Beat Story

THE moment percussionist Wolfgang Haffner takes to the stage at the Max Mueller Bhavan on Kasturba Gandhi Marg on Tuesday,and starts drumming on table tubesan instrument that sounds like bells its evident that Haffners brand of music is different from the usual sound of jazz.

THE moment percussionist Wolfgang Haffner takes to the stage at the Max Mueller Bhavan on Kasturba Gandhi Marg on Tuesday,and starts drumming on table tubesan instrument that sounds like bells its evident that Haffners brand of music is different from the usual sound of jazz. I love the way music as complex as jazz can merge with something like rock, he smiles,indicating how he has blended the two to create some unique melody.

One of Germanys leading percussionists,Haffner is in India on a seven-city tour to promote his latest album Round Silence. On Tuesday,he played with Hubert Nuss on the piano and Christian Diener on bass guitars and enthralled the audience with some upbeat tracks like Shades and Wordless from his new album,head-banging and thumping life into every percussion instrument on stage. This was followed by Ride,a melancholic keyboard solo by Nuss that was punctuated with some staccato chords. Haffner played a set of log drums after this,ending his performance with an impromptu drums routine,marked by some impressive improvisation.

The energy did not wane even after the concert,when Haffner spoke to us,puffing on a cigarette,his free hand making animated movements,as if still cajoling his drums to make music. Jazz gives the audience something to unwind over. Its not about loud noisy music. Its about relaxation. All I do is to add a rock-music feel to it, says the 45-year-old.

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Growing up in Wunsiedel in Bavaria ,music came to him early,when he began learning piano and the drums at the age of six. Jazz and blues were his favourites,and soon he was playing with the German-French band Jazz Ensemble,formed by jazz legend Albert Mangelsdorff. Later,Haffner went on to play with the likes of singer Chaka Khan. Working with legends widens ones horizons. Travelling around the world with Chaka was the best thing that could have happened to me, he says

For his Indian sojourn,Haffner has been taking occasional lessons in tabla. Some of his best sessions have been with Indian percussionist Tirlok Gurtu. His India connect though does not end here. This is my third visit to the country and I love coming back here. I think tabla,with its intricacies,is the holy grail of the complete system of percussion. It is extremely high standard in accordance with the rest of the world, says Haffner,talking of his plans to collaborate with Indian drummer Gino Banks for future projects.

Following his Delhi concert,Haffner will perform in Bengaluru,Pune,Kolkata,Trivandrum and Chennai over the next few days.

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Beat Story

THE moment percussionist Wolfgang Haffner takes to the stage at the Max Mueller Bhavan on Kasturba Gandhi Marg on Tuesday,and starts drumming on table tubesan instrument that sounds like bells  its evident that Haffners brand of music is different from the usual sound of jazz.

THE moment percussionist Wolfgang Haffner takes to the stage at the Max Mueller Bhavan on Kasturba Gandhi Marg on Tuesday,and starts drumming on table tubesan instrument that sounds like bells its evident that Haffners brand of music is different from the usual sound of jazz.