Described as India’s ‘Greenest Music Festival’, Echoes of Earth has so far been a two-day event in Bengaluru that aims to celebrate the environment. Launched in 2016, it had to take a break for two years following the pandemic, only to return in December last year with its much-anticipated mix of workshops, discussions, flea markets and musical performances.
This year, the festival moves to Mumbai and New Delhi apart from Bengaluru. Instead of multiple artists, it would feature only one act – the British nu jazz collective The Cinematic Orchestra, started in 1999 by musician-producer Jason Swinsko.
The festival was initiated by Bengaluru-based Swordfish Events & Entertainment in association with Pub Watson. Roshan Netalkar, director of the festival, says, “It aims to provide a unique experience of coming together as a community to celebrate Earth responsibly through music, art and environmental workshops. This year, we have adopted a pan-India ethos A three city tour has been organized to showcase the
Festival director Roshan Netalkar | Photo Credit: Credit: Echoes of Earth
The theme is ‘Life Cycle’. As in previous editions, the festival features stages and installations made from recycled and up-cycled materials. No plastic or flex material is used and a tree will be planted for every ticket sold. While The Cinematic Orchestra will play in all three cities, other events will vary.
The Bengaluru event, to be held at Jayamahal Palace on April 14, will include a discussion on the city’s lakes and ponds, as well as a storytelling session titled ‘Lores of the Soil’. The Mumbai show will be held at Mehboob Studio in Bandra. A discussion on mangroves and a workshop on biodiversity are part of the programme. In New Delhi, a discussion on Biodiversity and a workshop on ‘Art for Conservation’ have been organized at 1AQ, Mehrauli.
Composer Jason Swinsko | Photo Credit: Credit: Echoes of Earth
According to Netalkar, the reason for moving to other cities was simple. He explains, “When we think of biodiversity, we rarely picture cityscapes. However, urban areas are home to a majority of ecosystems and natural resources, hosting rich biodiversity. are an intrinsic part of the UK, and yet we know very little about it. Through concert tours, we aim to support audiences in discovering their local natural environment and to place it at the heart of urban life.
Music has always been a major attraction at the festival. In the past, producer-composer Talvin Singh, Malian singer-guitarist Vieux Farka Touré, UK-based nu jazz group The Yusef Days Experience, singers Sushila Raman and Prateek Kuhad, Shillong blues band Soulmate, Austrian percussionist Manu Delago. Performing artists include American DJ Emancipator, drummer Sarathi Korwar and electronic trio Klangphonix.
Music in the Woods | Photo Credit: Credit: Echoes of Earth
This will be The Cinematic Orchestra’s first performance in India. While Swinsko will play keyboards and samples from his laptop, he will be joined by drummer Luke Flowers, bassist Sam Vicari, keyboardist Dominic Marshall and vocalist Yvette. “It’s a smaller band, more about the rhythm section,” says Swinsko.
Although The Cinematic Orchestra released their debut studio album ‘Motion’ in 1999, it has since only released three more original records and two soundtrack albums, in addition to two live recordings. One of its popular pieces is its cover version of British band Radiohead’s “Exit Music (For a Film)”, where it slowed down the tempo of the original. Prior to this, the group used turntables, during which time DJs became an intrinsic part of the music. “We did this in the early 2000s, but then there was a natural shift,” recalls Swinsko. We headed to the sampler. For example I have a laptop connected to my keyboard, and a bank of signature sounds from tracks, and a bunch of effects with which I process the sound live. This is a nice box of toys.
Stage designed like a red scorpion. photo credit: Monish Bhatt
Like its predecessors, To Believe, the last studio album released in 2019, was inspired by jazz. “In India, our set will be a mix of some of our old compositions, plus tracks we plan to put on our upcoming album.”
Swinsko, who lives in Lisbon, Portugal, hopes that his trip to India will be culturally stimulating as it is a completely new environment for him as a songwriter. He recalls seeing the fusion group Shakti in 2005 and being in awe. “There has been a lot of collaboration between Indian musicians and jazz artists. There have been wonderful outputs with the multidimensional side of Indian music blended with jazz harmony.
Himalayan Ibex Stage | Photo Credit: Credit: Echoes of Earth
The group has received several invitations to visit India, but a time has not been fixed. He says, “I am happy to have a festival with a strong message. On this planet, we consume a lot, and we need to be ethical about the way we consume things. We need to act as individuals and families and treat this planet with more respect. Such festivals help create awareness, and leave a big mark,” he says.