Bangin' Bhangra & Brass Funk: Red Baraat Festival! melds the infectious North Indian banghra rhythm with brass funk and expresses the human spirit through improvisation and a powerful, live, raw sound. I've been playing in this NYC-based band that plays fresh originals, traditional Punjabi songs and Bollywood numbers. I can usually be found playing the South Indian tavil (a double-sided, barrel shaped drum similar to the dhol but played with a stick in the left hand and thimbles on four fingers in the right) and an array of other drums and percussion.Sunny Jain leads the group on dhol with Tomas Fujiwara on drumset, Arun Luthra on soprano sax, Mike Bomwell on tenor, Mike Williams on bass trumpet, Sonny Suchdev Singh on trumpet, Dave Smith on trombone and John Altieri on sousaphone.
The band recently played at a runway show for Ports 1961 during NYC Fashion Week. Designer Tia Cibani had traveled to India and was inspired by Mughal styles for the Fall '09 Collection. Some video footage from the show has been posted here:
