KATHMANDU: The ‘Supper Club’ of Jazzmandu 2004 took place at Hyatt Regency on March 26. The stage was all set for the headliner of the festival Louis Banks Brotherhood. It was organised by Upstairs Ideas in association with The Himalayan Times and the support of the Indian Embassy.

The Hannah Vasanth Trio from Britain opened the show for the Brotherhood. The stage set in the amphitheatre was a perfect setting as Brigitte Beraha began singing numbers such as "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", "Nature’s Boy" and "Crystal Silence" in her dreamy voice. The Trio invited members of Cadenza to play with them. That was the first half of the show before a dinner break.

After supper, the club really got swinging. Louis Banks praised the Trio for their performance and the musicians who had jammed with them. Gino Banks joined his father on stage with Sheldon Shaun D’Silva. "We are going to perform a varied repertoire, ranging from originals, jazz standards to Indo-classical fusion," said Louis Banks but nothing prepared the audience for what was to follow. They began a peppy original "The Giant Inside". Sonia Saigal, the Brotherhood’s vocalist joined them on stage and began belting out songs in a voice that has amazing strength and texture. She sang a number "Endangered Species" and dedicated it to the women in the audience followed by "Sweet Lord" a song she wrote about her failed marriage. "After I wrote it, he left me," she says.

Saigal stepped aside to let Satyajit Talwalkar and Niladri Kumar join the Banks and Sheldon with their tabla and sitar.

"After songs dedicated to peace, ladies and bad husbands, we would like to dedicate the song to the casino where we lost a bit of money and to all the men in the audience," stated Kumar. The music that followed thereafter took the audience by a storm. Niladri, a virtuoso sitarist was amazing as was each individual of the Brotherhood. The solos were unbelievable and every time, a number ended they received a standing ovation literally. — Himalayan News Service