Maarten Visser, a legend within the Chennai jazz scene, believes that town has all the time beloved its music. “But today, it feels like it is craving a community,” he says.
When he performed a live performance stuffed with pixie jazz (an experiment by the duo envisioning music loved by pixies), to a packed viewers at Vinyl and Brew, a cafe in Alwarpet together with his frequent collaborator Holger Jetter on March 8, one may hear the occasional clank of cutlery. That is how focussed and quiet the viewers was. “What we played was not mainstream even within the jazz genre. The audience was cross-generational and cross-societal. Most importantly, they were an audience that was willing to receive,” he says.
Crowds at the cafe
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Vinyl and Brew has been the venue for a number of intimate performances like that of Marteen’s since they opened in 2024. Besides concerts, there are listening periods held of attention-grabbing bands with huge musicality. One day, the cafe has an occasion the place MS Subbulakshmi’s favorite songs are being mentioned. On one other, they try to decipher Exotica — a style that transports individuals to complete completely different, legendary worlds. The aura adjustments for every such gig. However, on most events, the lights are dim; chairs are pointed within the course of the artiste; telephones are silent; and even creaking chairs elicit disapproval. There is simply area for claps, hoots, realizing nods and sways to the music.
Ragu, who runs the espresso store, says that whereas espresso is the mainstay right here, the institution has been taking a music-forward strategy as a result of he likes listening to good music. “Today, music comes from the pocket but the sound from an LP and a vinyl record player is vastly different. Look at how beautiful it is,” he says as we hearken to Fleetwood Mac and Miles Davis in the course of the interview.
Maarten Visser
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Vinyl and Brew’s viewers is completely different from the one that attends the espresso store raves. The crowd right here is extra older millennial. It is one that seeks the quiet of a musical expertise. There are overlaps too although — many younger people frequent the cafe as vinyls have been making fairly the comeback not too long ago. A listening expertise with a number of different individuals who have comparable pursuits, is the most important take away of the expertise. Ragu says that many individuals who attend the listening periods begin off timidly, sitting in a nook. During subsequent conferences, they open up and shortly turn into a part of a group.
Vivek Ayer, one of many 4 founders of Alternation that hosted Maarten’s gig on Saturday says that he has additionally seen that individuals at this venue are keen to pay to hearken to good music. He hopes that many extra venues come up within the metropolis to assist artistes from right here. For now although, the very fact that the venue exists is sufficient.
Holger Jetter
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Maarten says that the March 8 occasion is a reminder. “Music is a collective experience. One is often carried by the audience. The divide falls off at some point and they are just as much a part of the set as I am,” he says. “It is nice to be in a place where musicians are seen,” he says.
Follow Vinyl and Brew on Instagram to enroll in the concerts and occasions @vinylandbrewindia.
Published – March 12, 2025 05:21 pm IST
