Photos: Kolkata Rings in World Music Day with the Blues

On June 21st, World Music Day brought together musicians of all kinds around the globe, as well as gigs across India that celebrated everyone from DJs to fusion artists to singer-songwriters. In Kolkata, however, the blues ruled the night at gig series Thursday Jazz Encounter.

At Phoenix Bar/Club, the Fender Blues Jam brought together Shillong bluesmen such as Rudy Wallang (from Soulmate), Rohan Ganguli (from rock act The Supersonics), Bodhisattwa Ghosh and blues/funk act The Arinjoy Trio, which included Arinjoy Sarkar, drummer Sounak Roy and bassist Aakash Ganguly.

Across a 14-song setlist that ranged from “All Along the Watchtower” to “I Gotta Keep What I Got” and “Big Legged Woman,” the Fender Blues jam was in full swing to a packed house who came to see the likes of Wallang sing and shred, as well as Ghosh’s turn from jazz to blues, on songs like “Crossfire” and “Tin Pan Alley.” The night closed with an all-star jam that got loud — paying tribute to evergreen blues party-starters such as “Johnny B Goode,” “Everyday I Have the Blues” and “Let the Good Times Roll.”

Photos: Margub Ali.