Jatayu’s Chango Tales is an exploratory convergence of Carnatic, jazz, funk and rock

Chennai-based band Jatayu, once again veer towards a fusion sound that dominated the Indian jazz scene for the past decade or two; but with an emphasis on individual musical skill
Jatayu_(2)
Jatayu_(2)

The local jazz scene in the country is always a great topic of interest. While the metro cities of New Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad continue to be privy to shows like that of jazz master Chick Corea, apart from circuit collaborations, the genre continues to be limited to pockets of older artistes across the country. With an uptick of jazz among the younger crowd, a new generation of musicians, like the Chennai-based band Jatayu, once again veer towards a fusion sound that dominated the Indian jazz scene for the past decade or two; but with an emphasis on individual musical skill.


Evolution stereo
An outfit that started off as a Carnatic fusion band, Jatayu employs an exploratory and experimental approach to styles including Carnatic, funk, jazz and R’n’B as heard on their debut EP, Chango Tales. “We were initially a duo that consisted of Shylu Ravindran and the then percussionist Nithin Menon,” begins Sahib Singh, the guitarist. Witnessing multiple line up changes since they featured on Kappa TV’s Music Mojo in 2016, the band managed to create it’s signature sound with Manu Krishnan (drummer for The Casteless Collective, thrash metal band Chaos and progressive metal band Escher’s Knot) and bassist Kashyap Jaishankar, alongside Shylu and Sahib. “We have varied musical influences and that has definitely played a pivotal role in the creation of our sound. It has helped us adapt and be as versatile as possible,” says Sahib.  


Sonic highways
A five-track EP, Chango Tales is spiced up by the Indian classical touch that Shylu brings to it with his Carnatic guitar riffs, while the jazz and funk detour is delivered by the brilliance of the percussion and its tasty bass lines. By seamlessly integrating elements of rock, the album that starts off as a groovy jazz piece slowly progresses into a full-blown fusion EP right from the beginning. 


Released earlier in January, the instrumental EP traces the emotional journey of the protagonist Chango by delving into themes like the playful curiosity of youth, love, the pain of abuse and acceptance. “The thing about instrumental music, maybe more so than those with lyrics, is that it can be interpreted in any way. We have tried to embrace this idea with the EP,” explains Kashyap. The cover art depicts a woman balancing five different orbs; we learn that this is the titular character, Chango, and each sphere corresponds to a song on the release.

New order
Since Chango Tales is crafted out of a sonically varied range of musical influences, we wonder if there is ever a clash of styles; jazz or blues versus Carnatic, perhaps? The answer is a definite no. “Music is to be viewed as a single entity. At the end of the whole process of composing and arranging, we want to achieve a singular sound,” explains Sahib, adding, “Though the process does create uncomfortable situations, we know we serve something bigger than ourselves.”


Apart from three more EPs that Jatayu has lined up, including one with collaborations from vocalists, rappers and other instrumentalists, the band will be touring with their new release shortly.

Chango Tales available on Apple Music.

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