Soulmate

Gimme A Key: Jagriti Festival of Western Music

Day 3: Soulmate- An intimate acoustic set

It might surprise many that music rooted in the blues finds expression in India. It’s even more surprising perhaps that the flag bearers on the blues in India come not from its sprawling metros but from a small north eastern city called Shillong. It is here that you’ll find India’s finest blues band, wilfully and happily oblivious of the country’s dominant soundscapes but at the same time enriching it with the triumphant sounds and grooves of the blues and blues derived rock, funk, soul and R&B. They call themselves SOULMATE and don’t bother asking them why they chose the blues because you ought to know better - ‘the blues chose them’. Soulmate was formed in October 2003 by Rudy Wallang and Tipriti Kharbangar and their sound is a sonic canvas grounded in Rudy’s elegant blues guitar that channels Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, Jimi Hendrix, Muddy Waters and the Three Kings but also embracing every sound that Tipriti’s extensive vocal range could accommodate, from Koko Taylor, Etta James and Nina Simone to the recent addition of the earthy sounds of Khasi folk music.

Rudy Wallang

Anyone with an interest in the western music scene in India will recognize Guitar player/Singer/Songwriter/ Rudy Wallang, who leads this tight-knit musical unit. Today, Rudy is one of the foremost Blues guitar players/singer/songwriters in the country with a long musical history of 38 years making and performing his music and having been part of the country’s most well-known blues-rock acts, Great Society & Mojo

Tipriti Kharbangar

The beautiful and talented Vocalist and Rhythm guitarist of Soulmate is Tipriti ‘Tips’ Kharbangar who has earned a name as one of the finest female singers to have emerged out of Shillong and India as a whole! If there is one thing Tip’s is happy doing, it is singing and reflecting this, she vocalizes with a joy and exuberance that is unmatched and original. She has also begun to write songs for the band as well. She started out singing gospel songs at the local church choir and is now drawn to the Blues, Soul and Jazz.