Confessions of two spoofaholics

Having a conversation with Jaazthee is like watching a stand-up comedy act. Perfect, considering they’re a Tamil humour band with pop and rock music woven in. “It’s not just pop-rock,” corrects ‘Darbuka’ Siva with a smirk, “It’s pop-corn and rock-muthu.” Don’t be confused. They’re just trying to coin a whole new genre while getting a laugh out of it. This is in tune with what Siva hopes the Jaazthee experience will be, when they debut on April 14. “I want each performance to be like a funny movie,” he explains, “More about the entertainment than the music.”‘Darbuka’ Siva is no stranger to the music scene, having played with groups like Yodhakaa and La Pongal. The other half of Jaazthee, however, is relatively a newcomer to this arena. Sean Roldan (who refuses to part with his real name), is a trained classical singer who has been performing at kutcheris from a tender age of six. In fact, Sean still actively performs at sabhas, albeit under his real name.  Asked what he does when he isn’t playing music, he responds in a mock whisper, “I’m with the CIA.” So, if you’re wondering what made these two musicians start a Tamil humour band, here it is: they simply can’t stop laughing at their own jokes.But it wasn’t all fun and games, Siva says. “I waited one-and-a-half years for Sean to finish his studies in order start Jaazthee.” He adds, “I knew he was the perfect fit for the Tamil comedy genre.” He must have fit perfectly because  few days ahead of their first show, the band already has an astonishing tally of 18 songs ready to go.“Our songs are about stupid things,” explains Siva. It is very hard to disagree. Try this one for example: An ode to a chicken right before it is about to be fried.In addition, quite a few of their songs are taken straight off famous Kollywood chartbusters, except with ‘modified’ lyrics. Their favourite is a spoof of Endhiran’s Arima Arima.Says Siva, “We don’t care if people think our songs are silly. For us, it is about cutting loose and having fun.” So will there be an album out soon? Siva responds thoughtfully, “Right now, we’re just excited to see how people will respond to our songs.” So don’t be surprised if you find them campaigning for ‘world piece’ (Yes, spelt that way), with images of Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa as a backdrop, at their show. “I guess Jaazthee is a band with some kind of madness,” mulls Siva. Sean admits with an exaggerated sigh, “Well, my mother already thinks I should be in an institution.” Jaazthee will play at the Alliance Francaise on April 14. For details, contact 9884214548