After great concerts at Golf Green Central Park, Kolkata and Bannabagram Baul Asharam, West Bengal, Sur Jahan, World Peace Music Festival will conclude its India tour with a two-day concert at Kala Academy, Panjim on February 7 and 8 from 6 pm onwards. With six great ensembles from Goa, India and countries like Sweden, Netherlands, Iceland, the festival brings its audience and music lovers closer to the folk music and traditions through songs.
Organised by banglanatak dot com, in association with the Directorate of Art and Culture, the performing acts include Ale Moller Trio, Umbra Ensemble, Folkcorn, Habib Khan Langa and team, Sonia Shirsat Ensemble and The Ghumat Project Goa.
Amitava Bhattacharya, Founder Director of banglanatak dot com is happy to be back in Goa after the last concert in 2020. "Goa is the gateway of culture and when an international festival like Sur Jahan is held in India, it is important that it also happens in Goa. The Goan audience is the best audience all across India who really appreciate the cultural diversity and various musical soundscapes. They participate in the workshops in the best way. This musical orientation of the Goan audience is unbelievable," says Amitava.
For those who would love to learn about the musical instruments and the finer details of how the music is produced and it's relevance to the folk culture of the different regions, one can attend the informative and entertaining workshops at Black Box, Kala Academy, Panjim on February 7 and 8 from 10.30 am onwards.
"This is the first time an Icelandic band will be performing in India. So what can be a better place than Goa? Right now, Iceland's temperature is -12. They will be seeing Goa's weather. So they are excited. Similarly Ale Muller, the godfather of Nordic music is back after his performance in 2020. He approached me saying, I want to play at Sur Jahan this time. So it's unbelievable. This is also the first time we are getting a band from Netherlands, Folkcorn," informs Amitava.
Besides international ensembles, Habib Khan Langa and team will be sharing Rajasthan's desert rhythms while two huge names from Goa will also share the Sur Jahan stage, the Ghumat Project Goa with Carlos Gonsalves and Sonia Shirsat ensemble with Fadista Sonia Shirsat. "This time, we have two ensembles from Goa. Sonia Shirsat is a very well-known singer and we are very excited for her performance," concludes Amitava, promising two days of great folk music.
The Ghumat Project Goa
The Ghumat Project Goa, led by Carlos Gonsalves on ghumat, mandalam and percussion, Roque Lazarus on guitar, Shane Savio Fernandes on violin and mandolin, Deeptesh Gaude on ghumat, dhol and dub, Saiesh Naik on ghumot, Gaurish Bakal on tasso and shamel, Sairaj Naik on kassale and Tanay Akarkar with vocals.
Born and brought up in Goa, Carlos is proud to take the ghumat, Goa’s very own heritage instrument to the world through the various concerts and workshops that he conducts. He recently met Dave Weckl, an American jazz fusion drummer, in Chennai where Carlos presented him with a ghumat. “My dream came true as I met Dave Weckl, the brand ambassador for Yamaha Drums. He was so happy to receive the ghumat that he said he would record it in his track having 6/8 rhythm which is a great news for Goa,” says Carlos.
Carlos has performed at Sur Jahan, earlier known as Sufi Sutra, as a member of different ensembles and has even toured with banglanatak dot com to Kolkata as well to countries like China and Malaysia. However, this is the first time, the ghumat will be the focus of an ensemble in a collaborative initiative that blends the traditional percussion instrument with other musical instruments.
Speaking about the project, Amitava says, “Finally, we will be able to showcase The Ghumat Project Goa in front of an international bands and audience. And who knows that Ghumat will now go abroad with the help of these people.