“It allows me to step into a more meditative state.”Ĭhambo hosted the first ever N.C. “I appreciate the spaciousness and the patience of the music,” Chambo says. Daniel Chambo, who performs the bansuri (a bamboo flute), counts himself as one of the many devoted to raga and the versatility that it offers. While raga is hundreds of centuries old (in Hinduism, it’s believed to exist naturally in the world and is discovered by humans), the multitudinous ways it allows for improvisation helps raga continue to find new devotees. “Personally, I found that it helped me a lot to sit and sing with musicians who appreciate Indian classical music, knowing that they understand what I am singing and the music itself,” Dixit explains. Chitnis invited her to perform, and now Dixit sings with the group every few months. Raga Revival performance a couple of years ago and was impressed. Adding a little bit of jamming to the mix is a great idea, especially when also coupled with classical Indian music.”ĭixit first attended an N.C. “In particular, the younger generations have so many other options for music. “Sometimes, it is great to bring in a fresh element, because not everyone always wants to hear what is traditional,” Dixit says. She also appreciates the collective’s open-minded approach. Raga Revival brought something unique to the area’s music scene. “Here in North Carolina, a warm acceptance of Indian classical music has really developed, and it’s been awesome to see that grow beyond who it traditionally appeals to.”Īarti Dixit, a vocalist in classical Hindustani music from the north of India, found that N.C. “Music has to grow beyond geographic, cultural, and religious boundaries,” she explains. To Prasad, this openness to try new things is a key part of her own approach to music and its survival as an art form. “ gives a space to musicians to have an opportunity to innovate without the fear of how it’s going to be perceived, while providing a formal stage and platform for this experimentation.” Now she performs with the collective a few times a year. Raga Revival and decided to attend a show. After moving to the United States, Prasad continued to train and perform, but it was often strictly within the Indian diaspora communities. Born in Kuwait, Prasad relocated to India with her family during the Gulf War where she began to train as a Carnatic vocalist (a classical style of music from southern India). The idea was to change that,” Chitnis explains. “I know a lot of people just in the Triangle area who have devoted their lives to this music, but there weren’t that many opportunities for them to showcase their skills. Raga Revival holds monthly shows that include dance and solo performances, switching every month between The Flowjo in Carrboro and Cirque De Vol in Raleigh-spaces that allow the performances to be a welcoming, all-ages, and alcohol-free environment for whoever wants to join a jam session or simply take in the music. Soon, the word was out, and what started as a jam session among friends began to blossom. “I wanted to bring that here.”Ĭhitnis decided to bring the collective’s inclusive, jam session approach to the Triangle and gathered a few local musicians he knew who shared a similar interest. “The best part of Brooklyn Raga Massive is that it gives people exposure and creates opportunities for people who would have never played together,” Chitnis says. The best of INDY Week’s fiercely independent journalism about the Triangle delivered straight to your inbox.
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