A star-studded band

Gino Banks

Some bands function in such a way that one of the members takes the primary songwriting responsibilities, with the others building on the musical foundation he or she lays. But that's not the case with The All Star Band. It's a new act that will play its debut gig this weekend, and consists of four people who are at the top of their game as far as instrumentalists in Mumbai are concerned. They are Gino Banks (drums), Rhythm Shaw (guitar), Mohini Dey (bass) and Mark Hartsuch, an American saxophonist who's now based in the city.

Mohini Dey

Banks tells us that their repertoire consists of tracks that each of them has composed at some point or the other, which means that the songwriting duties have been equally divided. This lends their music an eclectic flavour, like a menu card at a restaurant that serves everything from Chinese to Indian, to Continental fare. "It's going to be a diverse set with varying tempos and moods," the drummer tells us, adding that the music can be bracketed as jazz-rock-fusion. "Jazz, because there will be heavy improvisation with advanced harmonies and complex rhythms. And then you have energy and power of a rock band, with us fusing Latin and Indian sounds into the mix," Banks explains.

Mark Hartsuch

He adds that he is also excited about the venue where the gig will be held, Rule 34 in Kandivali. The reason is that he usually plays gigs south of Andheri. "But this is deep inside the western suburbs, and a lot of people who live in the Malad-Borivali area find it difficult to commute too far. So, I am looking forward to the type of audience we'll get."

Rhythm Shaw

Coming back to the band, Banks says that the quartet has been practising in the house that Dey and Hartsuch share as a couple. He adds that they first want to play a lot more together to develop a cohesive feel, before writing and recording new songs that are in the vein of the Mahavishnu Orchestra's oeuvre. This gig is the first step towards that direction, and given each musician's proficiency, the deep-western suburbs are in for a treat.

On: February 26, 8 pm
At: Rule 34, Charkop Industrial Estate, Kandivali West
Call: 9324967629
Cost: Rs 1,000 (inclusive of Rs 400 as cover charge)