Jisshu and the Retrodictions rocked the stage recently at City Centre New Town, wowing a huge enthusiastic crowd. An eclectic mix of songs and unbounded energy characterised the show, ‘Jisshu and the Retrodictions’, in association with The Telegraph.
Jisshu worked his magic on the percussions while Shovan Ganguly enthralled with his powerful vocals. Partha Sarathi Das’ soothing notes on the flute kept everyone mesmerised. With John Paul on guitar, Aritra Roy on bass, and Arnab Chakraborty on the keyboard, the band performed soulful renditions of a number of iconic songs. Starting with a melodious ghazal, the band went on to perform hits such as Dil se re, Boro eka lage, and the evergreen Jibone ki pabona.
From escalators to the glass balcony, people could be seen lining up everywhere at the mall to catch the performance.
Before taking the stage with his band, Jisshu sat down for a quick chat with The Telegraph.
Can you elaborate on the vision behind the band?
I was always into music. My mom used to say that one actor in the family is enough, as my dad was an actor too. I have been a part of many bands over the years. I had a dream of getting back to music. All the band members are professional musicians and I told them of my dream. Then one day we were having an adda session at my terrace and it all sort of clicked.
How has the band shaped up in the past two years, especially given the pandemic?
All industries have gone through a change, especially the music industry because they could not do live shows or interact with fans. The focus of the band is on retro songs, right from the ’60s and ’70s, from Hindi to Bengali and English. Today’s generation, like my daughter, is into a lot of new-age songs and Korean bands. They have not heard the old tunes like Kishore Kumar’s songs. So, as a fusion band, we are putting new sound to the old melodies so that it reaches everyone, and blends with the sound people like today. And hopefully people will like it!
“The response was fantastic! We are thankful to Jisshu since it was largely his initiative. The footfall was huge, almost 50 per cent more than what we see at the mall usually. Hoping that Covid stays at bay, and then we will certainly organise more such concerts,” said Ramesh Pandey, director, marketing and events, Ambuja Neotia Group
What are the future plans of the band?
We are already working on an original song. Shovan is writing the lyrics. We will start with singles and then see how it goes. We already have a tune but we are working on the lyrics. It will definitely be a different sound than what we usually hear.
How is your dynamic with your band members?
I am the oldest member in the band and they are like my brothers. They look up to me and whenever I have told them, ‘Let’s do this!’, they have always been there. We know each other very well and we have been doing shows with each other for almost 10 years. They were always a family and now it has expanded to a band.
What would be your advice for aspiring musicians?
Music is all about the heart and soul. In today’s world, there is so much going on. People do not have patience, or time for their own family and friends. The kind of time we are in, we need music. Personally, I am always listening to music. It helps me calm down as well. My elder daughter listens to a lot of different kinds of music, from Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi to Pink Floyd. She loves Hindi music as well and comes down to listen to us when we practise. Language doesn’t matter. So I really want this generation to listen to different kinds of music and focus on different moods, not only any sect of music. Music is timeless and that they need to know.
WHAT THEY LOVED
“I have always been a great fan of Jisshu and it was absolutely amazing seeing him on stage. I loved the performance and being a part of the crowd!” said Sharmistha Paul
“Jisshu and the Retrodictions performed music that hit me like a breath of fresh air. They were energetic and powerful in their performance and very authentic in their renditions. It was an absolute delight to be a part of the crowd, pulsating with energy. Looking forward to more shows,” said Debabratee Dhar, a student
Jisshu at the after-party at Traffic Gastropub
Pictures: Rashbehari Das