1st December 2013
Kathmandu : When two musicians and more get together, music and musical ideas flow. When percussionist Nikhil Tuladhar, bassist Rizu Tuladhar, guitarist Hari Maharjan and sitar player and guitarist Sunit Kansakar met composer and vocalist Cecilie Giskemo from Norway, there was stopping to the musical creation.
“I have worked with them (band members) at the Nepal Music Centre (NMC). I know how good they are. I really wanted to work with them. They actually inspired me to work with them,” Giskemo shares.
And so The Kathsong Project was born.
Giskemo also wanted to do something different from her last project which was Suzy&2. “The last project was fusion of eastern classical and jazz. For this one, I wanted to play with a normal set-up band with basic elements — bass, drum and guitar.
I didn’t want to have a specific genre; I wanted to be free and see it.”
The singer, who can also play African instruments like Kalimba and Mbira, arrived in Nepal one-and-a-half years ago as a teacher at NMC. Last August, she left after starting the project. She is back to take it forward.
The Kathsong Project is “my compositions as the framework working together with unusual instrumentats like sitar and African instruments. It is kind of just bringing all our backgrounds and musical inspirations into it.”
Their repertoire are mix between pop, jazz and ethno which spans from mellow to upbeat to groove or their blend.
To sum up they are “a sonic journey through a lot of textures, vibes, atmospheres and grooves”.
Giskemo composed the music for the different instruments but “it is not rigid”. Sharing the creative process for more than 10 songs of the project, she shared, “They have to follow the compositions but we can arrange it differently and change some sections, open up little more. Everyone has room to be creative within the project which is very important.” And the songs are about “love and life in metaphorical forms”.
This Bachelor Degree holder in Jazz from Leeds College of Music and Masters Degree holder in Contemporary Music (with distinction) from Dartington College of Arts, both in England, is here for three weeks for the project.
During this time, the work of The Kathsong Project will resound in the Valley. With seven concerts starting from November 29 in Attic and ending on December 8 NMC, “We will get inside of the project and compositions.” As such the concerts will bring the musicians together and let other people listen to their music.
The Kathsong Project in the future might see its songs being recorded, while Giskemo wants of take her band members to Norway to play their music. Her band mates are his mates who are “good musicians and such good people with good attitude and music skills and creative ideas.
It is my honour to play with them”.
“This project is lot less strict but equally professional and high standard. We are very good friends. It is like hanging around with my mates whom I really missed,” she expresses of her equation with the other musicians. And she is looking forward to having a great time with the project with them. The Kathsong Project will be performing at New Orleans, Thamel at 7:00 pm on December 1. HNS :
