Get Rhythm

Parisian Thoroughfares (EMI,Rs 295) is Chari’s latest offering of nine tunes,four of which are his interpretations of popular jazz standards; the rest are his original compositions. “The album was supposed to be released last year but there were some last minute copyright issues that had to be taken care of. We recorded in Paris and I’ve collaborated with two French jazz musicians,Mourad Benhammou on drums and Fabien Marcoz on bass ,” says Chari. So where does martial arts fit in? Chari was conducting music workshops for corporates and he met Kurien who was doing the same with martial arts. Kurien initiated the project and soon ‘Trinetra: Jazz meets Martial Arts was born’. “There have been a lot of interesting changes in the way I look at jazz now. I want to get rid of the stereotypes that jazz is meant for intellectuals,that it is meant to be played only in hotels and bars,that you can’t dance to it,” says Chari who will soon be bringing more jazz musicians from America to perform across India early next year. But for now,head to the Park this weekend and step up to dance.