TORONTO: The grand annual Canadian Music Week (CMW) that ran from May 6-12, specially flew in India’s latest highly acclaimed rock band Parvaaz to perform at its festival this year.
Parvaaz is a Bengaluru-based band that was formed in 2010-2011 and their crowning achievement, as one of the members put it, was to be on the cover of The Rolling Stone magazine last year.
“Our early influences were Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Junoon,” said vocalist and guitarist Khalid Ahamed, a sentiment shared by all other members with Fidel Dsouza (bassist), adding “for me Everly Brothers also.”
As the evening wore on, one could actually feel Pink Floyd and Junoon influences in the band as all members put their heart and soul into showcasing their expertise in their art. One member of the audience actually pointed to Sachin Benandur (drummer), after he put on an amazing drum solo, and yelled, “Mr. Nick Mason(Pink Floyd’s drummer)!”.
As Mir Kashif Iqbal (also on guitar) and the other members joined in with their respective instruments, Iron Butterfly’s In-a-Gadda-da-Vida flashed through my mind.
On one of the songs, Fidel added a real lengthy intonated laugh to the music that totally brought Pink Floyd to mind.
Kashif excelled in his vocals, prompting an audience member to cry out “pura atma balidaan kar raha hai kala ke liye!” (Man, you are really sacrificing your soul for your art) to which Khalid replied: “it’s because of you guys!”
Despite having assimilated several international influences, the four members of Parvaaz have built their own unique expression that has often been described as one that transcends musical genres taking the listener to a universe that traverses folk, rock and psychedelia to a familiar yet new and elusive dimension.
Besides showcasing a countless number of bands at over 30 venues the Canadian Music Week also honours Canadian artists who have made outstanding contributions to the music and broadcasting industry.
At its grandiose gala evening on May 9, the Canadian Music and Broadcasting Industry Award (CMBIA) ceremony held at The Rebel in Toronto presented Canadian Robbie Robertson of The Band who toured with Bob Dylan in their early days with the Lifetime Achievement award for his contribution to music.
Robbie also has the distinction of having performed with other members of The Band at the fabled Woodstock festival in 1969 (50th anniversary celebrations are coming up) alongside a host of other granddaddy bands.
Hosted by Jessi Cruickshank, CMBIA also honoured the Gord Downie (Tragically Hip) and Chanie Wenjack Fund with the Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit award. Patrick Downie, Gord’s brother, showed up to accept the trophy.
Several other well known personalities were celebrated on CMBIA night including Brother Jake Edwards, Carmela Laurignano, Guy Brouillard, Michael McCarty, Steve Herman and numerous more. The presentation of distinctions was syncopated with performances from Logan Staats, 54:40, Jonathan Butler, The Indigenous Youth Hand Drum Group and the McCarty Band featuring members of Billy Talent, Alexisonfire and Three Days Grace.
Mississauga based Ian D’sa (of Goan origin) of Billy Talent, who won the “Legends of Live” award last year, also delivered his guitar expertise at the CMBIA gala.
The following day, on May 10, CMW honoured Mississauga’s very own power trio Triumph with its highly esteemed “Legends of Live” award at a splendid affair held at Sheraton Hotel in Toronto.
Triumph is classic rock royalty that has its roots in Mississauga from back in 1975 and comprises of drummer Gil Moore, bassist and keyboardist Mike Levine and guitarist Rik Emmett.
Gil Moore also runs a Metalworks recording studio in Mississauga where an exhaustive list of rock icons from around the world have recorded their songs. Gil also runs Metalworks Institute that also shared the CMBIA Music School of the Year citation with Fanshawe College in London, Ontario. Gil and Metalworks will partner this year with Mosaic, the kohinoor of South Asian festivals in Mississauga, for their Rock the Coliseum component.
Another super energetic Canada-based band, “Delhi to Dublin”, comprising of members of South Asian origin also performed at CMW.
READ ALSO: Blues legend Lucky Peterson kicks off Kitchener Blues Festival party
