BY RUCHIRA GHOSH

An international fusion musical band, Josh has lately been creating ripples in and around the Dutch capital of Amsterdam. The name sounds strange, no? Well, it’s got to be because in Hindi (India’s lingua franca) it is synonymous with vim, vigour, vitality, euphoria and what have you. Still foxed? Well no worries, read on….

Josh is the brainchild of Irene Sarkar, a bio scientist cum professional singer who, until a few years ago was gaining popularity in her native Kolkata, India. Then she chucked it all up and enrolled for a Doctorate at a Norwegian university. A few years down the line she relocated to Utrecht, Netherlands. There she decided to get back to music. However, it was a rough ride. She searched for and connected with a good number of Indians (residing there) who were into musical performances. But that was not quite fruitful. Many among them were sceptical since they had very little idea about her musical innings in Kolkata. This was the status quo until one day a colleague of her spouse got talking about this immensely talented and seasoned guitarist Guido Van Der Sluis. Hearing this Irene who was on the lookout for an instrumentalist-cum-musical partner was filled with enthusiasm. Personal introduction and a couple of home visits later the two of them realized they could make music together. The guitarist went on to introduce her to three other fellow musicians – Bram Stoeken (Piano), Robert Kramer (Drums), and Bassist Dan Simon who is of American origin.

The teething problems 

For starts, hailing from different parts of the globe they used different tongues. For instance, it was Bangla and Hindi for Irene while the rest were more conversant in Dutch and English. Secondly, two of them had full-time jobs; others performed for many local bands and television. Secondly, their notation systems differed; hence it took time to evolve an acceptable one. Nevertheless, the foursome always managed to take out time for regular practice, often rehearsing rather late into the night. Josh’s Bassist Dan Simon chips in “We all feel like 4-year olds, trying to arrange Indian songs with Dutch/American musicians in Western genres!! But we are up for the challenge and we surely have our moments of laughter!!’’

Josh’s music

It is indeed a mind-boggling mélange, with all of them endeavouring to synchronize all elements into a harmonious whole. One will find some funky stuff, a bit of cha cha cha with a smattering of Jazz. To this, Irene the solitary (female) vocalist of the band adds Sanskrit shlokas (chantings) catchy numbers from Bollywood flicks besides some popular Bengali melodies.

The journey so far

For the local music freaks and aficionados, live performances by Josh were one-of-its kind, something they had never seen or heard before. Heretofore they were familiar with all Western or all-Indian bands. The fact that such a fusion or harmonious blend was possible delighted them no end and they grew eager for more music of this genre. A few months ago when the team gave a live performance in a hotel in Delft town, they received 

thunderous applause. However, after the initial euphoria, the band members did not let their hair down and relax. On the contrary, they geared up to perform even better during the Durga Puja (the iconic Bengali Hindu festival) which happened in late October this year. Their performance on Saptami (the 7th day of the new moon) at the Puja venue in Utrecht not only enthralled the Bengali Diaspora but also the teeming local populace. Renditions of ‘Rupang Dehi’ (Durga shloka), Prithibita naki, Boyesh Barle (hits from erstwhile Bangla band Mohiner Ghoraguli) et al turned out to be real crowd-pullers. In their turn, Irene recalls her band members were deeply touched, nay overwhelmed by the cordiality and warmth exuded by the (mainly) Indian audience. 

As of now, members of the fledgling band are not resting on their oars. Rather they are busy exploring and experimenting with diverse trends, styles and genres. They aim to reach out greater number of communities and foster an invisible bond through music. The journey has just begun…