Concert/Reading:
4:30 – 6 pm
Donation: $5
Across-the-pond collaboration project I: a musical book reading
-manishamusic
-Tanuja Desai Hidier: “Born Confused” – a novel excerpt
manishamusic
Manisha Shahane – piano, vocals
Blake Newman – bass
Matthew Taylor – drums
The afternoon will open with a short set of manishamusic, Manisha’s project
of original songs. While accompanying herself on piano, she’ll be joined by
bassist Blake Newman and drummer Matthew Taylor. Writer and singer Tanuja
Desai Hidier will then read an excerpt from her first novel, *Born
Confused*. Following the reading, both singers will team up for a special
rendition of “Visionary,” a song written by Tanuja for the upcoming *Born
Confused* sound track. The program will wrap up with Q&A and book
signing/sale.
”BORN CONFUSED”
A Larry King pick-of-the-week, *Born Confused* (Scholastic Press; USA 2002;
UK, Australia 2003) was recently featured on CNN’s “Your World Today”, the
radio show “Voice of America”, as well as in the December 2002 Flying Starts
issue of Publisher’s Weekly. The book has also been named an American
Library Association Best Book for Young Adults Book of the Year. Set
largely in the context of New York City’s explosive bhangra/Asian
Underground club scene, the novel is a multicultural coming-of-age story
that follows Indian-American heroine Dimple Lala through a summer that turns
her world on its head. The book takes its title from ABCD, or American Born
Confused Desi, a slightly derogatory term that South Asians use to describe
these second generation Americans who are supposedly “confused” about their
South Asian background. (Desi is Hindi for “from my country.”) “With its
cross-generational appeal, this book will capture the heart of anyone who is
merging two or more cultures, or trying to understand the perspective of
someone who is,” says Shahane. Art and music as modes of self-exploration
are pervasive throughout *Born Confused*, making it a truly appropriate
reading for Zeitgeist Gallery.
At the suggestion of a common friend, Tanuja and Manisha met for the first
time last August on Portobello Road in London, where Tanuja is currently
based. Prior to moving to the UK, Tanuja lived in New York City, where she
worked as a writer/editor for magazines and web projects. Born in Boston
and raised in Springfield, MA, the author looks forward to returning to her
roots for this special program. To learn more about Tanuja Desai Hidier,
please visit http://www.ThisIsTanuja.com
Production: Manisha Shahane - manisha@manishamusic.com