the band members were delighted to see the way jazz music is budding in Nepal

Kathmandu:

They are here to jazz up the music scene in the capital. Motif a five member Norwegian jazz band, named themselves Motif after Morten Vagan, the bassist for the band saw the name on a book cover. The band which includes Atle Nymo on Saxophone/Bassclarient, Mathias Eick on Trumpet, Haavard Wiik on piano, Morten Vagan on bass and Hakon Mjaset Johansen on drums went to the same school of music and formed the band in 1999. “We had difficulty naming our band as Beatles was already taken,” Johanson quips. Though this is their first visit to Nepal as a band, Johansen has already been here couple of times during Jazzmandu festivals.

Influenced by jazz music around the world, the band members chose jazz as their genre of music even as they became aware of the challenges. As electronic music is very popular in Norway, the band uses traditional instruments and electronic music. “Jazz was played in a specific way 50 years back and only a few instruments were used, but jazz has evolved over the years,” says Wilk adding, “fusion of different classical and folk touch given to jazz from all over the world has made it even more interesting.”

Speaking about jazz scene in Nepal the band members were delighted to see the way jazz music is budding in Nepal and how people are taking initiative to make it even better. They are convinced that in coming years jazz can make its own ground as a popular genre

of music and think that fusion of tabala and sarangi blends well with jazz music. Johansen says, “It was great to see how the crowd were asking for more. If it were in Norway people would not even have attended any different kind of concert.”

Apart from the concerts the band members also plan to conduct workshops for Nepali musicians. Besides, educating them about new tunes, the band members also hope that there will be improvisation on the common grounds of music. “The evolution of jazz music is unstoppable; it is and will always be progressing,” says Vagan. And as for the band it is hard for them to say what will happen in next 10 years but believe that they will be entertaining all jazz lovers with their creations. As they are madly in love with the Nepali audience they plan to visit Nepal time and again to give Nepali audiences a taste of Jazz music. Motif will be performing at the Soaltee Crowne Plaza on March 23.