The World: Red Baraat
& Gordon Grdina (by kp)
June 28, 2013 – Vogue
Theatre – 9pm
Red Baraat
Brooklyn based Red
Baraat is gaining increased notoriety since their formation in 2008 for their
electrifying brand of brassy bhangra funk that’s blowing audiences away in the
USA and all over the world. Their latest is Shruggy Ji (2013) and the next
album - Big Talk (packed with jams around the Shruggy Ji sessions) is slated
for release right about now. Mast Kalandar was recently called the best song of
the year so far at NPR. Suffice it to say these guys are on a roll.
Red Baraat at Pori, Finland Photo by: Markku Aberg
The band is led by Sunny
Jain (playing the traditional Punjabi drum called the dhol) – a musician I’ve
been hearing about for quite a few years now – he’s performed with our friend
Kiran Ahluwalia, as well as with songwriters such as Martha Wainwright and
Norah Jones plus he’s gigged extensively with jazz musicians as diverse as Joey
Baron, Kenny Barron and Marc Cary and if that’s not enough, Sunny is also the
drummer and dhol player in southeast Asia’s biggest rock band, Junoon.
An eight piece band that
features sousaphone, dhol, drums, percussion and 3 additional horns, their mash
up mixes infectious bhangra rhythms with a dollop of heavy funk, latin and hip
hop grooves that is nothing less than genre busting. If you’re a fan of New
Orleans Brass Band music - Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Soul Rebels, Rebirth – it
won’t be much of a stretch to get into the Red Baraat groove.
Red Baraat was one of
the top picks at this year’s SXSW 2013 (March in Austin) by many of the most
astute programmers in the world music milieu (such as Lincoln Center’s Bill
Bragin). I’ve been fortunate to hear them on a couple of occasions now – in
Brooklyn and notably at the Molde Jazz Festival (2010) and yes – it’s a thrill
to finally land them for a show at Van Jazz Fest! These guys have a well-established
reputation earned by their fiery live performances as one of the best party
bands on the scene. One more festival show that is not to be missed.
NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kQD1P0_KUs
Shruggy Ji at 9:30 Club,
Washington, DC http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjIO8BKk9nE
At the Kitchen, NYC http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d4jlO5ReHE&list=PLF5508FEAD713EC71&index=5
Live in New Orleans: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gqxg2WkWDec
Twitter: @RedBaraat
@SunnyDrums
Website: http://www.redbaraat.com/flash.html
Fest Info: http://www.coastaljazz.ca/artist/red_baraat
June 22, 2013 – The
Ironworks – 9pm
Gordon Grdina Trio with
special guest Colin Stetson
Gordon Grdina’s “Haram”
(double bill with Red Baraat)
I have to include a few
words about one of our favourite Vancouver bands and musicians. Guitarist Gordon
Grdina is one of those tireless musicians on the Vancouver scene, always bringing
it to every project that he’s involved with. There’s never any of the
complacency that might occasionally seep into geographically remote scenes such
as ours – situated in the far reaches of the Pacific Northwest or as some like
to call it - Cascadia.
Gord’s contributions
have manifested through his relentless and unwavering commitment to the music;
in part he’s been a catalyst and central figure in conveying a new energetic -
a renewed sense of engagement and enthusiasm that’s resulted in a diverse array
of musicians coming together in his various projects (in a variety of styles)
on the Vancouver scene. It’s an exciting time.
Gordon Grdina
Colin Stetson
This year’s Ironworks collaboration
with Gordon and Colin Stetson is among the most exciting to be found in the
festival’s recent years and is a logical follow up to his previous work with
Mats. Colin Stetson’s rep continues to blow up – his work with Bon Iver and
Arcade Fire certainly hasn’t hurt his profile - his first appearance at the
festival in 2011 resulted in a historic duo album with Mats Gustafsson
(released on Norway’s Rune Grammophon) that’s given him a leg up. His
performances at Winter Jazz / NYC in January of this year also attracted a ton
of positive attention. Did I mention that Stetson’s just a complete monster?
Thought so! So don’t miss this show – longtime Grdina co-conspirators Tommy
Babin and Kenton Loewen round out the band.
And Gordon – I haven’t
even mentioned that he’s also working with one of the best songwriter’s on the
scene – Vancouver’s Dan Mangan – in fact he’s a key cat in Dan’s band (along
with other Grdina associates – the Crackling’s Kenton Loewen etc).
Gordon Grdina's Haram
But that doesn’t tell
you anything about one of his most ambitious projects Haram. So briefly, formed
in 2008 (same as Red Baraat!) to perform some of the Arabic material he’d been
studying over the years, this band features his oud playing and brings together
disparate members of Vancouver’s well known creative music community – an all
star band in fact with Francois Houle, JP Carter, Jesse Zubot, Kenton Loewen,
Liam Macdonald, Emad Armoush, Tim Gerwig, Tommy Babin and Chris Kelly – that
represents indie rock, jazz, traditional Arabic and improve scenes.
Haram album (Songlines)
Although this is a
serious band – it’s also one of the most fun bands around. The repertoire is
vast; Egyptian radio music, Iraqui folk music and everything in between with
Grdina pushing the band full throttle into an expansive and modern - avant direction
that ignores boundaries and will challenge any preconceptions you might have
about what this music would or should sound like. I like to call it a middle-eastern
maelstrom. After all the definition of Haram is, “forbidden by Islamic law”. Grab
the incredible Songlines album and hit the show. Seriously folks – this double
bill with Haram and Red Baraat will be the world music juggernaut you’ve all
been waiting for.
Gordon on Songlines: http://www.songlines.com/hereyesilluminatecontent.html
Twitter: @gordongrdina
Festival Info: http://www.coastaljazz.ca/artist/gordon_grdinas_haram
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