These Fish Can Fly

The Indian-origin musician is the lead vocalist of the band with that quirky name. Their music,a mix of chanson,Hindustani classical,gypsy swing,Latino,grubby jazz,Yelamu Indian and islander music with some punk thrown in,is getting hits on the Net and crowds in gigs worldwide. The April Fishes,that comprises Russian-Polish drummer Aaron Kierbel,Uzbek cellist Misha Khalikulov,Irani bassist Safa Shokrai,and Nicaraguan trumpet player Mario Alberto Silva,is making a statement with their multi-ethnic style.

But April Fishes? “The French refer to April Fool as April Fish. The children,when playing pranks,stick pictures of fish on the backs of their friends and shout,“Poisson d’Avril” (“April Fish” in French). It is inspired from the concept of the fool always being right and saying what’s right without caring about the world,” says Marya,who created the band in 2006.

There is more. The music is in English,French,Spanish,Hindi and most recently,Greek and Romani. Their French song Une Americaine a Paris (An American in Paris),with its distinct retro feel,has already gone viral on the internet with five lakh hits on You Tube. The song defines her post 9/11 reflections — of being a “brown-skinned,Arab-looking” woman in the US. “As clichéd as it sounds,music does transcend all barriers,” says Marya.

“This tour of India is like a celebration of that gypsy nomadic lifestyle and an effort to join multiple cultures around the world,” says Khalikulov,who adds that the band creates music,which is full of unexpected joys and rhythms. “We create a beautiful mess,” adds Khalikulov.

Apart from playing their own songs,Rupa and the April Fishes will pay a tribute to Jagjit Singh. “My parents and I have been a huge fan of Jagjitji. He passed away the day we landed in India. So we have created our own version of Woh kaagaz ki kashti,” says Marya,who adds that they have retained the soul of the song but given it their own interpretation. “It is a different experience to play in your own country,” says Marya,as she recalls her childhood where she would allow her voice to echo in her grandmother’s stone house and sing with no inhibitions.

The band’s sonic adventure is creating music,which is mostly about love,about trying to find one’s way in this world,about people who are lost,and the frontiers to be crossed. And sometimes it all gets political. “There isn’t a special effort to do that. When a song flows in the head,I just write it,without worrying about its political nature and consequences,” says Marya.