Narwhal performs Carnatic Music/Jazz Fusion concert

The Capilano Jazz Studies program is not only a place where students can learn about jazz and its traditions, but also a place where they can explore the intersections of jazz with other forms of music and imagine what jazz might become in the future.

Students in the Narwhal ensemble spent the first half of the Spring semester working with Carnatic musicians Vidyasagar Vankayala (voice) and Curtis Andrews (drums).  Cap instructor and Narwhal director, Dr. Jared Burrows, arranged compositions from the Carnatic (South Indian Classical) tradition for the ensemble and fused that music with some elements of jazz.  the students worked extremely hard to learn this challenging material and performed it on Feb 24 at Presentation House Studio in North Vancouver. To our knowledge, this kind of adaptation of Carnatic music for large ensemble with voices and instruments is a unique project that has never been tried before and everyone was pleased with the results.

Another performance of this music will take place April 13, 2016 at the Blueshore Centre for the Performing Arts at Capilano U.  8pm, free admission.

Here are some video clips from the Fenruary  concert.  More to come soon....