Penn Pehchaan

Masala Men. (HNI)

The world’s premier Hindi a cappella group, Penn Masala, brought a full-capacity crowd to its feet last Saturday night at the University of Pennsylvania in West Philadelphia. The men treated 1,200 fans, packed into Irvine Auditorium, to timeless classics (like the desi anthem Mere Sapno Ki Rani) and fresh tracks (their reinterpretation of this year’s runaway hit Tere Bin was goosebump-inducing like you don’t even know).

The concert marked the launch of Pehchaan, Masala’s latest and perhaps most successful album: A highly effective mix of their trademark playful buoyancy, with an increasingly mature, aching soulfulness (if you don’t feel the brilliantly remastered Aankhon Mein Tu Hai racing under your skin, rippling through your spirit, get your pulse checked).

I remember going to my first Penn Masala concert six years ago; ambivalent, definitely not aware of what I was in for (you’ve seen one college a cappella performance, you’ve seen them all, right? Yawn.). But as I sat perched up on the second floor and leaned into the cold iron railing of the balcony, I heard something so unique, so inspired, it transfixed me.

I haven’t missed a single home concert since.

Read the rest of this entry »

Soundfest 2007

NYC’s Asian American Arts Alliance has just announced plans to host its first ever Soundfest—an “all-day outdoor music festival” that will feature up-and-coming Asian American musicians.

To be held in Manhattan this August, Soundfest hopes to spotlight different genres and musical traditions that will speak to the inter-generational, multicultural Asian/American experience. Festival director Ujju Aggarwal tells Nirali: “There really haven’t been many vehicles to bring together our community in New York City.”

Submissions should be sent by April 30 to Ms. Aggarwal at the Asian American Arts Alliance, 155 Avenue of the Americas, 6th Floor, NY, NY 10013.

Junoon Jammin

Salman Ahmad

Salman Ahmad, lead guitarist for the Pakistani rock group Junoon, will be performing this Friday night in New York City.

Ahmad, who is a doctor, speaks publicly and often about the need for peace in South Asia (“India and Pakistan constitute one fifth of humanity and the conflict that we have continued to harbor over the last half century has stunted the growth of people”).

The rocker is also a goodwill ambassador for the UN, and a spokesperson for UNAIDS (the joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS).

Tomorrow night, Ahmad will be performing selections from his latest solo album Infiniti. For ticketing and other information, visit the Asia Society, or call the box office directly at: (212) 517-ASIA.

More:
Junoon online

It’s In His Hair

Sanjaya’s styles: “Andy Gibb,” Bad Hair Day, “Paula”/”Rachel,” “Sathya Sai Baba” (americanidol.com)

Sanjaya Malakar has made it through another week on American Idol, another week of negative comments from the judges, another week of changing hairstyles. While his fellow contestant Brandon Rogers was voted off on Wednesday night, 17-year-old Sanjaya managed to garner enough votes to go to the next round of competition.

How does Sanjaya do it? E! News reports that votefortheworst.com, the anti-Idol site endorsing him as having the weakest vocals in the competition, may have played a part. “As soon as Malakar was declared safe Wednesday night, Vote for the Worst credited its minions for prolonging his survival.” (“Idol Says Buh-Bye to Brandon“)

Another reason may be the hair. Like Samson, Sanjaya seems to draw strength from it. Fans of his look may constitute a voting block that has successfully kept him on the show so far. His ever-changing hairstyles suggest that he carefully cultivates and caters to this constituency. How far his coiffure will carry him remains to be seen.

Come Away With Her

Not Too Late. NorahJones.Com

Norah Jones’s third/latest album Not Too Late has, like her previous two, debuted at number one on the Billboard charts.

In this week’s issue of TIME magazine, Jones opens up about collaborating musically with her boyfriend (“We’ve been joined at the hip for almost seven years, so there’s no need to mask our criticisms”), this season’s American Idol (“It really is entertaining”) and how she feels about Dolly Parton (“Dolly’s adorable and hilarious, and she just sings her butt off”).

Of her latest venture–a lead role in the upcoming Wong Kar Wai film My Blueberry Nights–Jones says she was initially very nervous.

“I…had no idea who else would be in (the film). I just figured…it was a little indie movie. All of a sudden it was Natalie Portman, Rachel Weisz, David Strathairn and Jude Law, and it’s like, ‘Oh Crap, what’d I get myself into?’”

Raga and Rhythym

A new music group named vidyA merges Carnatic music and jazz into a singular listening experience. Playing tonight and through May as Artist-in-Residence at the Red Poppy Art House in San Francisco, vidyA has been selected by The SF Chronicle for its Bay Area jazz recommendations for 2007. The sound is a unique combination of jazz soul and raga melody.

VidyA brings together a number of distinctive backgrounds and talents. Saxophonist Prasant Radhakrishnan, who released his album “Duality” in 2004, leads the Carnatic Jazz ensemble. Gautam Tejas Ganeshan plays violin. He is founder/director of the Sangati Center for South Asian music and arts. Sameer Gupta on drums and David Ewell on string bass have played with a number of acclaimed jazz musicians in improvisational ensembles The Supplicants and Marc Cary’s Focus Trio.

Tonight’s performance (6:30pm, suggested donation $10) features an interactive Q & A session, where the musicians will answer questions about merging musical styles, exploring improvisational strategies, influences and compositional approach.

More:
“Ascent” (mp3) (video)

Your Dil Is In The Right Place

YOURDil Members Moonlight As Models (Not Really)

New Yorkers! Plan to jump start the weekend next Wednesday night at Element, where Karsh Kale will be holding down the decks for a good cause (fighting illiteracy in Pakistan).

Tickets to the club event are $20 if you buy now ($25 at the door). All proceeds will be donated to YOUR DIL (Youth Outreach, Developments in Literacy) a nonprofit that works to support the disenfranchised, impoverished children of Pakistan–mostly by rebuilding the schools destroyed by the earthquake two years ago.

Can’t make it? Go here to contribute.

More:
Element Nightclub
YOUR DIL projects

Swati: Singer, Songwriter, Guitarist

Swati (bluhammock music)

Trading in the trombone for the guitar, acoustic rock artist Swati Sharma abandoned the world of classical music after a debut performance at Carnegie Hall in favor of exploring her own singing, songwriting and guitar playing. The NYC native managed nightclub Nightingale’s, immersed herself in the lower east side music and arts scene and played to Knitting Factory and Lilith Fair audiences.

Even though her lyrics don’t necessarily invite radio play (e.g., the mofo track on her myspace page), her music has been featured on KCRW’s “Brave New World.” She plays again at this year’s SXSW.

Approaching songwriting and performing as catharsis, Swati, who goes by her first name, describes being on stage: “When I see a stranger who feels what I feel, the emptiness and loneliness are completely gone.” Her percussive acoustic guitar technique and textured vocals combine to create a sound that has been described as “muscular and delicate.”

With her independent debut album “Small Gods” completed and available 4/17 from Bluhammock Music, Swati is now touring throughout the U.S.

More:
Swati
“2 O’Clock in the A.M.”

Update:
Billboard’s review of Swati’s new album:

“First name basis: the sweet sadness of Swati,” New York singer/songwriter takes the long road to success by releasing debut album at 34 years old
“Out Singer-Songwriter Swati on ‘Small Gods’”

Iron Maiden In India

WikiMedia.Org

Metal band Iron Maiden is weeks away from visiting India where they will perform at the Bangalore Palace.

The group, best known for songs like “The Number of the Beast” and “Run to the Hills,” will hit the Palace on March 17, becoming the first “major” heavy metal/rock band to perform in India.

“To say we’re all really looking forward to going to Bangalore is something of an understatement. It’s very special to us to be able to play to new fans in countries we’ve never been to before,” band-frontman Bruce Dickinson told reporters. “We hear the Indian fans are very loud and into their metal.”

Iron Maiden will be touring in promotion of the group’s new album Matter of Life and Death.

I Want My MTV

Pink Slip-Time for MTV Desi? (MTVDesi.Com)

Rumor has it MTV World (home to MTV Desi, MTV Chi, and MTVK) is the latest victim of the firing frenzy at Viacom.

If reports are to be believed, the plug is being pulled completely on the channels. The “Classics Department” at VH1 has also recently been on the chopping block. MTVu will, however, remain relatively intact.