A Powerful Tribute to the Queens of Jazz - Celebrating Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday and Nancy Wilson at The Royal Opera House, Mumbai.

From cafes to theaters to a quiet evening at home, jazz continues to inspire and heavily influence our lives. The most eclectic and, it could be argued, inventive of all the music genres, jazz has taken many forms through the ages.

And unlike other genres, it has been dominated not just by men, but in equal part, by women too. So who were they, exactly? These women with their godly voices, who can still be heard on radios and Spotify playlists today, have dominated the jazz scene from the “beginning” of the genre in the 1940s until today. These bold and brilliant women took their place with grace and elegance to improvise, swing and shine so brightly.

Royal Opera House, Mumbai, Furtados and Avid Learning are excited to present An Ode to Jazz Divas, celebrating the legacy of the most iconic jazz vocalists ofall time - Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday and Nancy Wilson. The performance features an eclectic line-up of artists from Mumbai, the UK, and France.

The line-up includes Avishek Dey on Upright Bass delivering scrumptious grooves - yes, the same guy who performed with Diljit Dosanjh at Coachella Music Festival - is back on our stage after a gap of four years; last performed at the MumbaiOpera House with Music Director, Composer and Jazz Pianist Louiz Banks andSinger Shweta Shetty and iconic Indian film and stage actor Dalip Tahil. Themagical renditions of songs such as Dream a Little Dream of, Cry Me a River, I Got Rhythmand many more will be recreated by talented vocalist ShreyaBhattacharya; breathing life into the pieces with her powerful yet soothing voice.

They will be joined by Clement Rooney on Keys, an accomplished pianist, who effortlessly weaves intricate harmonies, while Amandeep Singh on Guitar will bring a touch of finesse to the arrangements. The above ensemble MODCULT, stands for Modern Music Culture, is led and founded by Avishek Dey.

The evening will also feature other well-known artists in the jazz circuits like Arjun Chakraborty on Drums setting the rhythm, complemented by the mesmerizing Emmanuel Simon on Percussion, and the soulful artistry of Jarryd Rodrigues on Saxophone. They will be joined by one of India's most sought-after jazz multi instrumentalistsShirish Malhotra on Flute and Saxophone as a guest appearance.Shirish plays in the prestigious Bombay Chamber Orchestra and the SymphonyOrchestra of India, and has performed in shows like Coke Studio @ MTV,Satyamev Jayate and MTV Unplugged, along with his musical contribution tomovies like ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, ‘Agent Vinod’, ‘Ludo’, ‘Madras Café’, ‘Chhichhore’, and more.

This carefully selected ensemble with individuals who are masters of their craft will create an experiential musical journey for both players and the audience alike. They will enchant the audiences with their unique interpretations of jazz standards from The American Songbook. With their rendition of timeless classics like Cheek to Cheek, Misty, and In a Sentimental Mood, the evening will be transformed into a nostalgic journey through the golden era of jazz.

2023 has been the year of Jazz by Avid Learning at the Royal Opera House, Mumbai. In April, there was Jugalbandi: The Crossing, where Mediterranean Jazz by the Italian artists jammed with Indian Jazz and Carnatic artists to create symphonies of world music. June saw the return of Producer, Composer, and DrummerRanjit Barot with Chingari, an evening of Jazz, Carnatic, and Contemporary fusion music performance paying tribute Mandolin U Shrinivas ji.

After the resounding success of these two events, the stage is set for the next big night of rhythms and melodies. The Royal Opera House, Mumbai constantly strives to present the classic, diverse, and contemporary genres attracting music lovers of all ages and backgrounds by bringing in leading musicians, maestros, composers, conductors, vocalists, and virtuosos from around the country and across the globe to the maximum city.

Being India’s only surviving Opera House, it recognizes the importance of leveraging the stage to showcase the eternal beauty and skill of our traditional performing arts while also exposing the audiences to multidisciplinary cross genre fusions and collaborations. Treat your ears to 90-minutes of high-quality musicianship paying homage to these trailblazing women whose contribution shaped the world of jazz today.

Details:

Event: An Ode to Jazz Divas

Date: 9th July, Sunday

Time 7.00 pm

Venue: Royal Opera House, Mumbai

Tickets - www.insider.in