Chennai’s Karthick Iyer Live is heading to North America for their IndoSoul Tour. There will only be a handful of unique shows and Markham has lucked out as one of the band’s destinations.

On July 23^rd they will play the Flato Markham Theatre with proceeds from the show going toward the Ideal Hope Foundation’s Build Basics Program. The band is led by soulful singer and violinist Karthick Iyer, a former software engineer who has never looked back after making the decision to choose music as his career.

Karthick started receiving vocal and violin training at 8 years old and now has over 20 years of experience with classical Carnatic music. He has worked in the Indian film industry with the likes of D. Imman and Devi Sri Prasad and cites his inspirations as being as diverse as Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Illayaraja and A. R. Rahman.

With such a wide array of experiences and influences it’s little wonder that Karthick would form a group that weaves together existing genres in new and increasingly beautiful ways.

“The Indian civilization has stood the test of time, welcoming and absorbing numerous cultures along the way – reinventing itself with every addition, but never losing its depth. In a similar vein, IndoSoul goes beyond the confines of genre, seeks out and welcomes other musical influences—while retaining its core identity of Indianness” – Karthick Iyer.

The band includes the sensational talents of mridangist Sumesh Narayanan, guitarist Vikram Vivekanand, Naveen Napier on the bass guitar and drummer Ramkumar Kanakarajan. Collaborating regularly with other artists, they break down superficial barriers between instruments, cultures and languages to bring out the harmonies that define IndoSoul.

As they experiment they break moulds, without distorting the parts they play with, inspiring listeners to appreciate music and genres they might never have come to on their own.

“Much of the structure of the compositions emerges during our casual and serious jam sessions. It’s during these exchanges we find our groove, learn to be accommodative and improvise,” – Naveen Napier.

The July 23^rd show will see the band play with local artists and support Build Basics, a unique component of the Build Haven Program and the Sampur Settlement Project. Through Build Haven a new home is being built in Sri Lanka, and other developing nations, for every home purchased from Ideal Developments.

Meanwhile the Sampur Settlement Project, led by the Canadian Tamil Congress, is constructing 41 homes for families with women as the heads of their households. Many of these women are widows of the war and all of them have taken on the dual role of being breadwinner for the family and caregiver for their children.

Build Basics will support beneficiaries of Build Haven and Sampur Settlement in Sri Lanka by building and providing access to basic needs for each home like toilets, water facilities and electricity. With construction on 54 homes now complete, and another 47 are on the way, Ideal Hope is committed to ensuring that these communities not only survive, but that they thrive.

Karthick Iyer Live’s Markham show will be a celebration of innovative music and the possibilities that lie ahead when seemingly unlikely collaborators come together to create something powerful. Purchase your tickets here.