We head out into the rain looking for another bar. Another upstairs room, another live band, a packed, smoky club, and this time the band doesn’t sound half bad. Any band is only ever as good as its drummer, and this one is surprisingly good. In the bio i pick up from the table he lists Vinnie Colaiuta, my erstwhile trapsman, as his main influence. I am duly impressed. The jazz-funk of the five piece vibes up the room nicely, and after a few Nepalese vodkas I am in the zone, although one of my fingers of my left hand is throbbing painfully.
Sting, Mens Journal 2003
http://www.sting.com/news/article/135
‘Navin Chhettri seems a quiet, unassuming man, wearing his stocking cap, soft goatee, and wide-eyed but laid-back expression. But talking about jazz lights a fire in his eyes, and he could go on all night. This burning passion shows in his work. Navin is not only the sole remaining founding member of Kathmandu’s premier jazz ensemble Cadenza; he is also one of the main moving forces behind Jazzmandu, the yearly festival that has put Kathmandu on the jazz map of the world.’
Susal Jane Dunipace, ECS Magazine Aug.23.2010
http://ecs.com.np/features/the-spirit-of-jazz-in-kathmandu
‘Cadenza sure know how to have fun. Anyone familiar with Nepal’s first consistent jazz band will testify to the group’s ability to concoct the sublime out of the ordinary. It is their energy that has conceived a jazz scene in Kathmandu and given Nepalis opportunity to be within touching distance of greats like Trilok Gurtu and Ari Hoenig.’
Sunir Pandey, Nepali Times 21 – 27 February , 2014
http://nepalitimes.com/article/review/Dance-with-abandon,1148
‘Few people in Kathmandu listened to jazz before the arrival of Cadenza.Little by little, this band has won over fans from all walks of life, and today enjoys a considerable following among locals and expatriates alike. It can be said that Cadenza brought jazz to Nepal in the true sense of the word.’
Roshan Gurung, ECS Magazine Jul.20.2010
http://ecs.com.np/local-listening/groove-for-shiva
“Cadenza converts new people to the joys of improvised music that’s both funked up and cerebral.” –Nepali Times, Nepal, 2001
http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/nepalitimes/pdf/Nepali_Times_064.pdf“
Scintillating Acid Jazz by a cohesive group” –NQC Jazz Inc, Australia 2000
“Cadenza, in my opinion, revived jazz to our side of the world” – Tsering Choden, Wave Magazine, Nepal
“These guys can outfunk and outjazz anybody on the planet.” – Rock Street Journal, India