $69,300
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