The Thomas Siffling Trio performs at the Palladian Lounge. Picture by Rashbehari Das

With a bassist who looks like Moby and a percussionist who reminds you of the Weezer frontman, the Thomas Siffling Trio — comprising Siffling on trumpet, Jens Loh on bass and Markus Faller on drums — bear an uncanny resemblance to New Orleans based jazz-funk jammers, Galactic. The look is unlikely for a jazz outfit, though. “Most look at us rather suspiciously. People are ready to accept classical musicians from Germany, but jazz? Not so much,” said Siffling, just before the trio’s rousing performance at The Palladian Lounge on November 26, organised in association with Goethe-Institut and Congo Square.

The trio, which is on a seven-city tour that includes Colombo, Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai and Calcutta, calls its sound “acoustic electronic groove music”. Siffling founded the label JAZZ’’ARTS in 2000 under which the trio’s last album, Kitchen Music, was brought out; an innovative, culinary arts-inspired album. The trio’s performance mostly included songs from its upcoming album, Cruisen. “Cruisen features music you would listen to while cruising in a car. This one’s inspired by famous racing car routes. So there’s one based on a route in Miami, one from France, one from Hungary,” smiled Siffling.

While Jens complained that they couldn’t bring the electronic equipment they normally use in performances, the audience at the Palladian Lounge cheered on and didn’t seem to mind.