KATHMANDU: If you mix 145 grams of mid-swing jazz, 59 millilitres of grunge music, about two tablespoons of alternative rock, a dash of ground Ethiopian grooves, three cups of the Jerusalem “Mahneh Yehuda” market atmosphere with a cinematic cherry on top, you will get Katamon Cherry and their unique blend of music. And this unique recipe will be cooked and the tasteful sound crossing of jazz sound will be served at the Surya Nepal Jazzmandu 2015. “We are very excited to come and play at Jazzmandu. I’ve known about this festival for a while now,” writes guitarist Adam Weingrod in an email interview with The Himalayan Times. Along with Weingrod, Katamon Cherry comprises Elad Gellert on sax, David Michaeli on bass and Haim Peskoff on drums. This will be Weingrod’s second time in Nepal and “I am very happy to be back!” Also, the band members are eager to visit Nepal. “We are happy to be coming, especially in this difficult time. For the rest of the band members, they are very excited. They have never travelled to the Far East. So, this will be very special for them!” Weingrod has known about the festival for many years now but Jazzmandu happened “by chance”. “We didn’t think of touring right now. But I have a friend who has just moved to Kathmandu and when we were talking, I told her about the festival and later that day I checked the website, sent in the application and the next morning we were invited! Things happen in interesting ways.” This band from Jerusalem has played in United Island Festival 2014 in Prague, Globus International Jazz Fest in Jerusalem among others since the rumours of them playing live jazz went around fast in the music scene in 2014. Now, the band will share their recipe in Jazzmandu. They will also check out the jazz music scene here. While Weingrod was spending time in Nepal, he discovered the huge number of super talented musicians. He also visited the KJC to check it out, so he already knows there is a jazz scene in Nepal. He writes, “It will be cool to check it out for real this time!” In Kathmandu, “relaxing, capturing in the beautiful scenery and sights and meeting new people and making good music” are his plans. The plan also includes yoga, eating momos and daal-bhaat.