‘Bombay Acoustic People’(BAP) is the coming together of thoughts and ideas in a language of pure, earthy sonic vibration. It is more a concept than a band. The focus is creation of song, extracted from live acoustic conversations between different minds. That being said, the music is not random or open ended improvisation but is a tune that is accessible conceptually and experientially.
BAP is currently an acoustic guitar duo. Sankarshan Kini on steel-string(Whirling Kalapas,ex-Hipnotribe,Kailasa) and Anurag Shanker on nylon-string(Slow Down Clown,Caesar’s Palace). Writing together since early 2012 they are now showcasing BAP for the first time this festival season. The music and idea for the project was result of a few jams. Both Kini and Shanker were quick to identify a mutual quest for harmonic exploration through simple, organic tunes. The seeds were planted and in no time saplings started reaching for the sun. Professional musicians in the chaotic industry of Bombay, both Kini and Shanker found refreshing beauty and freshness in having grass-root level ideas evolve into unadulterated musical stories.
Why Acoustic?
There’s a thrill in producing pleasing sounds with instruments that function as naturally as nature herself. Listening to an acoustic instrument, more particularly a box guitar is akin to experiencing nature up-close, like raindrops falling upon your face. The full sonic range and appeal of these versatile instruments make them stand-alone story tellers, drenching a keen listener in emotion and feeling with no need for intrusive sonic enhancement or technical wizardry.
What you are listening to (‘BAP Sampler.mp3’) is a composite of excerpts from an ongoing dialogue between Kini and Shanker. These peaceful guitar songs for the soul coax earthy motifs, explore different textures, each song telling its own story through evolving moods.
BAP will expand and explore more avenues of the acoustic experience and spread out to more fresh thinking musicians and formats through travel and interaction. This will add to the flavor and dynamic of the music and take the exploration of harmonic music further and beyond.