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August 13, 2008
by Joyeeta Dutta Ray  On the occasion of India’s upcoming Independence Day, Utopia Productions held a unique Fusion Music Concert at Shrewsbury School on August 9th. Graced by her Excellency, Ms. Latha Reddy, Indian Ambassador to Thailand, the concert charmed the distinguished audience with its multi-cultural theme.
Three groups of musicians displayed their talent. The evening’s first performance was presented by HarSangeet, comprising Ustad Maiya Singh on the Tar Shehnai, his student Manav Singh on the Esraj and Satpal Singh accompanying them on the Tabla.
Following them was the band of four musicians Last G (also known as Todd Tong Dii’s back up band, having released five albums with him), with Ted Lewand strumming the Guitar, Artnarong playing Bass, Sanu Wannaporn on the Keyboards and Charlee Pechsiri bringing the music alive with the rhythm of the drums.
Last but not the least was Khun In who wooed the audience with his Ra Naad.
The beauty of the show was not just in showcasing the individual talent of the artistes and their instruments but also in the blend of all three styles into riveting compositions that one rarely gets to hear in Thailand. Quoting the words of a second generation Indian Thai in the audience, one has “never before witnessed such wonderful fusion music of East and West in Bangkok”. There are several reasons that made the occasion special.
East meets westAs her Excellency, Ms Lata Reddy said in her speech, the concert couldn’t have celebrated the spirit of India more appropriately. It was unique because it reached out and bridged different nationalities through the forum of music. India is a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic country that has always saluted diversity. The concert saluted this spirit beautifully.
Blending classical with contemporaryIn today’s hi-tech world, it was a treat to go back in time through the traditional tunes of HarSangeet’s Tar-Shehnai and Esraj. The evening began with their lilting tunes played to perfection by Ustad Maiya Singh who trained from the tender age of five under his father and later his Satguru, Jagjit Singh Maharaj. Trained under Maiya Singh for five years, Manav Singh played the Esraj while Satpal Singh held his own on the tabla, altogether invoking the melodious serenity of a bygone era.
Last G snapped the audience from their reverie through feet tapping Country Classics and Blues, transporting us to the lively streets of Texas and Chicago. Their interactive banter amongst themselves and the audience served as an interesting contrast to the quiet serenity of Indian Classical artists, reflecting the differences in style and culture.
Khun In’s lilting tunes on the Ra Naad took the listeners to another world in Thailand. Popular worldwide, Khun In is known from the theme of a movie he played a part in, ‘The Overture’. His popularity has taken him on concerts across Italy, Switzerland, France, USA, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, China and Russia. He was bestowed with a Royal Award in a prestigious Thai music composition contest.
The grand finale was when all three groups came together to render four unique compositons, including the soul stirring ‘Yeh jo desh hai mera’ from the acclaimed Hindi film ‘Swadesh’ and ‘Sa re jahan re acha’.
Initiative taken by the Indian Community in BangkokNeedless to say, it was the initiative of the Indian Community of Thailand to host this event that one salutes on the whole. The idea sprung from Ustad Maiya Singh, a second generation Thai Namdhari Sikh, who met the other renowned musicians in the annual World Music Concert held in Bangkok.
Utopia Products organized the event in Shrewsbury International School with the support of several ready sponsors – Jet Airways, Incredible India, Indian Host, Canaan and Thaindian.com.
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