BENGALURU: Freedom Jam, a free music festival – is a celebration of ‘indie’ or independent non-commercial music by performers of different genres. This festival was started in Bengaluru in 1996, during India’s 50th anniversary of Independence. It has been conducted regularly in Puducherry for the last 15 years and a few times in Goa and Chennai as well.
People do not have to pay for tickets here. Artistes perform and the audience enjoys the music. That’s the reason it is called Freedom Jam, ‘No Bread’! This annual musical jamboree is held in Bengaluru around August 15.
This year during Independence Day weekend, the 24th edition kicked off with four different segments of the festival being held in different parts of the country.
The highlight of this year’s festival will be the performance by living music legend, internationally renowned singer and violinist L Shankar. He will be presenting ‘EDM Rock Music Extravaganza’ for the first time in Bengaluru backed by banks of keyboards and synthesisers played by DoK- Dileep Palakkad and live drums by Manjunath N S.
Shankar, a world music icon and founder of the seminal fusion band Shakti, will not only delight aficionados with his phenomenal virtuosity on the custom made double violin, but will also treat us to his billboard topping contemporary catchy hit songs.
The programme will start with Dr Prakash Sontakke, Grammy award album composer and multi-instrumentalist known for creating an unique blend of all world music styles with Indian classical.
An artiste on the respected influential ECM record label, his work in the progressive jazz fusion genre has won him critical acclaim and prestigious awards in Europe and USA.
He will be presenting a Hindustani classical-based recital on slide guitar accompanied by Karthik Bhatton the tabla.
The programme will be held at 6.30pm on Sunday, September 1 at Bangalore International Centre,in Domlur.