Just Jazz in Kathmandu

It is festival season here in Nepal. Along with Dasain, Tihar and Chhat there is also Kathmandu’s very own international jazz festival. This year, Surya Nepal Jazzmandu, the music festival that put Nepal on the planetary jazz map, turns 19.

With a brand-new ensemble of musicians from all over the world, it might just be the event to help one do away with Dasain blues and warm up for the festival of lights.

“It stemmed from the love of jazz we have,” says Samir Chettri of Nepali jazz band Cadenza Collective, who is part of the organising team. “Many Nepalis cannot afford to go abroad and check out concerts, so we thought why not bring international musicians here.”

Artists this year include Plurism, Under the Surface, Lucile Chriqui, Palouse Forro, Himalayan Highway, Samundra Band, Dhrubesh/Friends of Sukarma, Nick Aggs & Cadenza Collective as well as other eastern classical musicians.

Jazz has come a long way from the cobbled streets of New Orleans in the late 19th century, it has evolved into Latin jazz, gypsy jazz, Afro-Cuban jazz, and even Nepali jazz. But even though the art form has branched out, improvisation is still its heart and soul. 

“Jazz is never constant, it is evolving. Culture is important in jazz,” explains Chettri.

When the festival was first held in Kathmandu in 2002, very few in Nepal had heard of jazz. Today, Nepalis not only make up half of the audience in the concerts, there are local jazz musicians ready to represent Nepal. There are now jazz schools and students performing jazz. Every year with a host of new artists, the festival infuses new styles and trends into the local jazz scene while showcasing Nepal’s best in jazz.

Says Chhetri: “At the heart of the festival, we want to celebrate music and inspire a new generation of musicians.”   

Plurism (Switzerland/South Africa)

Plurism sees Swiss drummer and band leader Dominic Egli combine forces with the esteemed South African trumpeter Feya Faku and a stellar cast of musicians with a shared friendship as well as musical sensibility.

Plurism is anchored in Egli’s intense curiosity about the many colours of African rhythm. The nostalgic sensitivity of his playing is grounded by the bass of Xaver Rüegg, with Faku displaying his uncanny temperament on the trumpet, Mthunzi Mvubu with prolific vocabulary is on the alto saxophone and Sisonke Xonti’s audacious yet vulnerable style on the tenor saxophone.

Plurism remains complex yet simple, explosive yet tender, down-to-earth yet otherworldly, with the musicians always drawing out more from each other and the audience.

Feya Faku – Trumpet and flugelhorn | Mthunzi Mvubu – Alto saxophone  

Sisonke Xonti – Tenor saxophone | Xaver Ruegg – Bass | Dominic Egli – Drums and cymbals

Lucile Chriqui (France)

Lucile Chriqui, an award-winning singer-songwriter, is one of the brightest new talents in French Jazz. Blessed with natural musical and vocal flair, she honed her craft training under the American jazz singer Sara Lazarus and the French violinist Didier Lockwood, among others.

Her list of collaborators includes rising names in international jazz such as Philippe Baden Powell, Munir Hossn, and Nils Frechilla, and she even shared the stage with renowned French singer Camille Dalmais. She has also worked on numerous stage and film productions, including collaboration with the composer Chassol on music for the Netflix series “En place”.

Lucile’s music melds influences from Cuba, Andalusia, Brazil, and more, with daring harmonies that define an inimitable style.

Lucile Chriqui – Vocals | Bruno Schorp – Bass | Arthur Links – Guitar | Gaetan Diaz – Drum

Nick Aggs & Cadenza Collective (Australia/Nepal)

The Cadenza Collective, headed by the drummer and composer Navin Chettri, is one of the most unique and eclectic bands to emerge from Kathmandu. The group moves seamlessly across jazz, afro-funk, and Nepali folk music, creating a genre-bending sound that’s irresistible to the ears.

The Cadenza Collective is joined by the Australian saxophonist and composer Nick Aggs. Hailing from Brisbane, and a key member of the acclaimed Australian fusion band Afro Dizzi Act, Aggs has fronted numerous musical ensembles and performed around the world, collaborating with esteemed musicians such as percussionist Trilok Gurtu, guitarist Jesse Van Ruller, kora virtuoso Jali Buba Kuyateh and many others.

The Cadenza Collective already has seven albums of original music to its name—the latest is Himalayan Songlines—and is working on a new single due out soon after Jazzmandu. 

Navin Chettri – Drums, percussion and vocals | Nick Aggs – Saxophone

Rajat Rai – Guitar | Samir Chettri – Bass

Himalayan Highway (Nepal)

A Nepali-American instrumental fusion band formed in Kathmandu, Himalayan Highway weaves together American Bluegrass and old-time Nepali folk music. Inspired by unexpected similarities in the two traditions, the band’s members put a fresh spin on traditional tunes, with infectious harmonies and catchy beats that bring a unique new collaboration to the global music scene. 

Prince Nepali – Sarangi | Zoe Levitt – Mandolin

Anish Tamang – Guitar | Yuson Maharjan – Percussion 

Palouse Forro (USA)

Drawing its name from its home base in the Palouse region of the northwestern United States and the forró music of northeastern Brazil, the Palouse Forró brings to the world a much-beloved Brazilian genre that is yet to get its international due.

The band is led by American accordion player Adrian Crookston, who has played with forró ensembles such as Gente Boa, Xaxado Mission, and Forró de Quintal, and has taken his music to audiences across the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia.

Adrian Crookston – Accordion and vocals

Navin Chettri – Drums | Rajat Rai – Guitar

Under the Surface (Netherlands)

Under the Surface is an extraordinary combination of three generations of Dutch musicians seeking communion in improvisation. Sanne Rambag’s voice rhymes, whispers and sings over the melodic lines of Bram Stadhouders’ guitar and the subtle percussion style of Joost Lijbaart, transporting listeners into an almost dreamlike new reality.

Their music offers both intellectual and emotional pleasure, springing from unshackled improvisation yet far from abstract, adopting surprising forms akin to thoughtful composition. Their eponymous debut album, released to great acclaim in 2017, was nominated for the Edison, an annual Dutch award for outstanding musical achievement.

The group’s live album Trinity, from 2019, captures the essence of a sound they have shared with audiences at major festivals across Europe, Asia, South America, Africa, and the Middle East. 

Joost Lijbaart – Drums and percussion | Sanne Rambags – Vocals

Bram Stadhouders – Guitar and electronics

Samundra Band (Nepal)

Formed in 2004, Samundra celebrates and safeguards the Gandharba community’s long tradition of performing Nepali folk music. Holding firm to typical folk instruments, the ensemble plays age-old Nepali tunes recomposed in new forms, updating cherished old music for contemporary tastes.

Anil Gandharba – sarangi | Subash Gandharba – bansuri

Pujan Gandharba – madal | Ramkrishna Gandharba – arbajo

Buddha Gandharba – kartal

Eastern Classical Musicians (Nepal)

Jonisha Poudel – Vocals

As a gifted exponent of khayal, the preeminent genre of Hindustani classical music, Jonisha Poudel has already made a deep mark at a young age. Trained under the guidance of Shree K.C., one of Nepal’s most respected khayal and dhrupad vocalists, she has won multiple honours and performed at many prestigious classical music festivals. 

Santosh Bhakta – Ishraj

Santosh Bhakta Shrestha has dedicated himself to the ishraj for two and a half decades and has achieved tremendous mastery of this classical instrument. A pupil of Mohan Joshi, Shrestha has performed and toured in Nepal and abroad and has contributed to hundreds of recordings.

Dhan Bahadur Gurung – Flute

Dhan Bahadur Gurung began his training in the flute at the Kalanidhi School of Music – the same school where he is a teacher today. He has honed his skill with the legendary Ustaad Hariprasad Chaurasia and was selected as the best  flautist in the Shastriya Sangeet Samiti competition in 2008.

SCHEDULE

Concert for Students

Thursday, 2 November

11am-1:30pm

Venue: St. Xaviers School, Jawlakhel

Entry by invitation only.

Grooving at Upstairs

Thursday, 2 November

7pm-9pm

Venue: Jazz Upstairs, Lazimpat

Rs900

Gates open at 6:30pm

Valley Jams

Friday, 3 November

7pm-9pm

Rs700

Gates open at 6:30pm and close at 7pm.

Venues:

Jazz Upstairs, Lazimpat

Electric Pagoda, Thamel

Evoke, Jhamsikhel

EDN, Sanepa

Jazz Bazaar

Date: Saturday, 4 November

Time: 3pm-10pm

Venue: Gokarna Forest Resort

Price: Rs1,500

Gates open 2pm and close at 7pm.

Sounds Of Latin Jazz

Monday, 6 November

7pm-9pm

Venue: Mulchok, Baber Mahal Revisited

Rs1,800

Gates open at 6pm and close at 8pm.

Masterclasses

Tuesday, 7 November

11am-1:30pm

Venues:

The Music Room, Bhatbhateni

Yalamaya Kendra, Patan Dhoka

FREE ENTRY (limited seating)

Jazz At Patan

Tuesday, 7 November

7pm-9pm

Venue: Yalamaya Kendra, Patan Dhoka

Rs1,800

Gates open at 6:30pm and close at 8pm.

Seated by 6:45pm.

Jazzmandu Finale

Wednesday, 8 November

5:30pm-10pm

Venue: Hotel Yak & Yeti, Darbar Marg

Rs1,500

Gates open at 4:30pm and close at 8pm.