http://www.parakhi.com/blogs/2011/10/30/not-so-jazzy/
Not so Jazzy
By Saani | Published October 30, 2011
The annual Jazzmandu has come and gone and to be honest, I’m not sure why I go. I’ve attended at least one night of the festival every year for the past three years and I have a list of comments I’d like to make about the get together to musicians and lovers of music:
1) Where’s the jazz?
I appreciate the concept behind Jazzmandu, I just wish people would stop pretending it’s about Jazz. Every event that I’ve attended showcases a bit of rock, more of reggae, some music is trippy-trance, and there’s just the smallest snippet of jazz. Heck, it’s even gone as far as having tribal music from parts of India and other countries up on the stage too…and of course, there are some Nepali numbers.
My criticism isn’t with the breath of music because I enjoy being exposed to different styles of music from a variety of places, I don’t see why we don’t go and just call it a music festival?
I can’t tell if people aren’t sure what exactly constitutes as ‘jazz’ or if maybe there isn’t as many jazz jams in the Himalaya like we’d like to believe. Perhaps, maybe, it’s the Nepali mentality that says “A, bhaihalcha ni!”
Because as it stands, Jazzmandu is like having a Movie marathon where they end up showing music videos, and funny stuff from YouTube… kinda in the same field but not movies.
2) Who pays that much for momos?
As a necessary part of festivals, there comes the food factor. While tickets to attend Jazzmandu are above Rs 500 and even close to Rs 900 you think that’d include dinner and at least once drink if not an open bar – but it doesn’t.
Instead, you’re not allowed to take your own food in and what’s available for purchase is ridiculously priced. I don’t recall exactly what the numbers next to the food items were, all I know is that I ended up playing Rs 600 for one plate of momos (and they were out of aachar) and five pieces of not so well barbecued pork.
Really? Six-hundred rupees? Given how expensive Kathmandu has become it’s not shocking that I spent that much, but if I’d gone to an average restaurant around town I’d have got more goods in my belly.
And the drinks – not worth the money either.
3) Deja vu
My third big complaint about Jazzmandu – it feels the exact same every year. The same locations, most of the same performers, the same (overpriced) food, mostly the same people, the same vibe, all in all, the same experience. I have yet to find something that will compel me to go next year because it’s turning out to be an event where once is enough, and three times is enough to last me a lifetime.
Saani has no real goals and aspirations but she sees opportunity in everything and goes with the flow. This is probably because she loves exploring and discovering. She writes for fun but for the same reason she also cooks, reads, and spends a lot of time on random websites that offer a chance to learn all sorts of tid-bits on life.
http://www.parakhi.com/blogs/2011/10/30/not-so-jazzy/
