A dimly lit bar with vintage leather chairs, the clinking of whiskey glasses and cigar smoke in the air — the trappings of a typical jazz bar and quintessential Chennai might not seem to go well together. But come jazz Fridays at the lounge bar 365 AS at Hyatt Regency, and you find packed tables, a mix of young and old, elegant sari-clad women among them, taking in the sax and bass over a drink. This might be the first time such a regular jazz show is held in the city but “drawing the crowd wasn’t easy”, says Vajiha Anwar, who coordinates the musicians, most of them from Auroville in Puducherry.
“When we started off with exclusive jazz Fridays last year, there was just a trickle, but we decided not to give up. And now the tables are all pre-booked.” Jazz is prominent at Café Mercara Express at ITC Grand Chola as well, featuring a band of talented local musicians, among other such establishments in the city.
But it’s not just upscale hotels that are showing a new interest in jazz music. The genre is slowly but steadily witnessing a revival in the city. “It’s like an Olympic torch which is handed across different cities,” says Kirtana Krishna, a guitarist, vocalist and composer from Chennai, based in Auroville.
“Ten years ago, Bengaluru held the torch, now the scene has somewhat died down there and Chennai seems to have hit the sweet spot. Many students are developing an interest in it.” Chennai and jazz have had an on and off relationship, with severa.