As the past three editions have proved, we take our music at Paddy Fields extremely seriously. That’s why there is an interesting theme to the festival each year, in an attempt to create new music and new musical experiences for a discerning audience. Happily, we have received positive feedback on the music, the performances and the presentation of the folk fusion genre of music that is seeing a rapidly growing audience. It’s a tribute to the artistes and the strength of folk music.

INDIA’S FIRST FOLK AND FUSION MUSIC FESTIVAL
In 2016, a company called Nesco called us and said that they wanted to get into the entertainment space. As owners of The Bombay Exhibition Centre in Goregaon, it seemed a natural extension of their current business of renting out their 65 acre property. We pitched several ideas to them and bless their soul, they homed in on wanting to do a Folk & Fusion Music festival as against opting for more obviously

Jugalbandi: The Classicism of Folk Fusion

Paddy Fields, Nesco Ltd’s unique folk fusion music festival, scaled new heights in its third edition.

Themed around Jugalbandi – The Classicism of Folk Fusion, the event saw fantastic collaborations between renowned classical and folk musicians. Each of the eight acts over two days mesmerized the audience with a stunning presentation of folk music from across India.

While the kids of Roysten Abel’s ‘Manganiyar Classroom’ opened the festival with a bang, Merlyn D’Souza & Viva La Goa ended it on a party high with Goan, Portugese and Konkani folk music replete with dancers in traditional, colourful costumes that had the entire audience dancing in the aisles.

In between, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt with Anwar Khan, Ustad Shujaat Khan with Malini Awasthi, Rahul Sharma with Guzar Ganie performed music from their roots combined with fantastic improvisations. Jazz music on the santoor, classics like ‘Hamari Aatriya Pe’ played on sitar to a rock arrangement and the sawal jawab between the Mohan veena and khartal had people leaping out of their seats to applaud.

The concept of the festival was literally taken to a new high with Shantanu Moitra’s ‘Song Of The Himalayas’ a set of original music composed on his travels through the mountains. Atmospheric, enchanting and backed with his own photographs and visuals, the tunes were performed by Nepalese monk Ani Choying Drolma, classical vocalist Kaushiki Chakraborty, sitar genius Purbayan Chatterjee and flute prodigy Ashwin Srinivasan.

Paddy Fields 2018 introduced India to the fabulous, London based Deepa Nair Rasiya who did the one customary Sufi set backed by her mostly non Indian musicians. Her use of Classical gayaki to Sufi songs, made her a one person jugalbandi!!

Bringing the house down on the Saturday night was Amit Trivedi Live in a specially curated set of folk songs from across India that have influenced the Music Director’s Bollywood hits.

In fact three of this year’s acts were ‘never befores’ as Shujaat Khan had never performed before with Malini Awasthi, the Viva La Goa band was especially put together by Merlyn D’Souza for Paddy Fields and Amit had never done this set earlier.

The sound, arrangements and food were the other highlights, with people unanimously agreeing that in terms of class and comfort, this was the best Paddy Fields yet.

CELEBRATING THE WOMEN OF FOLK AND FUSION MUSIC
Yet, we can’t be different just for the sake of being different. There has to be some logic to it.

If it is true that folk music is an oral tradition, that it is about stories being passed down generations in song, stop to think. Whom does a child hear it’s first story from? It’s mother, isn’t it?
So if we intend to celebrate folk music, don’t

‘Sounds From The Desert’ is a high energy 90 minute music concert that showcases traditional folk songs, musicians and instruments from the state of Rajasthan. All backed with beautiful visuals from across the state. Fronted by the extraordinary vocal powerhouse and multi-instrumentalist, Kutle Khan, the show features 19 musicians and dancers. Produced by Delhi based Nanni Singh’s ShowCase Events, the concert brings out the beauty of traditional Rajasthani instruments played by legendary musicians

Jim Beam Originals is a celebration of the timeless classics that left an unforgettable mark in our hearts but with a twist. Some of India’s most beloved artists render their take of these hits with a never-before seen banger of a set.

Each online concert featured an Indian musician taking on an international legend’s hits and delivered them with his / her own ‘tadka’. Your favourite international hits mixed with your favourite Indian artists.

Simran has been working in the music industry since 2009.Her previously experience includes working with music entities like Saregama India Limited, Hungama Digital Media Entertainment Pvt Ltd, and World Wide Recordsall in the content data department. Simran’s role is the preparation of metadata across the various formats