A concert to lookout for this weekend? The Jiverz Concert, in association with The Telegraph, will be held on the lawns of The Bengal Club tonight. The retro-rock band (they also cover other genres) has Sucheta Sanyal on vocals and harmonies, Kushal Kundu (Tony) on guitars and vocals, Sayan Mukerji on bass, Tilak Kundu (Teekay) on drums and vocals, Renfred Anderson on keyboards, Kaushik Sen on percussions, and Ricardo Gomes on guitars and vocals.
They unite generations through their music, meaning there is something for everybody. Excited? The concert begins at 7.30pm and while you enjoy the music, keep an eye out for some delectable barbecue dinner.
Here’s what the band members told The Telegraph before the gig.
What’s the set list we can expect at The Bengal Club gig?
Sayan Mukerji: We’re playing 19 songs and the list include Smooth Operator (Sade), Killing Me Softly With His Song (Roberta Flack), The Sensitive Kind (J.J. Cale), Careless Whisper (George Michael), Give Me One Reason (Tracy Chapman), Walk Of Life (Dire Straits), Sultans of Swing (Dire Straits) and Hello (Lionel Richie).
What’s your favourite track from the list?
Sayan: My personal favourite is Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers and we do a really nice version with some extraordinary guitaring and keyboards adding to the exquisite vocals by Sucheta. We also do a very upbeat lively version of Sensitive Kind by J.J. Cale where Tilak, our extraordinary drummer, does a fabulous take on vocals.
How do you balance work and The Jiverz?
Sayan: I am a grandfather with twin passions for chess and music. I’m also a boring chartered accountant (retired as vice-president with German multinational Bayer), but I’ve gradually learnt to listen to my instincts, deeply and passionately. I thought of forming the Jiverz exactly a year ago with the intent of getting some extraordinary musicians together and from diverse generations to play “slow mood retro rock”, which is rarely heard intently and with seriousness these days. We have some very seasoned musicians playing along with some extraordinary youngsters. It’s a diverse group of talented musicians.
A special moment with your bandmates you’d like to share?
Sayan: We structured our own composition, which began with just a jam, into an extraordinary piece, which we call Freedom, and we are now dedicating this composition to The Bengal Club. In our 75th year of freedom we (the group) ask ourselves an eternal question: What is freedom and when does this come about? At the beginning or at the very end?
What are your plans?
Sayan: We’ve played at some of the most prestigious clubs in Kolkata that respect and understand quality music and listen to us intently. We’re also a visual experience as we have a massive screen in the background painstakingly customised to each of our repertoires and perhaps the only rock band in the country with such a rich visual display to add this fabulous music. We’re going to have a busy season ahead. We plan to take the band to different cities across the country and to nearby subcontinents. Our only criterion is attentive listening. The audience must respect music.
Are you excited about the show at The Bengal Club?
Sucheta: Very excited. The Jiverz is a unique sound in this city. Like a constellation of stars. And the band’s sound and chemistry seem to get better with every show.
Tilak: Absolutely. The Bengal Club is probably the most prestigious of the lot.
Kushal: Looking forward to The Bengal Club performance.
Ricardo: Absolutely ecstatic for the show, as it’s always a joy to take the stage with some of the best and most experienced musicians in town.
Renfred: Oh yes! The Bengal Club is special as this club knows what heritage is all about and this holds so true for retro music and this will be a new experience for me.
Kaushik: I’m honoured to be asked to play in the most prestigious club in the city
What’s retro rock to you and how does the Jiverz do it differently?
Sucheta: Retro rock to me is about the magic of relatable music. That spans and bridges generations. The Jiverz band composition is testimony to this. Also, having multiple vocalists in the band means we can do multi-part harmonies... more richness.
Tilak: Retro rock is my kind of music because being a man in his sixties I have grown up with it. And my band does it perfectly.
Kushal: Retro rock/classic rock has created such an impact that it will never fade away, no matter how many years and decades it crosses. The Jiverz connects emotionally with the music.
Ricardo: Retro rock to me is the kind of music my parents grew up listening to and hence I grew up listening to it. I’m eternally grateful to them for turning me on to retro rock. Jiverz is an amalgamation of people of all ages and generations and hence this group of people coming together to play retro rock is something never seen before.
Renfred: We have a fine balance between guitars, keyboards and percussions and their choice of retro numbers is spectacular across decades. I have heard these being played by my dad and, hopefully, my son too shall hear these timeless melodies when he grows up. Each member of the band is a unique musician.
Kaushik: Retro rock is not played by many bands in Calcutta and this music is very special and meaningful.
Which song is your favourite from the set list?
Sucheta: My favourite is Sultans of Swing (Dire Straits). The band plays it like pure gold.
Tilak: My personal favourite is Sultans of Swing.
Kushal: All the numbers are favourites but Dire Straits hold a special place in my heart.
Ricardo: My favourite is Always Somewhere (Scorpions).
Renfred: My favourite is Miss You (Rolling Stones) and, of course, Smooth Operator (Sade) our signature song where I play the saxophone.
Kaushik: I personally love the songs Give Me One Reason (Tracy Chapman) and Miss You (Rolling Stones) where there is great percussion in balance with some extraordinary guitaring.
Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits
Where do you see the Jiverz in the next few years?
Sucheta: Going to the moon, if all goes well
Tilak: I can see us touring the country, performing at bigger venues and to larger audiences soon. Maybe abroad too.
Kushal: Going out for concert tours.
Ricardo: Our band has immense potential and I see us going very far in the next few years.
Renfred: It has huge potential as very few bands play this kind of retro-rock.
Kaushik: I see Jiverz going to the very top across the country in the next few years.
Organiser Speak
"We are proud to host our own member Sayan Mukerji (on bass guitar) and his outstanding group on November 26 evening. I am expecting a large turnout, featuring the young and the young at heart. There will be great rock music, accompanied by a fantastic barbecue on the lawns. It’s entertainment for all age groups." — Nandini Ray, chairperson of entertainment subcommittee, The Bengal Club