D in Beaver’s ‘A to Z of Fusion Genres’ could also go to New York’s Red Baraat for pioneering the fusion music genre of ‘Dhol n Brass’.
The dhol in that phrase refers to the Punjabi drum and the rhythms of Bhangra music – played by Red Baraat’s founder and band leader Sunny Jain – who’s joined in percussion by a drum kit and a congas player.
Sunny Jain
The reference to brass is to brass 🙂 – homage to the sounds of New Orleans big-band jazz. Red Baraat has a five-piece-strong brass section.
All in all, the music these 8 musicians create is “a merging of hard-driving North Indian bhangra rhythms with elements of jazz, go-go, brass funk, and hip-hop”.
It’s mostly instrumental (their greatest strength) but some tracks have hip hop, Hindi and Punjabi vocals in the mix.
I caught 2 live Red Baraat shows in March while having the experience everyone who’s into incredible, diverse worldwide music wants to have – WOMADelaide.
The live experience was special; and the music unique enough to justify taking home the 2014 South Pacific Tour edition of their 2013 album Shuggy Ji.
No the effect of ‘Red Baraat in studio’ isn’t as powerful as hearing their percussion and brass battles live. But I keep going back to Shuggy Ji because brass instruments and the music made by them are my beloved – and this ensemble’s music has two trumpets, a saxophone, a trombone and a sousaphone doing their things. That brass-heavy focus is a rare treat in music.
Get a glimpse here of both the live and the studio versions of Red Baraat – with sample tracks from Shuggy Ji and videos of their 2 WOMADelaide 2014 shows…
‘Private Dancer’ – Shuggy Ji (2013)
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‘Apna Punjab Hove’ – Shuggy Ji (2013)
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You can get yourself a copy of Shuggy Ji and Red Baraat’s past albums plus Sunny Jain’s other musical projects direct from the artists through their Bandcamp site.
So then people, which ‘D’ is more up your musical alley – ‘Dancehall Electro Hip-Hop’ from P-Money and Gappy Ranks – or Red Baraat’s ‘Dhol n Brass’?
