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THE BEATS OF BHANGRA
“Bhangra” is perhaps one of India's most potent exports to the West. What started out as a folk music in Punjab, has now managed to make the world dance to its tune. Since the 15th century “Bhangra” has celebrated the harvest season. The music centers on the heavy beat of the double-barreled drum called the “Dhol”. The lilting and fast-tempo beats of the “Dhol”, entwined with the singing of traditional folk songs, have allowed “Bhangra” to
travel through the centuries and transcend musical and language barriers.
With elements of romance, dance and illuminating voices interspersed with the potent beat driven rhythms the music possesses a certain glow. Now, a range of music styles, including Reggae, Rap and Hip-Hop, is influencing “Bhangra” and its pulsing beats are becoming indistinguishable from Western pop music. It's a fusion that's making music across the globe.
ALL JAZZED UP
Place a saxophone alongside the Sitar and Tabla…Viola you have Indo-Jazz fusion. It mixes Jazz and Indian classical music to form an exotic blend. The origin of Indo-Jazz goes back to the fifties when two American musicians, John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy began looking at Indian music to infuse life into a stagnating jazz language. Then in the early sixties, Kolkata-born composer and violinist John Mayer and London-based Jamaican musician Joe Harriott added color to the genre. But it really peaked in the early seventies with the arrival of John McLaughlin and his Mahavishnu and Shakti bands. But now a new generation has taken over.
Salil Mohan Bhatt is following the example of father Vishwa Mohan Bhatt whose “Jugalbandi” (rendition in cohesion) with American-Spanish guitarist Ry Cooder resulted in the 1993 Grammy-winning album, Meeting by the River. Salil has teamed up with Mexican guitarist David Herdalgo. In New York, Nitin Sawhney has re-invented the concept of fusion. Though his interpretation is more Indian soul than just instruments. And then there is Trilok Gurtu, one of the world's best-known jazz percussionists and Indo-jazz fusion creators.
3). INDIA ROCKS
ROCK N' ROLL
Now whoever said India exists nowhere in the Rock map, eat your heart out, because it's alive and kicking here. Power-packed earth-quaking compilations---but very Indian, incorporating elements of Indian music and mainstream rock. A number of bands all over the country are screaming to be heard. From
Calicut to Mumbai to West Garo in the Northeast, bands from far-flurry corners of the country are making their presence felt. Orange Street from Delhi, the hair-raising Moksha from Chennai, Suri Sequeira from Goa, Thermal & Quarter from Bangalore, Nightmare On Elm Street from Delhi, Cusp from Mumbai and Delhi-based
Canzona are bands hot on the rock circuit. There's no dearth of talent in the country. There's a thriving college rock scene happening in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Goa and the Northeast. And then are the grand old papas of Indian rock-Indus Creed, Parikrama, Indian Ocean, Bhoomi, Pentagram, Chandrabindu and Gary Lawyer. Musicians of Indian origin have been rocking the international music scene for years now. Be it Freddie Mercury or Farrokh Balsara of Queen, Kim Thayil of Soundgarden, No Doubt's Tony Kanal or
Dave Baksh of Sum 41- they are all made in India. (We are proud to claim their Indian genes once they make it in western countries …oops!)
INDIAN FUNK
Indian Funk is also rocking the charts. It’s a style of rock and roll which is sometimes blurred into the realms of pop and other genres. The genre infuses elements from Rap, Reggae, Pop, and dance genres. Bands such as Swami, Asian Dub Foundation use elements of British garage music, Bhangra and hip-hop. It relies on a heavy dose of synthesizers, rap vocals and turntables.
Rudra, the Indian Singaporean band, has pioneered a genre of music with its style of 'Vedic metal'. It’s an exotic mix of Vedic lyrics with shades of Indian classical music…woven around Hindu themes. |
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