Cadenza rolls in with Jazzmandu

Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu:

Cadence is the heart of music, its rhythm, beat and tempo. Cadenza, the jazz band has been the heart of Jazzmandu since the festival’s inception. Well-known for their incredible performances at Upstairs, the jazz bar at Lazimpat, Cadenza began as a funk band before experimenting with jazz.

This genre of music is so vast that it gives you the ability to experiment and improvise to your heart’s content and the members of Cadenza do exactly that. Navin Chhettri, the founding member of Cadenza and one of the organisers of Jazzmandu, was influenced by Indian rhythms and vocals at an early age. After experimenting with music and growing as a singer, and later as a drummer, he found his passion in the creative realm of jazz.

Navin’s love for music has led him into music education. Both as a drummer and vocalist, Navin has become a master. Jigmee Dorjee Sherpa, guitarist and percussionist, has been playing with Cadenza since 1999. His refined technical abilities in combination with his smooth playing add a special sound and feel to Cadenza.

Laxmi Raj Thapa (Chi) started playing the guitar at an early age and was influenced by the blues, Motown, Indian classical and folk music of Nepal. Chi has been playing bass with Cadenza for three years and enjoys experimenting with diverse possibilities.

Gaurab Raj Pandey joined Cadenza in 2002 when he was 18, and this year’s Jazz at Patan is his second appearance. Gaurab studied music in high school and has also studied Western classical music through the Trinity College of London. Siddhant Thapa, new to the band is also one of Navin’s students. He enjoys exploring jazz, Afro-Cuban, and other styles of music. James Lhalungpa, the youngest member of the band, has been playing tenor saxophone with Cadenza for a year. He is studying the sax in high school, and is a talented young musician.