The story of jazz in Nepal cannot be told without the story of Cadenza. Cadenza started experimenting with jazz in 1998 while playing regular gigs around Kathmandu Valley, breaking the mold in a city then dominated by rock bands playing popular covers. As the house band at Jazz Upstairs, Kathmandu’s first jazz club, the band evolved from a jam band experimenting with jazz to a mature collective of musicians whose influence and teaching has been seminal to Kathmandu’s improvised-music scene.


An eclectic mix of Jazz, Afro–Nepali funk, and Nepali folk influences drives the band’s sound. Cadenza is also famous for spearheading musical collaboration between Nepali classical and international jazz musicians. The band has continued to evolve and mature over the years with new personnel, new travels and new musical collaborations adding ever more diversity to their unique sound. This year Cadenza Collective was nominated in 5 categories for the Nepal Hits FM Music Awards, and won Best Pop/Rock Composition for their song “Namaste”, and Best Pop/Rock Album of the Year for their album, “Back to the Roots”.

Navin Chettri – vocals/ drums

Pravin Chettri – saxophone

Inap Shrestha – saxophone

Rajat Rai – guitar

Samir Chettri – bass
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