#tablapusher

[jugalbandhi]

Bandish Projekt is ROCKIN' LA!

This has been a great music week for us here at Mishthi and one of the highlights is that we got to witness DJ, composer, producer Bandish Projekt aka Mayur Narvekar work his magic right in front of us at #MehfilMassive.  He takes being a multi-instrumentalist to new heights. We also going to "sit down" with Mayur for a short interview.  He couldn't be a nicer, more down to earth, humble artist.  

This is Bandish Projekt/Mayur's first trip to the U.S. and luckily--he's performing again. If you live in LA --DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW.  

Thank you, Mayur- for siting down with Mishthi Music and for sharing your amazing talent.  

What inspires you and your music?

  I have been practicing Indian Classical tabla since the age of 3, a lot of my sounds are based around Indian classical "bandish", which means "composition" in Hindi. I have a deep love for electronic music, especially from innovators like trentemoller and Squarepusher, who inspire me tremendously. Some of my current favorites include Koan Sounds and Flying Lotus.  Most importantly, though, I am always inspired by my surroundings, Nature, Art, cultures, and meeting people from around the world.   

  We're assuming you'll be remixing South Asian religious texts at Mehfil Massive, what can we expect to hear? Does religion play a role in your music?

  Music is my religion.

My performance is a collaboration with LA based Poet Amarnath Ravva, whose book is being released by Kaya Press at the event. It's a gorgeous visual and literary work, and during our performance, I will be triggering ambient sounds and playing tabla live. As I am based out of Mumbai, India, I am surrounded by spirituality, religion & culture and like to celebrate them all...they all shine through in some way through my music. 

  At Mishthi we frequently post about South Asian artists in the diaspora-- and love hearing collaborations of desi artists inside and outside of South Asia  Are there any South Asian artists outside of India that you want to collaborate with?  

  In the last few years I have been more focused on my art of playing Tabla and how to appeal and keep the art alive for future generations. Myself and fellow Tabla player Hiren Chate have developed a new production BLACK INK which is my based on 3D design and visuals. The Idea was to present the instrument in a unconventional form https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBMmEQKO7GM

  BBC Interview about the project ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01svwf0 ) 

   Also I work on a project with LA based Robin Sukhadia aka Tablapusher where we link up via Skype to showcase the history and repertoire of tabla at a UK based event called Indian Summer. The sessions include a live improvisation on kaidas or compositions and a discussion on where tabla is today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kndHomjBDas

  For forthcoming album, I have collaborated with US Hip Hip artist Mandeep Sethi which is sounding brilliant. Also just did a track with UK based rapper Raxstar. 

If you were to describe yourself as an herb or spice -- what would it be and why?

  hot! as chili :)

LA family-- Don't miss Bandish Projekt on Friday!!!

[mishthi]

Interview with Tablapusher

by guest blogger YourGoodName

Ahimsa Street Dub has so many moods.  It starts off with a refrain of children singing about how much they love their mom and dad and community.  The song meanders, stalls, and gets into ambient drum’n’bass moments, but the kids are the backbone, and their voices float in a dreamy landscape.  When you don’t hear them, you miss them. 

I interviewed Robin Sukhadia, also known as Tablapusher, to get some insight on his track.

How did you get involved with this project?

Bangladesh has always been in my musical subconscious.  One of my earliest musical memories is listening to my dad’s record of Ravi Shankar and George Harrison’s 1971 benefit concert for Bangladesh, which raised awareness for the refugee crisis there after the cyclones. I also spent a year and a half in Kolkata, India as a Fulbright Scholar, where I continued my Tabla studies and built music programs for street children.  My musical training introduced me to the region because Dhaka and Kolkata are so close to each other.  I discovered how rich and deep the arts and culture there is.  

What happened when you heard about the Rana Plaza Collapse?

Who did you collaborate with? 

I collaborated with J Boogie, a Bay Area hip-hop legend and a dear friend.  The genesis of this track is based on empowering the underserved.  We traveled to India together in 2005, and we spent two weeks traveling to Ahmedabad, Gujarat and Goa.

In Ahmedabad, we worked with Manav Sadhna, which is an NGO at the Gandhi Ashram, where they engage in community-based work and education with children who live in the slums.  The kids come from different communities, some of them are Hindu and some are Muslim, and they were all affected by the Anti-Muslim riots.  While working on music education with the kids, we recorded about 75 kids singing a song in Gujarati about their parents. 

Their voices structure the song and we started with that.  I built the bass line around them. 

It’s a really authentic sound done with simple recording techniques.  I wanted to juxtapose the melody of the kids’ voices, which is rising, with the bass line, which recedes.  The track has an LTJ Bukem Drum ’n’ Bass vibe.  I give credit to J Boogie, who did a lot of the effects on the track.  I built the bass line, playing the tabla, he put the chords in the background to give it a dreamy affect and it became a very simple ode to these kids.  It was a lot of fun.

Which Tala is the track in? 

Keherwa tala, which is a simple eight-beat cycle that a lot of folk music in India is played in. 

Have the kids heard the track?  

The track was also featured as part of an album called Global Lingo, which the kids are a part of.  The kids heard the track and they love it.  Global Lingo was released by Project Ahimsa, which is dedicated to empowering youth around the world through music education. I am their International Grants Program Director.

Any tracks that really stick out to you on the album? 

Chee Malabar’s track, New Yorkstani, really resonated with me. I love the energy and message of the track.

Any future collaborations? 

I am already collaborating with Mandeep Sethi and I’ve met up with Brooklyn Shanti.  We are working on incorporating our spoken and instrumental talents into electronic music.

Any future Benefit Concerts? 

Definitely.  I am working on a project to take kids from the Tenderloin in San Francisco – one of the poorest communities in the city - on a musical trip to meet kids in Ahmedabad; imagine the power in connecting those communities. 

Anything else?

I think this album is a recognition that we all need to come together.  We need to rethink our relationship with the clothes we wear and the way we mindlessly consume. Musicians have a special responsibility to use our talents to highlight social injustice.  Music is not just for consumption and entertainment, and I think our society has lost track of that.  It is a force to bring people together and heal, and I study Tabla because of the connection to community-building and spirituality.  I feel like my music and work is about healing and benefiting those that don’t have access, so this is a project that I am lucky and excited to take part in. 

If you haven’t downloaded Beats for Bangladesh yet, do it now!

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yourgoodname is a writer based in Los Angeles.