Maestros in Fusion review – virtuosic Indian ensemble knit two traditions together

Royal Festival Hall, London
Six supremely talented jazz and classical instrumentalists, whose humility belies their mastery, show how malleable and moving their music can be

The weight of prodigious talent at this one-off concert, fusing legends from India’s classical and jazz fraternities, hangs heavy in the air. When the instrumentalists take to the stage, bowing with humility, they are met with rapturous applause that tapers into reverent silence. Louiz Banks, the “godfather of Indian jazz”, pierces the ether with three simple keyboard notes. Rakesh Chaurasia’s flute follows, meandering around the space. Ustad Zakir Hussain rubs his palms together, preparing to play his tabla. The microphone picks it up: a small shuffle, with a suspense that is almost Hitchcockian.

Hussain immediately exudes infectious charm, performing with childlike eagerness, but the set list is designed to foreground instrumental ingenuity. Within pieces, the maestros engage in jugalbandi, a call-and-response style improvised duet between two instruments, literally translating as “entwined twins”.