Chicago-based Surabhi Ensemble taking its Global Peace Tour to India this month

By ERIC SCHELKOPF

 

After visiting Vietnam, Spain, Portugal, Senegal and Mexico in recent years, Chicago-based Surabhi Ensemble will take its Global Peace Tour to India this month.

I had the chance to talk to Surabhi Ensemble band leader Carlo Basile about the upcoming tour.

 

Q – Great talking to you again. Of course, Surabhi Ensemble's Global Peace Tour of India will begin on Dec. 17. What are you looking forward to the most from the upcoming tour?

 

Well, I’m glad to be taking our art to India finally. This was always a goal of the Surabhi Ensemble with four of the artists being born there. 

 

It’s also so divisive in the U.S. and I don’t mind taking a break from that and news stories, in general. 

 

But the best part is usually the people you meet in artistic circles and the new inspiration you may get for future work. 

 

Q – I understand Surabhi Ensemble will release an album based on the group's experiences from the tour. When do you plan to release the album and what should people expect from the album?

 

We have a very limited release of the Surabhi Ensemble "Respiro Libre" album to bring with us on the tour. We will mostly give that out free to folks who appreciate our music.

 

So, I think we will add a few tracks to that album and officially release all of it later next year. 

 

Q – I know the group has traveled to Vietnam, Spain, Portugal, Senegal and Mexico in recent years. Why is it important to you to bring the band's music to other countries?

 

Most of the artists in the group are world travelers and I think it’s fun to visit new places and see how different cultures respond to our original work. It’s been a really rewarding experience all around. 

 

 

We get such a positive response everywhere. Additionally, I think it’s important for folks around the globe to see the U.S. represented by such a diverse group of cultures with a message of peace and unity. 

 

Q – You have lent your talents to several groups over the years. It seems like there are many Chicago musicians who like to collaborate with other Chicago musicians. Is that one reason why the Chicago music scene is so strong?

 

Yes! Chicago seems to be just the right size and so diverse. Folks tend to be a bit more easy going than I have witnessed with some artists from LA or NYC. Maybe I’m just biased being born here? 

 

Q – It seems like you are always busy doing something, including running. Congratulations on qualifying for next year's Boston Marathon. 

 

Thanks! That was a BIG goal of mine.

 

I really focused on improving my form and training program. It worked! I’m working on a solo release for next year with the title (roughly translated from Spanish) of “Globetrotting Guitar.” 

 

Q – How did you develop a taste for running? As you are running, are you thinking up new musical arrangements?

 

So, during the pandemic, Bob Garrett (percussionist from Surabhi Ensemble) and I started running every day. I had been playing hockey and I think running felt like a good substitute.

 

Then I realized that running daily with the correct form and lower body weight really felt good! I was getting too old for hockey but I still wanted to compete.

 

So, now I run against the clock and I’m usually in the top 10% of my age group. Yes, when I run, I think about new ideas for music or I listen to other music to get ideas.

 

If I have newly recorded pieces of my playing, I might take those with me to listen for ways to improve. 

 

Q – And of course you and your wife operate a highly regarded hot dog stand in Chicago. That is something that runs in the family, right? Did your father Paul own the "Music Man Hot Dog Stand" in the 1970s at Amundsen Park in Chicago?  

 

That must make you and your wife Kim feel pretty good that Kim and Carlo's hot dog stand is so highly regarded. What do you try to do to make your hot dog stand stand out from others in the area?

 

Yes, that’s all true! But really, my wife is the driving force behind that business.

 

When I started doing music full-time about 25 years ago, she took over. Yes, the hotdog carts have been featured in the New York Times and on many TV series. 

 

 

I think because we have kept it small, Kim has been able to maintain a very high level of quality. We were also one of the first hotdog stands to sell vegetarian “Chicago Style” hotdogs in the 1990s!

 

Q – I understand that people can request ketchup to put on their hot dog, but if they do, they have to dance for it. Have you had many takers? Hopefully you have captured that on video. 

 

True, and always a few willing to dance. Those videos (if they do exist) are top secret!