VARIED ENSEMBLE: The Silk band members. Picture by Rashbehari Das

Almost a decade has passed since they came together, but they remain as enthusiastic about making new music as ever. Shankar Mahadevan, Anandam Sivamani, Shridhar Parthasarathy, Louiz Banks and Karl Peters of Silk were in the city recently as part of the Seagram 100 Pipers Legend Live 2006 tour, which will end with the group’s performance in Mumbai.

The premier fusion band combines Indian classical music with elements of jazz. “Sridhar and I bring to the band our classical roots, whereas Louiz and Karl come with their vast knowledge of jazz. Sivamani binds us together with interesting rhythms,” was how Mahadevan explained the contribution of each member to the band.

Mahadevan’s vocal virtuosity serves as the backbone of the Silk sound. Parthasarathy chips in with his mridangam. Sivamani creates music with just about anything — from the conventional cymbals to his biryani kadai.

“There is music in everything. You just need to tap into it,” asserted the experimental percussionist. “Who knows, maybe I’ll use these in my next album,” he added, fiddling with two ballpoint pens.

Peters, the band’s anchorman on bass, livens up Silk’s music with his funky, lyrical riffs with pianist Banks providing the jazz core.

For these musicians, it is all about making music that goes beyond barriers. “We wanted to step out of the classical tradition without damaging the boundaries of the individual genres,” said Parthasarathy. And with a varied ensemble of instruments, the band has done just that. “It is difficult to pin down our music to a particular genre,” stated Peters.

“Our music sounds new every time. Each of the members knows the core composition, the theme, but what we do around it is different every time we go on stage,” said Banks. “It is as if there are five painters and just one canvas. Each stroke is perceived differently by the others, who respond to it and magic is created. We just take cues from each other,” observed Mahadevan.

With just one album to its name, the band has “resolved” to spend more time in the studio. “As musicians, we are very disorganised. We come up with new tunes and rhythms whenever we are together and we always plan to put it together as an album, but somehow we don’t. So, we have vowed to get into a studio as soon as possible,” said Mahadevan.