By ERIC SCHELKOPF
After returning from a successful tour to India, members of Chicago-based Surabhi Ensemble and Las Guitarras de España will come together in October for a global music and dance performance that will feature new music.
The new album, "Guitarra Trotamundos" or “Globe Trotting Guitar,” celebrates years of teaching and performing in countries such as Vietnam, Spain, Portugal, Senegal, Mexico and India. The title is also a nod to the members of Surabhi Ensemble, who have taken to jogging in various places, including recent appearances in the Mumbai and Boston Marathons.
To celebrate the release of the album, Surabhi Ensemble and Las Guitarras de España will perform Oct. 6 at City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph St., Chicago. The evening will also feature several special guests.
The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are available at citywinery.com/chicago.
I had the chance to talk to band leader and musician Carlo Basile about the show.
Q – Great talking to you again. The last
time we spoke, the Surabhi Ensemble was about to embark on its Global
Peace Tour of India. I understand it was always a goal of the Surabhi
Ensemble to tour India, especially since four of the members were born
there. How was the tour and did it live up to your expectations or
exceed them?
Hi! Nice to chat again. I’m glad to
report that our overall experience greatly exceeded expectations!
Global
travel is hard. We experienced a few injuries (more on that later),
missed flights and had some typical travel drama, but the concerts were
all very well received and the hosts were so kind and welcoming.
For
example, in Rajpipla, Gujarat, we had more than 2,000 people come to an
outdoor performance as the Prince of Gujarat welcomed us with a live
marching band and official ceremony.
It was amazing, unexpected and
unforgettable!
Q – And now Surabhi Ensemble and Las
Guitarras de España will perform at City Winery in Chicago on Oct. 6 to
celebrate the release of “Guitarra Trotamundos.” What goals did you have
for the album?
To be honest, I just wanted to gather
some new and old friends to make an album which celebrates a few
things…global friendships, my turning 60 years old, and continuing to
run marathons at this age!
It’s a vanity project for sure, but there are
some creative moments in the new pieces, as well.
Q – Do you have any favorite tracks on the album?
Yes, there is so much diversity in
general, which may not be a popular word politically, but I am glad that
we have about seven languages represented on the tracks.
My favorites
are "Malifarka," "Gli Anni Sono Brevi," "Kapi," and "Vencerá."
Q – Music brings people together. It does
seem like the country is more divided than ever. Do you hope that
“Guitarra Trotamundos” will help teach people about other cultures and
perhaps help to bring people together?
Of course, always. But folks have got
to figure things out for themselves.
How far do we want to take
nationalism and narcissism? I think we are finally starting to see some
push back.
Hopefully our work and the ideas of togetherness will come
back in fashion soon…I hope!
Q – I know you competed in your first
Boston Marathon in April and that you qualified for next year's Boston
Marathon. Are you happy with how you did and do you plan to participate
again next year?
Thanks! That was a HUGE bucket list
item. It went well, but I’ll run the Chicago Marathon in a few weeks and
see what my time is.
I’m aiming for under 3 hours 40 minutes because
Chicago has now adopted a tougher qualifier than Boston.
I’m going to
run in the desert this February, so I’ll skip Boston in 2026.
I’ll likely
return, but I would love to run in Berlin and Tokyo next.
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