Date(s): 24th July 2010 - 30th August 2010
Venue: Various UK Venues / festivals
Jaipur Kawa Brass Band - Sound the brass and the drum! Hailing from a long family lineage of musicians and sharing his life between Jaipur and Paris, Hameed Khan "Kawa", a tabla maestro and artistic director of Musafir, has known the sound of the brass band since his birth. In its native place, Rajasthan, the brass band is a feature of life itself. Exposed to different musical styles – jazz, Western traditional music, Indian music – Hameed developed the idea of creating a brass band of his own to present the fantastic sound of the Indian Brass Band. Read more in the full article.
He selected the most talented musicians from the best local bands of Rajasthan, with a repertoire blending popular themes from Bollywood films, traditional music of Rajasthan with its distinctive Gypsy sound, and even a touch of Hindustani classical music to create a sound which is individual and unexpected.
The melodies and songs are developed with much refinement, featuring virtuoso solos and dazzling improvisations on the clarinet and trumpet. The percussionists elaborate their fast and spontaneous playing with the sophisticated rhythms of India, providing counterpoint to the Gypsy danseuse, the fakir in his astonishing acts and of course the band itself.
Jaipur Kawa Brass Band has firmly established itself on the international music scene, and its performances include Roskilde Festival 2004, Dunya Festival, Mar de Musica, Forum des Cultures Barcelona 2004, Venice Carnival 2004, La Carnavalcade (Football World Cup in Paris), Expo Suisse 2002, Paléo Festival and Sfinsk Festival, as well as WDR and BBC Radio Three.
The JKBB debut UK tour in 2005 was a resounding success for promoters and audiences alike, with over 60 performances all across the country from The Isle of Skye down to Penzance; their four appearances on one day at Glastonbury Festival earned them an invitation to return for the whole weekend in 2007!
Performing with an amazing energy and humour both on stage and in a moving parade, the performers in this unique musical feast represent the soul of contemporary India.
Upcoming Appearances
24th Jul 2010 - Splendour Festival, Wollaston Park, Nottingham
25th Jul 2010 - Manchester Mela
31st Jul 2010 - Bristol Harbourside Festival
7th Aug 2010 - Edinburgh Mela
8th Aug 2010 - Edinburgh Mela
29th Aug 2010 - Belfast Mela
30th Aug 2010 - Devizes Carnival
