UNK: THE RADHA THOMAS ENSEMBLE

@unktheradhathomasensemble

Jazz, bebop, hip-hop, blues, Indian classical Latin influences make UNK refreshing, contemporary and relevant. One of India’s most original bands based out of Bangalore, the members are from all over the globe. Radha Thomas - vocals, Aman Mahajan - keyboards, Matt Littlewood - Saxophone, Ramjee Chandran - Guitar, Suresh Bascara - Drums and Mishko M’ba - Bass.

242 posts

Posts

Anju Nanavati: Nai Akka (Dog Sister) of Nandi Hills

Prestige Golfshire, in the Nandi Hills, is possibly one of Bangalore’s most beautiful residential areas. 275 acres of landscaped villas, with an 18-hole golf course, pool, tennis courts and other wonderful amenities that make life just special, besides being close to the airport and not that far from the heart of the city. But this is not a real estate commercial. This is about what’s…

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Long Distance Healing: Poornima Harish Explains How It's Done

Long Distance Healing: Poornima Harish Explains How It’s Done

If you’re taking care of street dogs in Bangalore, I guess anywhere in India, it’s a heart breaking, pocket emptying, frustrating but ultimately very rewarding and joyous experience. Once you begin taking care of streeties… you mostly cannot stop. It becomes a lifelong addiction. Because these dogs are on the street, they are way more susceptible to road accidents, pack fights, diseases and so…

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#THe INdie Dog

Toby And Inkling: Two Community Dogs On Milton Street Get Peace

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1giyCileqRmLUReQEHJczn?si=b91adb8842cd4ee1 When I first started podcasting The Indie Dog, one of the first stories was about a little dog named Inkling and a lovely lady named Vinita Rabbi.A little background:Inkling’s mother was Inky, and her uncles we believe, were Pinky and Ponky.Yes I named them, because I saw the three of them one night, and had to come up…

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Honeysuckle Rose

@amithavguitar was playing altogether too much #jimihendrix and I felt that music wasn’t old enough. So here we are with a #fatswaller tune that maybe everyone in the know, knows. It’s called #honeysucklerose. Real fun song to sing. #jazzduo #guitarandvoice

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#Youtube

Sophisticated Lady

Yura Romaniv and Radha Thomas #SophisticatedLady is a #jazzstandard written in 1933 by #DukeEllington and the words later on by #MichaelParrish. I’m singing it some 90 years later here in #Bangalore, accompanied by the amazing @yuraromaniv from #Lviv in the #Ukraine. We recorded the song this past week as Ukraine was being bombed, and many other horrors happened in Yura’s poor homeland. But we…

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How Deep Is The Ocean

https://youtu.be/8l6bt55id7o Sir G @amithavguitar and I actually did a live gig together a few weeks ago and it was terrific. This is another virtual collab on ‘How Deep Is The Ocean’ an #irvingBerlin tune written in #1932, 90 years ago. In another 10 years Amithav will be 27 and the song will be 100 and I’ll probably be dead. But it’s nice to be alive and nice to sing with someone who feels…

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Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues

Ain’t Got Nothin’ But The Blues

https://youtu.be/VhDhjuj1hag My favourite blues man from Madras, Sir G (Amithav Gautam) and me doing #aintgotnothinbuttheblues. I know #robbenford does a version like this, but this is kind of like me paying homage to #MoseAllison, who was just the finest musician around. Piano, trumpet, singing all so very beautiful. I added a little of me, and Sir G… well, he is just in a class of his…

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Rendu Dosai

https://youtu.be/DwZOyLpHgeE Two dosais and one equinox. I wrote #RenduDosai some years ago based on something my sorta-niece @lulubeans9 said about eating two dosais. She was quoting #BobMarleys #SmokeTwoJoints. I loved the idea and the words to Rendu Dosai came tumbling out… (considering #tamizh is both my mother and father tongue) especially after I discovered that there are hundreds of…

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My Old Flame

https://youtu.be/mbUOkR4AEUM Many terrible things happened in 1934. From a rash of dictators rising in Germany, China, Russia, Bolivia and Brazil to the #GreatDepression reaching depths of hopelessness unseen before. But some nice things happened too. #DonaldDuck first appeared on the scene and so did this song #MyOldFlame. Moving to the #HereAndNow, accompanying me beautifully as always is Sir…

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Chill

https://youtu.be/bo-e1cdr_x8 Smooth and silky, #Chill was written by my piano playin’ pal, Michael Molloy when he was just 19 or 20. I had no idea he could play guitar so nicely. So, presenting The Molloy Twins 1 and 2. One is feeling shy today and is hiding under his hat. Two is brave. Seriously, I absolutely loved singing it. It’s very different from the kind of songs I usually sing. I would…

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Dont Blame Me

https://youtu.be/DLlsv1ku-JM Michael Molloy lives in London and I haven’t met him yet. But we’ve played many songs together… in fact we’re getting ready to do one of his originals soon. Mike has a very, very, very, very, very old Indian connection. His great, great, great, great, great grandfather Major M.J Molloy fell off his horse, on his regular evening ride and died. This was despite…

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The Sky Is Crying

https://youtu.be/ayPDM4pyz2o There are times in life when nothing but a little #StevieRayVaughan will do. No #ellafitzgerald, no #sarahvaughan, just Stevie (not #steviewonder). #theskyiscrying is a song I’ve loved for years. I remember driving to #Connecticut from #LongIsland with the top down and blasting my #cassette (yeah, a gazillion years ago) at top volume, feeling like queen of the…

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Connections

https://youtu.be/HCJg-C6AWVc @amanmhajan_, who wrote the song, played ‘Connections’ for me maybe 10 years ago and I loved it then as much as I do now. Had to write lyrics for it of course, so I asked him to give me a clue about the reason for the name and in his usual cryptic style, he said, “You know… connections.” Anyhow we recorded it on our second album ‘Bangalore Blues.’ Aman’s music is…

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Joy Spring

https://youtu.be/1L51jYdwF4U They’re getting younger and younger, the musicians I’m working with these days, as I’m getting older and older. Meet @amithavguitar a 16 year-old, monster guitar player from Chennai. I met him through my friend @babimitra who sent me some of his music a few months ago. Since then Sir Gautam (he insists on calling me ‘Ma’am’ although I have assured him I do not run…

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If You Could See Me Now

https://youtu.be/NIMCUcqp6hw Why is this picture like the black hole? No idea but if u click on it u will see and hear me singing ‘If You Could See me Now’ which is a most beautiful song. With me are Maciek Szczyciński and Pavel Ershov. #jazzcollabs #jazzstandard #lockdownjazz #TaddDameron #sarahvaughan #ifyoucouldseemenow #internationaljazz

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Soli Sorabjee — Life and Times, An Authorized Biography review: The man of law who loved all that jazz

In Abhinav Chandrachud’s retelling, the biography of the former Attorney General of India comes together like a puzzle By Radha Thomas The story goes that Soli Sorabjee’s life-long passion for jazz began accidentally, while he was in college. He was at Bombay’s Rhythm House, now shuttered, looking for Brahms’ ‘Hungarian Dance No. 5’ but the salesman inadvertently handed him a single, with jazz…

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The Highly Efficient Electronic City Dog Squad + How to Join A K9 Squad in Bangalore

There’s something about the street dog community that feels like one belongs to a very special, very loving, very intimate family, even if you’ve just met someone. You can tell just by the work they do in rescue – rehab – fostering – healing or fund raising, that the connection is strong. Some months ago, my niece Arundhati Krishnan asked me to come to a puppy adoption camp run by Anwesha…

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