June 27, 2018

Red Baraat | Sound The People

ARTIST: Red Baraat
TITLE: Sound The People
LABEL: Rhyme & Reason
Here’s the fifth album by Red Baraat, the brassy combo led by dhol (Indian barrel drum) player Sunny Jain that’s one of the most invigorating live acts today in any genre. Jain has slimmed his band down to six pieces: dhol, drum kit, guitar, sousaphone, trumpet and soprano sax; Jonathan Goldberger’s guitar adds a whole new texture to the band. Their core sound has always been based on Punjabi bhangra music and on the Indian brass band tradition – track 2 is a particularly boisterous and delightful example. 3 features an unforgettable melody line, a tuba part straight out of a New Orleans second line, and great work by saxophonist Jonathon Haffner. 6 is Red Baraat’s version of the Indian-Trinidadian hybrid called chutney, but they turn it into something jazzy and almost West African. Speaking of jazz, 8 is a dynamic extended piece where a strong, continuous pulse provides framing for solo excursion by every band member. Of the several vocal and spoken word numbers here, my favorite is 7 which manages to incorporate Punjabi, English and Spanish all in the first verse. Another excellent outing for one of America’s most distinctive ensembles.
TOP TRACKS:    2    3    6    7    8
ALSO RECOMMENDED:    1    5    9

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