Set One:
I had the pleasure of being introduced to the exotic sounds of Red Baraat back in July when they headlined the first night of the Xponential music festival. A righteous cacophony of brass, woodwind and percussion instruments blasted across Wiggins Park after Michael Kiwanuka wrapped up an impressive set stopping everyone lucky enough to be in attendance dead in their tracks. I rushed through the crowd to see who could possibly be creating such a commanding sound and after one song into their performance I knew I was witnessing something unique.
The 8 piece from Brooklyn, NY formed back in 2008 and have been receiving worldwide attention for their unique synthesis of North Indian bhangra rhythms with elements of jazz, brass funk, go-go, and hip hop. Led by MC and dhol drummer, Sunny Jain, this group is unlike any other on the music scene today; naturally I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see them play the free at noon back in November. It was a gloomy Friday morning in Philadelphia, but you wouldn’t know that from the basement stage at the World Café Live. I walked into the show five minutes late as they were halfway through the epic buildup of "Fully Funtastique" which instantly transported me to a busy day at the marketplace somewhere along the bustling streets of Mumbai. Sunny announced that Trombone player Ernest Stuart is a Philly bred, hometown shredder which was met with cheers from the crowd. They moved into the title track of their new album Shruggy Gi, where Saxophonist Michael Bomwell took the first solo while the rest of the band made sure everyone in the room was moving. The Bollywood wedding tune Tenu Leke was up next as percussionists Rohin Khemani and Thomas Fujiwara locked in tightly to a driving rhythmic groove.
I danced my way through the crowd to the bar and grabbed some beers while the band kept the show rolling with each musician showcasing skills acquired only through years of diligent study. All members of Red Baraat come from a broad range of musical educations from institutions like Berklee, University of Michigan, and Temple and use their diverse backgrounds to create the essence of a distinct, genre- bending sound. Sousaphonist John Altieri brought in the beginning of the first tune that got me hooked on the band, Burning Instinct, after a quick announcement from Helen Leicht that they’d be playing at the Blockley later that night. The tribal nature of Burning Instinct makes you want to light a monstrous fire on the beach and dance around the flames in grass skirts while chanting and howling at the full moon.. Azad Azad was the next track the band churned out featuring trumpeter Sonny Singh on vocals which was followed by the devotional slow jam Samaro Mantra.
As the crowd cleared out we grabbed a few more beers from the bar and headed upstairs to the restaurant. We sat at the bar and ordered some lunch and as the waitress brought over our food I got a call from a friend who had been listening to the live radio broadcast of the show. He said since he missed out on the morning set we should grab tickets to the later show at the Blockley and after being thoroughly impressed by what the band probably considered as a “warm- up gig” I agreed. We ate lunch as the sweet sounds of finger picking folk classics, compliments of La Salle’s own Dave Falcone, wafted from the restaurant stage and I made efforts to round up a few more heads for what was sure to be another incredible show.
Set Two:
We convened at a friend’s house to start the festivities, passing a bottle of Wild Turkey around while we waited for our ride. A couple shots later and he showed, we packed the supplies and hit the road. On the way down I found a large, psychedelic felt hat that looked like something Abraham Lincoln would wear if he were getting down at a Big Gigantic show in the back seat and didn’t take it off the rest of the night. I had never been to the Blockley before but was excited to see how close the crowd could get to the stage. I received a couple compliments from strangers on my new found fancy rave hat as Red Baraat was walking onto the stage. The crowd cheered and a big smile crept across my face as we tried to get as close as possible to the band. They started off strong with the rousing "Chaal Baby" and the bar turned into a sea of ass- shaking music enthusiasts because if it’s one thing Red Baraat knows how to do it’s getting the crowd involved.
After the first song I realized it was going to be another epic night in the Philadelphia music scene as the crowd applauded. T hey progressed into a few jams that they played earlier in the day but with a higher level of energy that seemed to be fueled by the audience. Red Baraat thrives on a lively crowd. If you are willing to get sweaty in a crowded bar while bumping up on strangers with similar interests then they will give you an unforgettable night of otherworldly improvisation with unmatched musicianship.
About halfway through the set I realized I was low on cash so we took a quick trip to the car for a passing of the bottle and a breath of “fresh” air. Upon reentry the band was launching into the track "Burning Instinct". I moved through the crowd and started getting down right in front of Michael Bomwell as he tore through a mind blowing solo hoping that he would remember the kid from Philly in the felt hat throwing inhibition to the wind and leaving it all on the dance floor. The band continued the show without missing a beat with highlights such as Sunny Jain taking a wicked dhol drum solo that was backed by Rohin Khemani and Thomas Fujiwara’s incredible percussive synchronicity. The band wrapped up the show with a climactic rendition of "Mast Kalandar" with each band member pushing their skills to the limit as a circle formed around me and a buddy absolutely throwing down on the dance floor. They thanked the crowd and we rushed to the bar to ask if they were taking a set break. The bartender said it was over and we walked into the street. The night continued but it is of no relevance to Red Baraat or this blog so I will end by saying this; If Red Baraat comes to your town you’d be a damn fool to miss the show.