Scandinavian-African band to perform today

“We started off playing traditional music from Zimbabwe and Mozambique, before composing original numbers. I’ve been listening to the music of both India and Pakistan for quite some time. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s music, in fact, inspired us to add harmonium to our lineup. This introduced a different flavour to our music,” said Godal. On his connection to jazz, he said, “I have studied at a jazz conservatory, and been belting out music for years. When we started out, a jazz background was evident in our traditional African music.”

A chance meeting with an agent in Udaipur helped them organise another trip to India, he added. Godal said, “In Udaipur, we performed inside a cricket stadium to a large crowd. The atmosphere, the music and the culture brought us back to India.”

The latest album of the band, titled A Je, has been shot by Mumbai-based director Amira Bhargava. Shot on the streets of the City of Lakes, the song is called Loko U Muka. Bhargava said, “We interacted with the locals during the shoot. People welcomed us into their homes. It was a different experience.”

Adding to the uniqueness of Godal’s harmonium, Hope Masike, a vocalist, plays a Mbira — a traditional Zimbabwean instrument. Calu Tsemane is a vocalist and percussionist.

Godal, who calls percussion a “cardboard drum”, said, “He (Tsemane) has conducted a few workshops with children in Mozambique where they make instruments out of cardboards.”

Apart from playing the saxophone and harmonium, Godal also plays the clarinet. Rounding up the band are Putte Johander on the bass and Erik Nylander on drums.