Of culture and collectives: Vasu's venture into collaborative art
Vasu Dixit, lead singer of Indian fusion band Swarathma, has found his artistic explorations taking a diverse, inclusive, yet culturally-rooted turn. Vasu who has spent over a decade with his band, Swarathma, is now venturing forth with a new identity, one that reflects his Mysuru origins and love for collaboration. “After all these years, Swarathma as a band has taken its own shape. It was time to create a Vasu outside of it as well. There are things I'd like to do that don't really fit into the band’s image and The Vasu Dixit Collective, my parallel project, is really helping me do that," says Vasu Dixit.
The Collective, which is open to remakes and original compositions in equal measure, will perform mainly Kannada, the language that, he says comes most organically to him. That, combined with his unique approach towards reaching out, whether it’s performing Purandara Dasa’s Raagi Tandira on the busy VV Puram Food Street or a BMTC bus filled with techies, truly makes him a people’s artist."I would like to break that performer-audience barrier. I perform like a typical folk artist -open throated and engaging. It’s very liberating," he says.
The more the merrier
The Vasu Dixit Collective, whose pre-launch gig will take place this Friday at BFlat, is an open space for artists to collaborate with Vasu Dixit. Excited about the uniqueness of this new sound, a collaboration with a saxophone, harmonium, violin, synth keys, drums and guitar, Vasu explains, "This is not a band. It's a place to fuse different forms of art, whether they’re painters, dancers or musicians." His wife Bindhu Malini, a Carnatic vocalist, will also perform on Friday. "She's the better singer. I am more self-taught and have my flaws. But it works for me," he laughs.
Invoking the masters
Vasu's latest rendition of Puranadara Dasa's composition Raagi Tandira, which went viral on the Internet happened after he rummaged through a couple of his mother's old books. "I found a book with over 400 writings of Purandara Dasa and intuitively picked Raagi Tandira. All these poets whether Dasa or Kabir are essentially talking of the same things, the journeys inside and outside of us," he says. The emphasis is on meaningful lyrics - "Culture in the form of art finds its expression through language, so there is great emphasis on lyrics. Raagi isn’t just a grain, it's an occupation, a tradition and a way of life. I try to bring out what the lyrics represent and break free of them at the same time.”
It's all about reaching out
In Bengaluru, where the regional language has been reduced to a handful of the demographic, Vasu attempts to reconnect with local culture. "I am not saying this is a Kannada song, sing. I'm saying this is a song, sing!" exclaims Vasu, after multiple accusations of being a pro-Kannada conservative. His Mysuru origins are evident both in his colorful onstage attire and in his compositions.
The Collective will be performing next on April 22nd in Mysuru, a new song dedicated to the city, for a fundraiser event.
What: Vasu Dixit Collective (Folk, World) with Bindhu & Vedanth (Classical, Contemporary)
When: Friday, April 14th, 9 pm onwards
Where: BFlat Bar, 100 ft road, Indiranagar
