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They create tunes sometimes on impulse and sometimes by instinct.And they are soon to enthrall the jazz lovers in the city,Meet Drift
John Coltrane, the famous American jazz saxophonist once said, “You can play a shoestring if you’re sincere.” And it is this belief that made Reuben Narain, Pranai Gurung and Sahil Warsi come together – for the love of Bebop, a style of Jazz, and the quest to make life more musical. Originally christened Ghost Dance Orchestra by Reuben, the name later became Drift, an inspiration he got while reading Mark Twain. Pranay, moved from Darjeeling to Delhi 10 years ago, before joining the band, while Sahil is one of the youngest double bassists in the country.
Speaking about Bebop, Reuben, the first of the band members says, “Bebop is a genre within jazz – it is a response to popular jazz, where musicians composed tunes for themselves, or for other musicians. It is meant to tease the listener.” Drift’s music can be defined as one in which chords are more expansive, less direct, and more spacey – a trait typical of the Bebop.
Interestingly, Reuben wrote pop songs before venturing into Bebop. He says, “I had a singer, and we were together creating pop songs. But slowly, I realized that I needed more space and more freedom, and I found myself moving to Jazz.” The band’s latest song A Feathers Flight was composed in just six minutes. Talking about it, Reuben says, “It is sort of a ballad song played on instrumental guitar that gives you an ‘airy’ feeling – a feeling of being suspended.”
Drift has slowly gained reputation across the country and outside. Recalls Reuben, “We performed a gig in Nepal in 2010 and also went trekking in the countryside, and did bungee jumping. It was an experience we remember fondly to this day. Also, for the first time after 15 years, there was a music fest in Gulmarg in Kashmir where we went to perform — it was freezing cold, but an altogether different experience that we can never forget.
Reuben strongly believes that it is very important for an individual to know the jazz form of music very well, before attempting to teach, or to perform. He opines that the music must not only have been played, but more importantly, improvised.
On their upcoming gig in Hyderabad he shares his excitement, “We did perform in a few private events in Hyderabad, but this is the first time we are performing to the public. And we are very excited to see what the response will be like.Well, we are sure about this much. When Drift comes to Hyderabad, there will be many more additions to the jazz lovers list in the city.
