KARACHI: It was sheer auditory delight listening to one of the finest modern-day pianists, Bugge Wesseltoft, play his heart out at Habib University on Friday evening. The musician is known, and revered, for infusing contemporary sensibility and uber-smart use of technology into compositions that are based on classical music. The gig last night, titled Ok Karachi, was no different. Perhaps it was, in an enchanting way though.

The concert’s title was a localised version of one of Bugge’s albums Ok World. It sounded appropriate considering the fact that a local musician, percussionist Gumby, ably accompanied the Norwegian pianist, especially when he played the drums with the kind of alacrity that’s associated with him. However, it was Bugge who impressed music buffs, Habib University students to be precise, as well as taught them a lesson or two on how creativity can help one bridge the gap, if there’s any, between modern and classical forms of art.

The concert kicked off with a lilting tune which immediately earned Bugge quite a few new admirers. The composition seamlessly moved from, not oscillated between, soft to plangent sounds, creating ambient notes, giving away hints of techno and a touch of jazz. The bottomline: it managed to woo the audience.

The second number was not entirely different, but it consolidated Bugge’s reputation as a die-hard music lover when an airplane flew over the venue (since the airport is nearby) and despite that the keyboard player did not lose his concentration; in fact, he played the keys with all the more vigorously.

The real fun (for the younger generation that is) began when Gumby moved to his usual drum set (he was earlier using a percussion which was different to spot from the last row). It also unleashed a different kind of Bugge. The tune was a bit jazzier and the very first drum roll elicited a cheerful response from the crowd.

The highlight of the show was the next track. It commenced with Gumby’s Bonzo-like drum solo that set the mood and tone for the composition, as Bugge shifted gears to produce a more synthesised sound where he assumed the role, somewhat, of a disc jockey. The result was fantastic. It was as if one was listening to industrial music (not industrial rock, by the way), as if it was inspired by a softer version of Trent Reznor. Obviously it was not. But the versatility of the composition compelled one to categorise the sound, largely created by a slinky melody and a thumping beat.

Next up was a tune involving vocals. Bugge’s chants, aided by soft, tingling keyboard notes lent variety to the whole gig. Only if the audience knew that it didn’t need to clap in the middle of a composition, it would have been doubly delightful.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play