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MUSIC COLUMN: A.R. RAHMAN AT HOLLYWOOD BOWL

Madras Maestro Teams Up With L.A. Philharmonic for a 'Journey to India'

By: Parimal M. Rohit
July 5, 2011

A. R. Rahman on buzzinebollywood.comA.R. Rahman will be taking Southern California music lovers on a ‘Journey to India’ on July 10th at the Hollywood Bowl, and the five-time Oscar-nominated music composer (127 Hours, Slumdog Millionaire) will have the Los Angeles Philharmonic by his side as part of KCRW’s World Festival series. Also joining Mr. Rahman are electronica artist Karsh Kale, folk musicians Rhythms of Rajasthan, dance troupe Bollywood Step Dance, and the Sher Foundation.

 
“We had Indian performers at the bowl for many years, (but this year) it’ll be very different. What (Mr. Rahman) wants to do this time is perform his film score. He will perform his scores with the LA Philharmonic,” Arvind Manocha, the Hollywood Bowl’s chief operating officer, told Buzzine Bollywood. “India is a very diverse and eclectic collection of culture, and the performances will be a positive reflection of that.”
 
Hailed by Time magazine as the “Mozart of Madras,” Mr. Rahman is considered the Godfather of modern Indian music, and has reached international acclaim and status much in the same way his Hollywood contemporaries Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer established themselves as the platinum standard. What’s more, Mr. Rahman has made a name for himself scoring film in both India and America, with his skills attached to films such as Hollywood’s Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours, and Couples Retreat, as well as Bollywood’s Jodhaa Akbar, Rang de Basanti, and Lagaan.
 
Joining Mr. Rahman on stage are a group of modern musical legends, including:
- Karsh Kale -- the revolutionary tabla player and drummer who has worked with Pandit Ravi Shankar, Zakir Hussain, Sting, Lenny Kravitz, Yoko Ono, Paul Oakenfold, and others;
- Rhythms of Rajasthan, which makes a triumphant return to the Hollywood Bowl to share with audiences the fine folk dances of India’s most royal state;
- Bollywood Step Dance -- an eclectic Bollywood dance troupe headed by acclaimed choreographer Yogen Bhatt; and
- Sher Foundation -- an elite bhangra team redefining the classic Punjabi folk dance to bring audiences to their feet and making them dance until the sun goes down and comes back up again.
 
Matt Dunkley will compose the L.A. Phil, and KCRW’s Tom Schnabel will serve as the show’s host. The July 10th concert benefits the LA Phil's Musicians Pension Fund.
 
SHOW INFO:
WHAT: KCRW's World Festival presents Journey to India with A.R. Rahman and the Los Angeles Philharmonic
WHEN: Sunday, July 10, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Hollywood Bowl (2301 North Highland Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90068)
TICKETS: Tickets available online or via credit card phone order at (323) 850-2000