New Delhi: Amarrass Records announces the second AMARRASS NIGHTS at Delhi’s Sunder Nursery — an evening of transcendental music in Delhi’s green lung – Bagh-e-Azeem, a 16th-century heritage park complex adjacent to Humayun’s Tomb. Following up with the grand success of the first Amarrass Nights event in January, the next edition will feature two world-class artist groups and highlight a folk instrument —the morchang.
Amarrass Records will usher in the change of seasons on the 1st of February (Saturday 7pm-10pm) with the sounds of the sindhi sarangi, a 27-string instrument from Rajasthan, played by the master musician Lakha Khan – one of the last remaining masters of this complex instrument and to carry forward the centuries-old musical tradition of Rajasthani and Multani folk and Sufi music. Taking the stage next will be the next generation of folk musicians from Rajasthan – Barmer Boys, who have made fans worldwide with their pioneering electro-folk sound. Get ready for an immersive, emotional experience that will leave you with lasting memories of a magical night.
Lakha Khan, a living legend and the undisputed master of the sindhi sarangi, is a national treasure, and a National award winner for his contribution to Rajasthani folk music, and perhaps the greatest exponent of the 27-string sindhi sarangi. His music is truly secular and straddles both the classical and folk domains, with a vast songbook that incorporates bhajans, Sufi kalaams, popular Hindi tunes, and the ancient stories and oral histories of the region, spanning the western Indian sub-continent. He sings in over six languages including Hindi, Marwari, Sindhi, Punjabi and Multani. Bestowed with a powerful and melodious voice that perfectly compliments his instrument, Lakha Khan’s music transcends boundaries and invokes a spiritual oneness in the listener. He is accompanied by his son Dane Khan on the dholak – the double headed Indian folk drum.
Barmer Boys are the next generation of performers that carry forward the centuries-old musical traditions of the Manganiyars. The global ambassadors of Rajasthani folk and Sufi music, the trio’s versatility of styles and bubbling energy infuses each performance – from soulful Sufi kalaams and Krishna bhajans, to uplifting wedding and celebratory songs, boisterous jams with beat-boxing and live DJ sets. The group features the powerful voice of Manga, coupled with the percussive antics of master percussionist Rais Khan, who plays several folk instruments including the morchang, bhapang, khartaal and also beatboxes, accompanied by the dholak.
Also showcased at the event will be one of the oldest instruments known to humankind – the morchang. Known by various names and found around the world (the Jewsharp in the US, khomuz in Russia, maranzanno in Sicily), the morchang is a wind percussion instrument played by with the mouth. In India, it is used in folk music in Rajasthan, in Carnatic Music in South India and Assam. With skills honed over generations, the art of instrument making is in real danger of becoming extinct. A blacksmith by trade, Mohan Lal Lohar is one of the few remaining master craftsmen to hand forge these instruments made of steel and brass. Amarrass has been working with the Lohar’s family to get over 200 of these high quality hand-crafted instruments into the hands of music lovers across the world.
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