Some truly wonderful world music fusions have come from the melding of the South Asian vocal tradition with western influence (or vice versa). It's been going on for years, with many fine artists, and pioneers like Najma Akhtar, who with her groundbreaking CD "Qareeb" entranced me as far back as 1987. I love the purity of the tone production and the haunting ornamentation of the vocal style, and the addition of western elements -- particularly those that support and enhance the strength of the melodic line -- can make for a truly rich experience.
Indian born, Canadian raised Kiran Ahluwalia's explorations into the flexibility of the ghazal and folk traditions are among the most successful and adventurous out there these days. She has incorporated not just Western, but sources as far afield as Tuareg music into her latest work. She trained over many years , shuttling back and forth between Canada and the U.S. and India, working as a devoted singing student to her guru Vithal Rao while learning the ropes of the music business. Her first CD "Kashish (Attraction) was such an unexpected hit, garnering her a Juno nomination, that she decided to take her own career seriously, and she hasn't looked back since. (Her CD, "Beyond Boundaries" did win the Juno.) Her trusted right arm through her tours and recordings is her husband, guitarist Rez Abbasi, who shares her eclectic approach to music.
The tour supporting the release of her latest CD, "Aam Zameen: Common Ground" kicked off at DROM, the East Village's go-to club for world music. The room was filled with the New York world music cogniscenti, Ahluwalia was in fine voice, and the band consisting of Abbasi on guitar, Kiran Thakrar on harmonium, Nitin Mitta on tablas and Nikku Nayar on bass, turned in a tight, exciting performance.
"Safar" ("Journey") is from a poem by Khalid Sohail, with music by Ahluwalia. It is interpreted as:
"I myself have wounded myself in the journey. I am myself an obstruction in my own path.
My home is becoming more and more distant. I have been walking backwardsPerhaps my destination is inside me. While, Khalid, I am searching for it in the outside world."
To learn more about Kiran Ahluwalia visit her website at www.kiranmusic.com