Raagaverse releases Indo-jazz-fusion album at Fox Cabaret, May 9, and performs at Bollywood film May 16
Vocalist Shruti Ramani sings for the band that draws upon the raga
Raagaverse members Noah Franche Nolan (left; piano), Nicholas Bracewell (drums), Shruti Ramani (voice), and Jodi Proznick (bass).
The Fox Cabaret presents Raagaverse - Jaya Release Concert on May 9 at 7:30 pm, and the VIFF Centre hosts Raagaverse Plays Bollywood on May 16 at 8 pm as part of VIFF Live
RAAGAVERSE PLAYED ITS first concert as a full band at the Fox Cabaret in March 2022—and now, just over two years later, the Indo-jazz-fusion outfit is set to release its first album Jaya in concert back at the Fox Cabaret on May 9, marking a true full-circle moment.
The group’s sound draws upon the raga, the arrangement of musical notes that makes up the colourful, emotional, melodic framework of Indian classical music. Vocalist Shruti Ramani, pianist Noah Franche-Nolan, bassist Jodi Proznick, and drummer Nicholas Bracewell meld these ancient Hindustani melodies with dynamic jazz harmonies, drawing upon their diverse backgrounds to create a sound as groovy as it is heartfelt.
When Stir spoke to Ramani in March ahead of Raagaverse’s performance at the Kay Meek Arts Centre, she described “Saajan”, the first single from Jaya, as “a traditional composition that has then been adapted with the harmonic information of jazz”, noting that the tune is essentially “defying the rules of the raga”.
The group’s second single, a summery Bollywood bossa nova cover of “Khaabon Ke Parindey”, was released in February, and a rich string-infused third single, “Naina” (listen below) came out at the end of March.
After Raagaverse celebrates the full release of Jaya at the Fox Cabaret, it will put a fresh twist on its sound in another concert, Raagaverse Plays Bollywood, on May 16. Backing vocalist Kiarah O’Kane, trumpet player Thad Bailey-Mai, and percussionist Curtis Andrews will join in for a jazzy performance dedicated to vibrant Bollywood tunes, from classics by Lata Mangeshkar to modern hits by A.R. Rahman.
The evening will take place at the VIFF Centre’s Vancity Theatre, where audiences can enjoy the show from plush red-velvet seats while legendary Bollywood musical clips flash across the big screen. 
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