Jazz band Real Jam amps up the atmosphere at the Russian Embassy and wins hearts, says Team Viva
Classical Russian music in the background is the perfect accompaniment to Tatiana Fateeva's discussion about the continued heat wave in Delhi and northern parts of the country. laughing it off, she says, “Summers in Russia are so cold. So we are happy here with this warm temperature.” Moreover, music is supposed to dissolve material boundaries and make you transcendent. Tatiana is one of the three vocalists of the Russian jazz band Real Jam, who performed at the Russia Day celebrations yesterday. This is the second time the band has performed for the Embassy on National Day, the first being three years back.
Formed in 2000 when Tatiana synced with two other women jazz vocalists, whom she met on the internet, the band came into limelight when it won the Russian competition, Voice Dialing. But it was not a smooth ride. She says, “It was difficult to find someone who sings and looks good on the performance space. Finding a person who was interested in the kind of music that I do was most important. Back then, jazz wasn’t even popular in Russia. Now there are various clubs and classes for jazz in Moscow. It’s developing, slowly and steadily. There are jazz festivals and many sign up for them even though they know that they may not earn much out of pursuing their passion.”
Jazz is a music genre that originated in African American communities of New Orleans United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and has roots in blues and ragtime. Its structure is typically more complex than other popular forms of music. There is greater emphasis on the instruments used which aren’t in the background anymore, forming the heart of the song.
But what was it in this genre that caught her fancyIJ Tatiana says, “Jazz is this beautiful music where you can improvise and play with. Other elements like syncopation, rhythm, blue notes, melody and harmony just attract you towards it.”
The band had performed Russian music in India for the first time during their last performance. She says, “We prepared a programme with folk songs mixed with jazz arrangements. We are open to new horizons and learning.”
Talking about their plans to celebrate their National Day, she says, “It’s a great honour to perform for our country. Representing your nation while performing jazz is unorthodox because a jazz band is considered relatively new and fresh. If it’s a Russian day, it’s expected that they will ask us to perform Russian folk music.”
Celebrations in Russia are far removed from what they did here, in India. “Back home, the national day is like a long weekend. A lot of people go out and relax because we don’t usually have long weekends. There is a fire show etc,” she says. To celebrate their National Day and this trip, the band is planning to go to Taj Mahal after their performance.
When asked about the evolution of the Russian music, she says, “Russian music is developing. Youngsters are experimenting with different sounds and chords. They are creating something new and fresh. They have a completely different vision which is very new.” However, she likes mixture of classical and modern jazz. “There is a lot of experimentation as the times and trends in music are changing but of course, it depends on what style of music you are good in and are comfortable with,” she says.
Tatiana and the band like the Indian culture and love the warmth of the country. Asked about her take on music strengthening the relationship, she says, “Music binds love and cultures. Whatever happens in the economic and political spheres, the culture of both the nations will bind them together. It will always be the connecting strand. Because when you hear a particular piece of music, you don’t ask which country the music is from. You just listen to it and enjoy the moment. That’s what the power of music is. You just forget everything.”
There are many different trends that currently coexist in the Russian music industry. Tatiana has her preferences. She says, “Musicians who make electronic music is interesting. Musicians also mix electronic music with jazz, jive and hip hop. Collaboration is something new. And, I believe that folk music never gets old. Folk inspirations with jazz arrangements make very detailed piece of music and most people enjoy it.”