A U.S.-born, Indian-raised, and London-based bandleader will be among those performing at this year’s Indian Summer Festival. Today, the organizers announced that Sarathy Korwar—also a drummer, percussionist, and composer—will share the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts stage with the Seattle hip-hop group Shabazz Palaces on July 13.
Korwar, who spent his formative years in Chennai, describes his third studio album, KALAK, as “Indo-futurism”. Released last year, it was recorded with DJ and producer Photay. It followed More Arriving (2019) and Day to Day (2016). He’s viewed as a jazz musician but he also introduces other elements, including hip-hop, into his compositions.
Shabazz Palaces is led by Ishmael Butler. Its first full-length album. Black Up, was released in 2011, followed by their second full-length disc, Lese Majesty, in 2014.
Since then, Shabazz Palaces has issued three other albums, including The Do of Diamond Dreams in 2020. In addition, there have been three Eps—Lavarr The Star (2023) and Shabazz Palaces (20090 and Of Light (2009), as well as an LP, 1 Time Mirage, with Erik Blood with the title Knife Knights.
Indian Summer Festival welcomes Nova Bhattacharya
On the two nights following the concert, the Nova Bhattacharya-created Svāhā! will be at the Playhouse. The dance troupe has more than 20 performers.
Its website states that Bhattacharya’s “creative inspiration is found in her Bengali culture, Bharatnatyam practice, Scarborough rock’n’roll roots, painting, photography, literature, film, nature, rituals and the unending cycles of life and death”.
“We’re thrilled to announce these two first performances as part of the 13th edition programming of the Indian Summer Festival,” Indian Summer’s executive director of cultural programming, Pawan Deol, said in a news release. “We collaborated with our partners to bring these carefully curated events to Vancouver.
“Working with Jarrett Martineau and the Chan Centre on the musical selections, and with SFU Woodwards and DanceHouse for dance, we see community and collaboration as important values to our organization,” she continued. “And this year, our programming deeply reflects that.”
For tickets to Shabazz Palaces and Sarathy Korwar, visit the Indian Summer Festival website. For tickets to Svāhā! with Nova Bhattacharya, visit the DanceHouse Vancouver website. Follow Pancouver on Twitter @PancouverMedia.
