Les Jeux Sont Funk – “Hum Tumhe”
Les Jeux Sont Funk takes their fascination with Indian films and adapts the song “Hum Tumhe” from the movie Qurbani in a style of their own. Bandleader Carlo Nardi notes that Bollywood music can absorb several musical styles while still maintaining a distinct musical footprint of its own. He cites music directors like R.D. Burman and Kalyanji-Anandji as masters of their craft who create captivating grooves while drawing upon regional modalities, folk music, and classical traditions. Furthering the concept of blending styles and taking liberties with arrangements, Les Jeux Sont Funk’s rendition of “Hum Tumhe” observes the soprano saxophone and guitar taking the place of the original synthesizer and vocal call-and-response section. The Trento, Italy-based group has garnered international attention receiving an invitation to perform at Arezzo Wave Love Festival which has become an institution in the Italian music scene and has garnered stateside airplay on KCRW (Los Angeles, CA), KNKX (Seattle, WA), and more.
“We – says Les Jeux Sont Funk – have been fascinated with Indian films, and especially with their music, for a long time. One of the things that strikes us to this day is how Bollywood music can absorb and mix different styles and traditions from all around the world while still being a thing in itself (while still maintaining an unmistakably Indian voice).
Music directors such as R.D. Burman, Shankar-Jaikishan, Bappi Lahiri, and Kalyanji-Anandji have hooked us with their capacity to create captivating grooves that confidently draw on local folk, popular and classical traditions as well as on funk, Latin and Arabic musics – a feat that was possible also thanks to the amazing skills of a regular group of performers in the vein of the Funk Brothers or the Wrecking Crew.”
“Hum Tumhe” is taken from the movie Qurbani (curiously a remake of the Italian/German “The Master Touch” starring Kirk Douglas). The soundtrack was composed by Gujarati duo Kalyanji-Anandji, who are quite known among world beat aficionados due to their killer music and their pioneeristic and peculiar use of synthesizers that have made their songs a cornucopia for samplers.
“Hum Tumhe” is a downbeat song with a mesmerizing line that in the original version is played on a synthesizer on acid (a clavioline perhaps?). In the verse, the synth interacts with the main vocals to create a call and response structure that we have rearranged for guitar and soprano saxophone.
Credits:
Carlo Nardi: electric guitar, organ, electric piano, tenor sax, percussion, tumbi
Maurizio Brugnara: Moog
Michele Bazzanella: electric bass
Lorenzo Sighel: soprano sax
Stefano Malchiodi: drums
Mixing: Carlo Nardi @ SoundMusicProduction
Audio mastering: Doug Krebs @ Doug Krebs Mastering
Artwork: Chris Ball @ Deep Groove Designs
Produced by Les Jeux Sont Funk
“Hum Tumhe”, released by Color Red on 29 April 2022. Track page on Color Red website.