Their compositions and improvisations reflect this “metisage” between the modern folk, kirtana, and the pulse of an electric bass and drum sound.
Esperanto, the world music band amalgamates the tonal colours of different cultures in their exciting new sound. The hypnotic hues of the orient are looped in real time to simulate a transcendental trip on the magic carpet of music. As its name suggests, like esperanto the universal language the band seeks to crash across culture lines while creating an individual sound that can be appreciated subliminally.
Esperanto are a group of gifted musicians from diverse cultural backgrounds, who have come together at GURUSKOOL to forge a new global music of universal appeal.
They have enthralled audiences at the GREAT MUSIC REVIVAL at the Kala Academy in Goa (2000), at the inaugural of the MOONLIGHTING series of concerts held at the I.T.P.L., Whitefield (1999) BANGALORE. Their first USA tour in April-May 2001 brought them acclaim across the ocean including a performance at Manhattan’s Knitting Factory. They were invited to perform at the Esprit de Pondicherry in Pondicherry (2002). INFOSYS, India’s multinational giant commissioned them to write a song and make a music video for their international conference in Los Angeles in Sept (2002) … They are scheduled to leave for a tour of Canada in July 2003.
The band’s music revolves around the magical veena playing of GEETHA NAVALE. GOPAL NAVALE is the songwrier and singer of the group in addition to plying guitar, mandolin and flute. MICHAEL SORENSEN, wandering ministrel from Denmark who has now dropped anchor in India, plays on the Blues Harp and on assortment of percussion instruments gathered I his travels around the globe. NATARAJ AVARU who has been playing the tabala with rock bands long before Zakir met George oversees the rhythm section while JESSE SHEEHAN on guitar and RYAN BIESACK on the jazz drumset give the throbbing urgency to the band’s sound. RANJIT PRASAD plays the electric bass.
In addition, as the ESPERANTO world music project is all about evolving a new sound by playing intuitively with the sounds of other cultures, guest artistes also feature in performances and recordings.
Their debut CD mix’d feel has received widespread acclaim and is a hot seller on the world music charts.
Esperanto has aroused empathy among the audience at performances, as the music strikes a cord in the listeners heart growing as it were from his / her roots, and at the same time as contemporary as the internet.