Tech Support and Aditya Prakash Ensemble
I recently saw the jazz band Tech Support and the Aditya Prakash Ensemble at the Blue Whale in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, CA. When I walked into the venue, which has Rumi poems scribbled on the ceiling, I saw a desi jazz musician shredding the upright bass, which made me curious, then sit down and listen. And the music was damn good. Tech Support consists of a jazz pianist, bassist, and drummer - all desi. The band is a project of Ben Shepherd, who played upright bass much of the time, but who whipped out the bass guitar in between songs and proceeded to shred that. They played a few Herbie Hancock tunes, and especially with guest trumpeter Clinton Madison, it was delightful. When I asked Ben how people could get in touch with the band, he said that they are so new, they don’t have a website, so keep your ears primed.
The Aditya Prakash Ensemble came up next. I have seen AEP perform a number of times but his latest performances have taken on a new dimension of passion and depth because this performance came soon after the passing of Aditya’s father, who was a beacon in the Los Angeles creative community. At Blue Whale, Aditya performed a song that he wrote that is dedicated to his father, called “Love’s Last Breath,” which truly stole the show. All of the pieces played by AEP are their own, except one riffed from the Bollywood movie Omkara, which had an amazing alaap and lots of solos, and it was just plain old fun.
The ensemble consists of multiple saxophonists, a trombone player, a pianist, upright bassist, drummer, a musician who plays the conga drums, plays other instruments, and busts out verses on occasion, a carnatic violinist, and the occasional guest vocalist. And of course, Aditya, whose voice exhibits a vast range, which makes sense given he has been classically trained in South Indian carnatic music. I heard different genres throughout their pieces, including jazz, classical south indian, and hip-hop, but I never felt confused as the listener - which is rare because “fusion” music can sometimes sound cacophonous. But that’s the great thing about AEP, it is their range, from pieces that make you want to dance to those exhibit the depth and maturity of the group, and that they do it well.
— Your Good Name is an attorney and creative writer based in Los Angeles. Find him at yourgoodname.tumblr.com.