Jazz & Blues withdrawal symptoms in Delhi; Help!

Marte

Hi everyone, I am on my second year in Delhi and I am still loving it! The problem that I have now is that my dear hubby is going through some serious Jazz withdrawals. Does anybody know of any places where you can go and listen to live Jazz? Blues would also do. (Anything but big band Jazz)
My husband has been looking for such places for the last half year and hasn’t found any. Being the snotty wife that I can be I told him that Delhi has everything you could ever want, you just need to know where to look for it and he was not looking in the correct place . Help, I do not want to be proved wrong , so if you know of any places where hubby can go listen to Jazz please let me know.
Thanks,
Marte

cdrake

Jazz like in ella fitgerald and john coltrane? (blues like ray charles?) good luck..

there is a chance that some star hotel restaurants may have a blues band(which also plays popular rock and roll), or there's a concert at siri fort by a travelling band/ performer but most "jazz" billings in india are actually either indo jazz...or halfway between the (kenny G) smooth jazz and a guy on a tenor sax playing "careless whisper".

Not to discourage you or anything...

(tell us if you find a good place playing jazz in delhi).

abracax

Went to the Maurya Sheraton jazz bar once - not too bad (trad jazz, bebop). There's also a disco somewhere that does a live jazz/blues night now and again, but I forget where it is. Nothing in Delhi to match Jazz by the Bay in Bombay. Saw a good blues band in Chor Bizarre in Old Delhi years ago, but I think they've given up on live music (still great food, though).

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Pheta Ande

Last time I went to "Not just Jazz by the Bay" they had a country and western band there!!!!!!

cdrake

This is exactly my point. you sort of get the feeling of the words in the dire straights song "sultans of swing" when you sit trough an evening of a "jazz band" in an indian hotel.

they start from country rock and go through all the top 40's genres and add a country western, smooth jazz,..anything that can be played lead rhytm base,drums synthesizer...sound...to kraftwerk and techno...

abracax

If you really want a blues fix, wait until it stops raining and head for Mojo Plantation in Coorg. Dr Goel has the best blues collection in India!

tofu67

By far the best blues band I have seen is a band from Shillong called Soulmate. They play in Delhi most months at places like Haze (Vasant Vihat), who incidentally occasionaly organize blues weekends, and Turqoise Cottage. They female singer has an amazing voice and belts it out a la Joplin, Franklin. I am sure this band would satiate your husband's blues cravings at least.

capt_mahajan

not much of a market for pure jazz in india.

however, there is a jazz club at the india habitat centre, and i believe they have periodic performances, often by visiting groups from abroad.

and look out for hotels or clubs advertising jazz from time to time.

Marte

Thank you for all the replies!
I had heard Dr.Goel's name mentioned before. Is this a bar or a person? Does anybody have a contact number? I have also looked up the bars mentioned. I found a telephone number for Haze but no website address. I will continue trying.

fmg

Delhi has a lot of great things to offer - a good jazz scene is not one of them.

I actually play and during my three years in Delhi I completed a distance course from Berklee in Jazz Arranging. It was a dry time. The best you will get is the occasional touring band, either through IHC, or one of the high commissions. During my time the Americans, Germans, Danes, Canadians, Australians and Brits all brought jazz musicians of one form or another out, but things are not widely publicised. In the first year I seemed to mostly read about things in the paper *AFTER* they had happened. The best things I saw were an inspired set by Sypro Gyra and a rather odd gig with Ravi Coltrane and Earl Klugh.

I sympathise with your husband's plight!

tofu67

The blues band 'Soulmate' (best in India some will contest)are playing tonight (Sunday) at Haze in Vasant Yihar. I would strongly recommend seeing them if you get a chance. Haze is round the back of 'Yo China' and strarts around 9pm. Say hi if you make it!

Stef