The tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain returns to Dubai with an ensemble of maestros for Nirvana 2013 - a fusion concert that should take its audience on a breathtaking journey.
Nirvana 2013 will feature Zakir Hussain (tabla) alongside Edgar Meyer (upright bass), Béla Fleck (banjo), Upalappu Srinivas (mandolin) and Rakesh Chaurasia (flute).
The event
"This will be an experience unlike any other music collaboration Dubai has ever seen. It is a mix of the best of eastern classical and western jazz, folk, bluegrass and world fusion," says Gaurav Verma, the director of the RNH Group which is organising the concert. "Each musician is a maestro of his respective instrument. Among the five of them, they have over 43 Grammys and other major awards. They do not record together, so the music on the evening will be one-of-a-kind. It will be impromptu and improvised."
Backed by decades of performing live with a wide range of musicians, Hussain - whose brilliance with percussion has earned him a place as the most celebrated and recognised classical tabla player in the world - is known for his improvisation.
"It is important to bring freshness in one's performance. Innovation and improvisation are an integral part of the process, only then it is possible to present traditional art in a modern package," says Hussain.
What to expect?
"Dubai is a melting pot of numerous cultures. What better place to perform music that comprises a blend of world folk, classical and fusion?" asks Hussain. "What you will see on stage is entirely impromptu and an improvisation of our moods. It's a dialogue between us which depends on the audience's reaction to each piece."
"We played Dubai four years ago and are looking forward to coming back," says Fleck. "We have a brand new piece that we have only played once so far. It is very risky, fast and intricate, but with an easy beat to follow."
"Even after rehearsals, a lot of the pieces are improvised on the spot," Chaurasia says. "It gives that personal touch to it. It also shows the great rapport and comfort shared between artists which comes out on stage through music."
"Whenever we play on the stage, I draw inspiration from each musician and also the audience. Whatever we create on the stage is spontaneous and nothing is preplanned," adds Srinivas.
The maestros
Hussain - son of the legendary Indian tabla player Alla Rakha - started touring at the age of 12. Today, he performs up to 150 concerts a year and is widely regarded as the most proficient classical Indian percussionist in the world.
The American banjo player Fleck - considered one of the world's most inventive and skilled players - is credited with reinventing the image and the sound of his instrument. The recipient of 14 Grammys, Fleck has been nominated 30 times and in more different categories than anyone in Grammy history.
The bassist and composer Edgar Meyer began studying the bass at the age of 5 under the instruction of his father and has been hailed by The New Yorker as "the most remarkable virtuoso in the relatively unchronicled history of his instrument". Collaborations are a central part of Meyer's work.
"Edgar and Bela have been playing together since 1983, when they first jammed in front of the Häagen Dazs store in Aspen, Colorado," Hussain says, explaining how the Nirvana group of five came together. "They were approached by the Nashville Symphony to compose their double concerto for banjo and bass in 2004. They contacted me [to join them] and I agreed. [Now] we are looking forward to performing in Dubai along with U Srinivas and Rakesh Chaurasia."
Srinivas - a winner of the Padma Shri Award in 1998 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2010 - trained in the Carnatic musical tradition of Southern India. He plays the electric mandolin and has collaborated with John McLaughlin, Michael Nyman and Michael Brook.
Nephew of the flute maestro Hariprasad Chaurasia, Rakesh Chaurasia started playing as a child and has travelled the world many times over. Despite his experimental work, Rakesh's heart truly lies in classical music.
With the city's passion for music and entertainment, Zakir Hussain's Nirvana - comprising virtuosos of their respective instruments from East and West - is exactly what the doctor ordered.
The details
- The concert will be held tomorrow at Sheikh Rashid Hall, World Trade Centre, Dubai
- Doors open at 7.30pm and the concert begins at 9.30pm
-Children above the age of 5 are welcome
Ticket prices
There are five price levels: Platinum (Dh1,500), Diamond (Dh1,000), Gold (Dh500), Silver (Dh250) and Bronze (Dh150). Tickets can be purchased at www.timeouttickets.com, or from select EMAX and Spinneys (audio/video) outlets. For more information, call 055 578 6888
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Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net
Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.
Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.
A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.
Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.
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2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
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Stat of the day – 1,358 There were 1,358 days between Haris Sohail’s previous first-class match and his Test debut for Pakistan. The lack of practice in the multi-day format did not show, though, as the left-hander made an assured half-century to guide his side through a potentially damaging collapse.
The verdict As is the fashion of Test matches in this country, the draw feels like a dead-cert, before a clatter of wickets on the fourth afternoon puts either side on red alert. With Yasir Shah finding prodigious turn now, Pakistan will be confident of bowling Sri Lanka out. Whether they have enough time to do so and chase the runs required remains to be seen.
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Princeton
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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Some facts about bees:
The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
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As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
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In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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