LIFE IS A CABARET OLD CHUM, COME TO THE CABARET

Velvet Grind 02 is the second edition of an event series in Hyderabad hosted by Dark vibe society and George Hull Collective.

George Hull Collective

The musicians in the George Hull Collective: George on Saxophone. Nirvan on keyboards and arrangements, Isabelle on Cello, Keith on acoustic guitar, 3 bass guitar players were on stage at different times, most of the time it was Nigel Geiles, and at other points, Praharsha and Patrick Dempsey. Lead Guitar was Danny Geiles and, on the drums, Kaivalya. Nathalie on Oboe. 

The Email messages said this: 

     Welcome back to where jazz lost its innocence. The room is darker this time. The brass is dirtier. The night has no interest in behaving itself. Note: Admission is strictly 21+. EXT · Dark Vibe Society · Alliance Française Hyderabad

     Some rooms change you a little. This is one of them. And this city has one night that doesn't get talked about loudly — you're looking at it. 
*The Velvet Grind — Edition 02.*

     There are evenings you endure. Then there are the rare ones that settle into you slowly — like good whiskey and bad decisions. Edition 01 was that night. This is its inevitable return.

     *George Hull Collective* brings the dirty jazz — never meant for polite company.

      *Beedi Break* layers in sounds with no passport and no apology. Between them, they will own the room.

     Amber light. Cold glass. A crowd that dresses with intention. This is not a night out. This is a rendezvous.

      Saturday, 11th April · 8:30 PM onwards*

      EXT by Moonshine Project, Hyderabad* 

     In association with Alliance Française Hyderabad 

     Hosted by Vaibhav Kumar Modi

This was the most intriguing and well written set of invitation messages to an event I’d ever received.

Dark vibes are not my thing, I like vibes to be light, airy and welcoming. But I like music, especially jazz, though I didn’t feel that jazz could be dirty or had any innocence to lose, so, I went, as the song ‘Cabaret’ inspired me to do: 

"What good is sitting alone in your room?
Come hear the music play.
Life is a Cabaret, old chum,
Come to the Cabaret.

Come taste the wine,
Come hear the band.
Come blow a horn, start celebrating;
Right this way, your table's waiting.

Shakila 

I didn’t venture into the cavernous dark and thronging space right away as I entered, so I stood near the entrance, right next to the sound console. And what a good place it was, the sound at this place was well balanced and I had a good view of the stage. And what I saw and heard on the stage was Shakila, 
commanding the room with her stage presence singing the first song of the evening. It is then that I realised why the messages I had been getting had said that this evenings’ show was only for adults.

The song Shakila sang was called ‘Sitting on You Face’, it was a raunchy, bawdy, more than sexually suggestive type of cabaret song that we could imagine being sung in those old honky-tonk music halls in old Cowboy movies. Anyway, Shakila delivered through this song, the feel of a cabaret, singing and storytelling with easy flair. It was a tour de force performance of a mediocre song that wouldn’t touch the top 1000 in any list. But Shakila brought vitality to this obscure song through personal interpretation and tongue-in-cheek emotional expression.

The next song that Shakila sang, six songs later, at the end of the first half/session was another suggestive, humorously indecent song called ‘Just Stroke It’, which she also sang with expressive good humour and control. Neither of the songs Shakila sang was jazz, though George Hull’s tenor saxophone and Nirvan’s keyboard playing and good arrangement of the music made it seem so.

Nathalie

The next singer was Nathalie, singing, ‘I Want to Come Again’. Nathalie who plays Oboe and usually sings in French, sang this song in English and did a rousing job of it, singing with elan; she probably sang the song better than the original, as Shakila did her two songs.

Nathalie was then joined by Julie and they sang a French Carla Bruni song called ‘Quelqu'un m'a dit’. The duo performed this good, sweet and evocative song very well, we liked it even though we didn’t understand the words.

Julie 

Julie, whom we had never heard before, sang a song called ‘I’ll Give You a happy ending’, An unremarkable, mildly suggestive ‘pop type’ of song that even Julie’s agreeable voice couldn’t make better, but she made a good attempt.

Nathan   Malini

Malini

Malini and Nathan sang a duet called ‘Horny Angry Tango’, and made a valiant attempt to dance some basic tango moves while singing, despite the fact that both of the singers have good voices and can sing well, for this song, they lacked conviction.  Yet they deserve a high five for making a serious attempt to pull off this short but interesting song that uses the tango type of music to express the desire the two ex-lovers still have for each other.  

Nathan had two more songs in the programme ‘The Doggie Style’ for which he was joined by Keertana.

Nathan Keertana

Nathan also a sang ‘Supernova’ an electro pop, disco-type song. Versatile Nathan has nice pipes, a natural talent for music and enjoys being on stage singing to an audience whichseems to like him asm well. With time he will find his best genre of music to perform.

Suparna

Suparna, who sang two songs in the programme, was, and is, one of the singers who left a deep impression. She sang the tritest of songs like ‘Split Me in Two’, which was the first of the two songs she sang which was mildly suggestive but not explicit (to go with the adult theme of the evening), with a naturalness of interpretation that was very individual, and a ‘feel’ that was very mature.

The next song that Suparna sang to open the second session of music was ‘How Does It Feel’, probably an R&B song, which was sympathetically arranged by the George Hull Collective around her way of singing, and Suparna sang this with such heartfelt expression that I felt grateful for being present in the audience and getting to listen to her, she made a song that I’d never heard before, sound good. Suparna is an intelligent, thinking singer who would perhaps, one day, hopefully, take to singing jazz.

Ashok Verghese

Before I come to Keertana, we will touch upon a great experience we in the audience had in listening to Ashok Verghese performing Bill Withers ‘Use Me’.

Besides choosing this fabulous song by Bill Withers, Ashok sang ‘Use Me’ admirably, and with such good taste. He was helped by the most appropriate arrangement and accompaniment by the George Hull Collective, which brought out the best in the singer and the song.

Keertana

And now Keertana: I must admit I’ve have seen and heard Keertana before (mostly on YouTube) and always enjoy the sheer joy she brings to making music. Keertana is so joyous in her approach, her movement, her confidence, that she is compelling, whether she sings a silly song like ‘Big Cock Back’, or the better known songs she sang, like the disco funk, ‘Monkey Business’, and the pop-soul-funk song ‘You Had Me’. Not only does she generate good vibes with the audience, she also inspired the arranger, it could be Nirvan, to create a wonderful funky rhythm for her to perform to. Nirvan was also inspired to play a playful, melodic and inventive jazz-like keyboard solo. 

Nathalie 

One of the songs also had an ethereal, atmospheric vocal without words by Nathalie to accompany Keertana, the arrangement lifted the song to another level.

An item in the programme was a Hoedown, in which all the musicians who played or sang on stage, sang or recited a verse of their own making to a particular hoedown rhythm format. Most of the verses were too adolescent to be recited to a paying audience, though the musicians had fun doing so. Keith who played acoustic guitar was the only exception; his verse was actually witty. And while on Keith, it must be mentioned that he does not play lead guitar with this band because Danny, yes Danny, the wonder kid is there, so, in Keith’s accompanying acoustic guitar -- whether he’s comping behind the music, or just playing the rhythm -- his choice of chords and how he plays them is remarkably tasteful and appropriate to the music.

All the performers -- Keith - Nirvan - George - Isabelle - Keertana - Suparna - Julie - Malini - Nathan - Patrick - Shakila - Nathalie - Kaivalya - Danny - Nigel behind Suparna - Praharsha behind Julie - Ashok behind Malini

Vaibhav Kumar Modi

It was a fun evening of mostly good music, and we mustn’t forget that the emcee of the evening was the organiser Vaibhav Kumar Modi and he was such a good emcee, good humoured, always saying the right thing in the nicest possible way about the music and musician he was introducing. He was never not classy and he was equally important to the good atmosphere of the evening as the musicians were. 

 

 

Photographs: Wolfgang Jastrowski

 

‘GOOD TIME MUSIC’ ALL THE WAY

FRANCOPHONE GROOVE

When George Hull asked me to write about this programme conducted by Alliance Française Hyderabad (AFH), and organised by him, on the 14^th of March 2026, he urged me not to hold back criticism. But that couldn’t happen, because I had given myself up to the 'good time music’, and enjoyed every moment of the music which rocked Alliance Francaise with energy and good cheer. In such a situation what is there to criticise?! 

It was an evening of an unusual collection of music, beginning with classical music and going on to pop, folk, rock, blues, soul and hint of jazz.

The programme started with Nathalie Soulie  on Oboe, Isabelle Lendvai on Cello, and Ritu Gopal on Violin playing the haunting, lyrical melody of ‘Pavane’. Pavane was originally an orchestral work by the influential French composer Gabriel Fauré, but this evening Pavane was played by this unusual trio of instruments and they carried it off well. 

The trio next played ‘Duo des Fleurs’ The Flower Duet, from Léo Delibes' opera Lakmé. In the opera it is a vocal duet, but the musicians adapted it to be an instrumental.     

The Trio of Nathalie on Oboe, Isabelle on Cello, and Ritu on Violin then played another work by Gabriel Fauré ‘Berceuse’, this gentle and serene piece was originally arranged for solo violin and piano but was later arranged for various combinations and this arrangement was for oboe, violin, and cello. 

Nathalie then sang the French song 'Ensemble' by Jean-Jacques Goldman, 
accompanied by the George Hull Collective which is George Hull on the tenor saxophone, Praharsha on Bass, Kaivalya on drums, Danny Geiles Lead guitar, and Keith D’Rosario on Rhythm Guitar and Ritu on violin. Nathalie generated smiles in the audience and good audience participation in this song.

The 5^th item in the programme was Malini who with such a delightfully sweet voice sang a heartbreakingly pretty folk pop song by The Weepies called 'They’re in Love – Where am I'. Malini was accompanied by the George Hull collective.  

The sixth performer was again Nathalie, she sang ‘Sympathique’ - a French chanson by American band Pink Martini in which the chorus is “I don’t want to work, I don’t want to lunch, I only want to forget and so I smoke”, Natalie was backed by the George Hull collective,

Hima in a black gown and arm sleeves charmed and engaged us singing the Stacey Kent version of the Brazilian French samba, ‘Samba Saravah’. The warm tone of George’s saxophone added to Hima’s pleasing vocal lent a completeness of the piece.  

Patrick Dempsey, not the movie star, but a Hyderabad resident, turned up the heat with a lively, spirited and countrified version of the prolific Chicago Blues songwriter, bassist and bluesman Willie Dixon’s, ‘Feel like Steppin’ Out’. Patrick sang the song while playing the Upright electric bass. The music was infectious and The George Hull Collective seemed to be in their element and ‘in the groove’ as they accompanied Patrick in this song.

Ninth in the programme was the versatile singer Keertana and featured Nathaniel in duet, they sang the ‘Best Part’, which was written by Matthew Burnett, H.E.R. (Gabriella Wilson) and Daniel Caesar, both the singers sang this difficult, emotionally charged, romantic R&B ballad rather well.

Keertana was in her element singing the modern Tamil romantic pop anthem ‘Adiye’. As she announced, it was her first time singing in Tamil, but she sang it really well, adding her own rock inspired individuality to the song, taking it to another musical dimension. 

Shakila Dausi and the George Hull Collective took the stage next to sing the powerful and funky soul song, ‘Dig a Little Deeper’, 

Shakila, with ease, took on the persona of the wise Mama Odie, the character from the animated feature film The Princess and the Frog. I don’t know why this song with music and lyrics by Randy Newman has not won any awards anywhere -- no Grammy, no Oscar, no nothing, because it is an iconic, powerful song. And Shakila, and the chorus comprising Hima and Malini, put her whole heart and soul into the song. (I have been forgetting to mention that Hima and Malini have been taking the stage to sing harmonies for many of the singers). 

Next in the programme we had the talented guitar player Danny Geiles, an internationally known YouTube star since he was probably 10 years old. Danny along with the George Hull Collective played the beautiful Bobby Womack instrumental composition ‘Breezin’, that has become a fusion jazz standard. Danny did the George Benson version, displaying very good technique and feel for jazz.

Nathalie performed once again, this time the catchy 1969 French-language song ‘Les Champs-Elysées’, by the American singer Joe Dassin. The chorus says, you’ll find anything you’d like on the Champs-Élysées. And again Nathalie with her sunny personality, got enthusiastic audience participation which always makes everybody, performers and the audience happy.

The last singer on the programme was Suparna who preceded her song by saying “The Palestinian poet Marwan Makoul once wrote; If you want me to write something that is not political, I need to listen to the birds. I can only hear the birds when the airplanes stop.    This I thought, was the perfect preamble to the song she was about to sing, ‘Imagine’, by John Lennon -- a hymn for a more compassionate and equitable world without war, religion, borders, or greed, and where humanity lives in peace and shares the planet equally. Suparna with Ritu on violin, rendered this sweet melody, this musical embodiment of peace, unity, and hope with conviction that could inspire each one of us to develop our humanity and connect equitably with our own and with other species.  

‘Imagine’ was a fitting end to a wonderful evening of music where everybody had a good time and left us in the audience entertained and yet, thoughtful. However, it didn’t end there, Nathalie brought an end to the programme with an encore, a French song in which the audience once again participated.

Anyway, what’s important is that everybody had a good time and we must thank Maud Miquau, 

the director of Alliance Francaise, and coordinator Jwalitha, who conceived of Francophone Groove along with George Hull and made this happen. 

We must also acknowledge George Hull for his quiet, unflustered and efficient organising skills, for making this evening happen and also for the band, George Hull Collective.

Photographs: Wolfgang Jastrowski

 

A MEDITATION ON CHORAL HARMONY

THE TABERNACLES 

Expressive harmonies 

Listening to a choir, and appreciating the music that emerges from the choir, especially when the choir has performed well, is a singular pleasure.

Therefore, listening to The Tabernacles 

perform at their annual concert on the 7^th of December, on the lawns of St. Francis College for Women, at Begumpet, Hyderabad to bring in the Christmas season, 

was a remarkably enjoyable pleasure. 

Fundamental aural concept of a choir

Choir music, or choral music is polyphonic. Polyphony is when two or more melodies, or musical lines are sung or played simultaneously. 

Choral music in a mixed choir is usually polyphonic - sung by many women and men who are often divided into four sections of singers according to their voice type, from high to low voices in descending order of vocal range - they are, sopranos, altos, tenors, and bass voices. 

And each section of singers is assigned to a different part, or melody, which is sung together as a single voice, harmoniously. The sopranos often sing the main melody, and the altos, tenors and basses provide the harmony underneath.

The conductor 
Conducting a choir is not easy, since the singers have varying levels of musical ability and aptitude, they learn their parts at different speeds. And, and on top of that, all members of the choir including the conductor/director have to juggle their personal schedules, earn their livelihoods, manage their careers; their family and household responsibilities, and still make it for choir practices, regularly.

Yet, the conductor, assumes responsibility of the choir and the setting the overall sound and texture of the choir, while training the choir singers. 

The conductor keeps the whole choir aware that pitch matters, and rhythm matters, that is, for choir members to reproduce notes accurately, and to keep time accurately. All this while coaching and suggesting how the choir controls their cadence, tone and breathing while they learn to sing their different parts in harmony.

Gloria - Celebrating 57 years of The Tabernacles

The Tabernacles, was founded in 1967 by a gifted musician, Kenneth Gibson, and eight of his friends. And this December, 2024, The Tabernacles celebrated their 57^th year of glorious existence, with this concert named ‘Gloria’.

Zubin Gibson, Kenneth Gibson’s son who now conducts and directs the choir, has done a magnificent job of moulding the choir, keeping it together, and taking care of the musicality of the choir. 

The Choir and Orchestra. Playing and singing from their hearts

Now a 57-voice choir (the number is coincidental) of 20 soprano’s, 14 alto’s, 14 tenors, and 9 basses, and for this concert, Zubin Gibson also conducted a 37-member orchestra which included the Genesis Chamber Orchestra from Chennai. The orchestra comprised orchestral instruments of 12 first violins, 12 second violins, 4 viola’s, 3 cello’s, (auto correct has corrected me, the plural for cellos is celli), and 1 double bass. Three pianists played, the main pianist being Samuel Raj David. There were also trumpet, guitar and electric bass.

To those of us in the audience on the evening of the 7^th of December 2024, it looked like the singers in The Tabernacles choir sang from their hearts - out pure love for singing, and for the wonderful experience it is to be part of a community of singers who sing their parts and create harmony with other singers who are singing different parts.

The evening’s performance started off with the Little Rocks Band, a children’s choir, who capably, and with confidence, performed a few songs and set a up a happy foretaste of the evening of music to come. 

The main section of the evening which came next, was started off by the ‘The Tabernacles Chamber Orchestra’ and the ‘Genesis Chamber Orchestra’ that together performed W. A. Mozart’s Symphony No 40 in G Minor, under the baton of Zubin Gibson, the performance was rather good, and one didn’t hear those irritating screeches and squeals from the violins. They were much more polished than was expected. So far so good, we thought.  

The choir and the orchestra jointly performed the rest of the evening’s programme which was divided into five sections, which were called packages. One of the packages was a few songs by the Men’s Ensemble. And in another one of the packages the orchestra performed under the baton of the founder and director of the Genesis Chamber Orchestra, Keerthan Robert, who brought out good expression from the orchestra while he conducted.

The orchestra and the young and talented pianist who stalwartly and sensitively accompanied the choir, complemented the choir so well that it seemed like a natural partnership. Moreover, the orchestra sounded very good throughout the evening performance.

Two stand-out moments of the evening. 
A soloist who was introduced as Mr Chang from Pune, and wore a white tie and tailcoat as opera singers sometimes do, sang Cantique de Noel (O Holy Night) at almost the end of the programme. Mr Chang from Pune, was an exemplar of how classical singers should sing, he was in complete control of his voice and expression, his secure bass-baritone had heft and command, it was full and resonant, and was so musical we really wanted to have heard more of his voice.

G.F. Handel’s Hallelujah canon. The other highlight was The Tabernacles rendition of G.F. Handel’s Hallelujah canon at the very end of the performance. The combined choir and orchestra along with trumpet player Joanna Alfred Michael, rose to the challenge of rendering this beautiful and difficult piece of music impeccably.  

A harmonious spread of interwoven voices 
As a member of the audience at The Tabernacles concert who has sung in choirs, I simply enjoy harmony whether it is created by multiple vocal parts in a choir or by multiple instruments in an ensemble. So, I appreciated the swells and ebbs in the choir. For those who have never sung in a choir before, these swells and ebbs are called dynamics, when the choir goes loud or soft to express the music. And so, while listening to The Tabernacles it was pleasing to hear the dynamics in the sound of their interwoven voices which spread harmoniously through the venue in good balance.

A soundscape to remember 

It appeared to us in the audience, that the choir, the singers, the conductor, and the instrumentalists in the orchestra, took pleasure of being part of an ensemble that is making harmony, and, that harmony was a pleasure for the audience to hear. 

All-in-all the choir and orchestra wowed the audience with an excellent performance