Having been known to concoct a bluesy brew in the
North-Eastern part of the country, Rudy Wallang and
his band Soulmate have captivated audiences across
the country and other parts of the world as well. Yet, this
time around, his performance at Cohiba in Sinquerim
on Saturday, January 10, is one with a new twist.
Having shared the stage with award-winning
artists such as Carlos Santana, Buddy Guy, John
Mayall, Taj Mahal, Robert Randolph, Dana Fuchs
Band, Gary Clark Jr., Jimmy Thackeray and Shemekia
Copeland, Rudy’s new venture is far closer to his heart:
his family band.
As Rudy increased in popularity, those that sort to
emulate him and the music that he stood for increased
in number as well. In conversation, he shares “Several
young musicians approached me time and again, with
their need to learn the blues and wanted me to teach
them how. Now it’s an art form that is a bit imprecise.
There is no way to do it by merely sitting down and
learning scales and patterns. For starters, I don’t read
music. As an alternative, I put together this concept of a
band comprising young musicians who I could teach in
the process of playing alongside, thus imparting what I
have gleaned in my years of playing in different bands.”
This was the rough blue-print for The Rudy Wallang
Band, the artist’s new project. He adds “I believe
that this kind of interactive session will only boost
the learning process as it would be more practical
than just trying to play Blues scales all day. There is
more to music than just that. Why not also work at
composition?”
However, on their make-shift vacation, the Rudy
Wallang Band is taking a new approach. It will see a
familial twist as the Wallang family travels to Goa to
perform while simultaneously being on holiday. “This
is a great opportunity where I will have a chance to
play alongside as well as hang out with my children.
They are all musicians as well. While Leon is the bassist
for Soulmate, Andrea is part of a band called Lavender
Groove. It seems like a good fit,” he says.
This weekend, the band will focus on more than
just the Blues, with R&B, Soul and Reggae also finding
their space on the set-list. As things stand, the current
family band line-up is Rudy on guitar and vocals, his
son Leon on bass, his other son Vincent on drums and
his daughters Andrea and Elaine as well as his brother
Jeremy on vocals. Interestingly enough, Jeremy has
had a prior stint in Goa, playing football with Vasco
Sports Club. Maybe this time around, along with the
rest of the family band, he can help kick it on stage.
