Nayan ji

Last night we went to hear Nayan play for the first time. It was a concert held by a local group of Tabla fanatics who have a special concert each month. Apparently they had been waiting for Nayan to perform for them for 2 years. We arrived to the hall (which was actually a dilapidated kind of karate center or something...) in time to hear the end of the opening set. There were about 150-200 people sitting on the floor listening. The guy sitting on stage was quite good and Jesse and I eyed each other at least once like, "not bad!" Then there was a break in which Jesse set up his recording gear and the audience, 98% men, ate cookies and drank chai. Then Nayan got on stage in his pure white kurta and seemed to me to be truly glowing. This was a tabla concert, which means that there is a very basic drone kind of melody repeating itself over and over played by a sarangi (indian bowed instrument) and harmonium. The tabla then solos over this basic rhythm and melody. Finally we really got a taste of the guru's ability. The speed at which this man can move his fingers in rhythm seems almost unnatural. Not only that, but he gives you the entire piece in words, moving his tongue at that crazy speed and then duplicates it on the drum. The amount of material he knows and the precision with which he plays is incredible. At times I felt a bit out of the loop when the entire audience piped in on the one beat (which I cannot yet follow). But that's what happens when you're in a room full of people who are obssesed for years with something you have only begun to study. The recording jesse did sounds pretty good and Nayan may consider releasing it. That would be cool.
We recently found a really great restaurant in a nearby neighborhood. I don't know if I can describe the tastes but we are very fond of it. Our lives consist of sleeping, eating , and music. so eating is one third of the excitement.
tomorrow we're going with merlin to a gig at some resort a few hours away. Then on Sunday we're going to Goa for a few days. Jesse is doing some recording for some friends' movie soundtrack. Finally we'll get out of the city a bit which I am very eager about. I'm looking forward to some fresh air.