#4998, Cross-Cultural Music From Pakistan, India, and the Punjab
Hear music from what was once the Punjab province in Pakistan and the Punjab state in India, and by musicians from throughout the diaspora, including many New Yorkers.
Junun is a musical collaboration between India-based Israeli composer Shye Ben Tzur, a group of Indian musicians called The Rajasthan Express, and composer (and Radiohead’s guitarist) Jonny Greenwood. The music is in the ecstatic Sufi music style known as qawwali (made famous by the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan), and it's devotional music—sometimes in Urdu, Hebrew, and Hindi, and is built on a percussion-dense and brass enriched groove with everything to love. Hear tracks from the record (and film by Paul Thomas Anderson) called Junun (which means “the madness of love.”)
Then, from Queens-based trumpeter and vocalist Sonny Singh (of Red Baraat), and the master of the Afghan rabab Qais Essar, hear the song “Lal Meri Pat,” which is one of many names for a song that goes back centuries and praises the 13th century Sufi saint Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. “This song has become a standard in the qawwali tradition, the ecstatic music of the Pakistani Sufis; many Westerners will know it as “Mustt Mustt” or “Mast Qalandar,” recorded in the 1990s by the legendary singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan”, (Schaefer). Also, listen to music from the late great Qawwali master Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in collaboration with Canadian ambient musician, guitarist and producer Michael Brook. Plus, Southern Italian dance band Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino joins forces with New York bhangra band Red Baraat for the raucous “Pizzica Bhangra”. And more. - Caryn Havlik
Program #4998, Cross-Cultural Music From Pakistan, India, and the Punjab (First aired 4/18/2025)
ARTIST: Junun: Shye Ben Tzur, Jonny Greenwood, & Rajasthan Express
WORK: Hu [1:37]
RECORDING: Junun
SOURCE: Nonesuch 552641
INFO: nonesuch.com
ARTIST: Qais Essar & Sonny Singh
WORK: Lal Meri Pat (Mast Qalander) [5:38]
RECORDING: SANGAT
SOURCE: Ghost Songs
INFO: https://sonnysingh.bandcamp.com/track/lal-meri-pat
ARTIST: Hamza Akram Qawwal and Brothers
WORK: Khudi [4:35]
RECORDING: Khudi
SOURCE: Silent Roar Productions
INFO: Available at YouTube, Spotify, Soundcloud
ARTIST: Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino and Red Baraat
WORK: Pizzica Bhangra [2:47]
RECORDING: Meridiana
SOURCE: Ponderosa Music
INFO: Available at AppleMusic, Amazon.com, Spotify, YouTube
ARTIST: Les Miserables Brass Band
WORK: Jhanibar Di Panwan Chankar(Jhanjhar Di Pawan Chankar) [4:04]
RECORDING: Manic Traditions
SOURCE: Northeastern Records
INFO: Available at AppleMusic,\Spotify, YouTube Music, and via Discogs
ARTIST: Junun: Shye Ben Tzur, Jonny Greenwood, & Rajasthan Express
WORK: Hu [7:49]
RECORDING: Junun
SOURCE: Nonesuch 552641
INFO: nonesuch.com
ARTIST: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Michael Brook
WORK: Sweet Pain [6:27]
RECORDING: Night Song
SOURCE: Real World
INFO: https://realworldrecords.com/
ARTIST: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Michael Brook
WORK: Night Song [4:47]
RECORDING: Night Song
SOURCE: Real World
INFO: https://realworldrecords.com/
ARTIST: Junun: Shye Ben Tzur, Jonny Greenwood, & Rajasthan Express
WORK: Kalandar [6:49]
RECORDING: Junun
SOURCE: Nonesuch 552641
INFO: nonesuch.com
