Artsworld.com

The Spitz, 17/04/02

Out of the dhol drums, into fresh air -
Britain's brilliant Bollywood Brass Band strikes a blow for cultural fertilisation - and makes music that's great fun

On Wednesday BBB presented their new CD, a celebration of Indian cult composer and singer AR Rahman at the Spitz in the Eastend. Allah Rakha Rahman, born AS Dileep Kumar in 1966 in Madras, is the master of Indian film music. Starting with his first film Roja, his music has defined the 1990s in India and he has composed the music for countless Bollywood blockbusters. Celebrated as the "King of Indian Pop" his record sales have exceeded 40 million. He has worked and performed with international artists, including Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Apache Indian, L Shankar, Ustad Sultan Khan, David Byrne, Michael Jackson and Talvin Singh. He is currently collaborating with Andrew Lloyd Webber to produce Bombay Dreams for the West End. Works such as Injarango, Rangeela, and Ek Tu Hi Bharosa have become a fixed part of the repertoire of BBB.

It was a truly exhilarating, rambunctious affair, with hypnotic Punjabi drumming, wailing soprano sax, bellydance, Qawwalis, extracts from Bollywood films on a video screen in the background, and a band which obviously and noisily enjoyed themselves - and so did the audience.

BBB are currently touring Europe and the UK - try and catch them if you have the chance.

Dirk Bennett

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