Jodhpur RIFF presents a varied and wondrous morning of music, dance, storytelling and more for Jodhpur’s young ones, featuring: Kathputli - String puppetry using wooden dolls or marionettes, the kathputli is performed on a miniature stage with highly dramatic narration and music, retelling stories that reflect pertinent social concerns or the valour of erstwhile kings. It was the most popular form of children’s entertainment and even though there are few accomplished practitioners left today, it continues to hold an iconic status in Rajasthan’s culture. Ghoomer - Initially introduced by the Bhil tribe of Rajasthan and then gradually adopted by other communities, ghoomer is a dance where women in their traditional ghagra (long swirling skirt) and choli (blouse) pirouette while moving in and out of a wide circle, to the tune of traditional songs and the rhythm of hands clapping. The word ‘ghoomna’ describes the twirling movement of the dancers and is the basis of the word ‘ghoomer’. Kachchi Ghodi - A novel dance form performed on colourful dummy-horses in which men in elaborate and embellished costumes dance rhythmically to beating drums, under a large umbrella chhatarkotla- while a singer narrates the exploits of the Bhavaria bandits of Shekhawati. Young Langa musicians – For our young audiences we present young sarangiya Langa musicians, who sing and play the exquisite Sindhi sarangi. Trained by their ustad, the budding young masters of the community will share their music and inspire school children as they continue to uphold the legacy of their forefathers. Rajasthani Circus - India's earliest circuses featured numerous traditional performing art forms from Rajasthan - acrobats, magicians, musicians, dancers and a variety of bhawai artists performing feats of daring. While it is rare to see such acts today, Jodhpur RIFF assembles some of the best artists still performing these forms, to re-create a traditional circus for our young audiences. Teraah Taali - Created and traditionally performed by the Kamad community, the performers in teraah taali move to the reverberating sounds of teraah i.e. thirteen cymbals or manjira that are fastened to their waist, wrists, elbows, and hands. This dance form is an eclectic mix of movement and sound and gives the unique impression that the dance itself is producing music instead of following music. Punctuated with displays of balancing multiple pots piled on a dancer’s head, holding a sword between one's teeth or lit oil lamps on one's palms, the teraah taali form is a unique demonstration of skill, agility and grace.

Marking the beginning of the festival, Jodhpur RIFF’s opening night concert presents a variety of riveting performances reflecting the diversity of traditional Rajasthani music, excerpts from our Main Stage performances and ending in an exhilarating finale with drummers and dancers. The concert opens with the mellifluous vocals of Sumitra Devi and other women singers, who are breaking gender and social norms by reclaiming their space in folk music. They introduce us to the popular folk and inspiring devotional songs of Rajasthan. Followed by Emlyn presenting soulful spellbinding sega grooves and contagious, exuberant moves, all the way from Mauritius. Arifa then comes on to stage with some Balkan and middle eastern tunes and beats, leading on to some sensational and dramatic percussion ensembles with emerging khartal and dholak masters from the Langa and Manganiyar communities. The finale then brings on Rajasthani Brass, celebrating Rajasthan’s vibrancy and colour as folk musicians collaborate with Mehrangarh’s own house brass band - an ensemble on trumpet, trombone, euphonium, clarinet, bass and other instruments, presenting a heady, exciting musical reflection of this enchanting region, along with the popular and internationally known Dhol Drummers of Rajasthan, Ashok Pahadia, popular male dancer from Tonk (near Jaipur) and Agni Bhawai, a traditional fire eating and dance performance from the villages of northern Rajasthan! Be ready for a splendorous start to Jodhpur RIFF 2022!

PLEASE NOTE

-The Jodhpur RIFF program is subject to change, without prior announcement.
- For more information on the program, email: info@jodhpurriff.org.

Every year, the Meghwals of Marwar herald in the first dawn at Jodhpur RIFF. Under the first light of the rising sun on this cool, serene morning, the melodic drone of the tandura, the beat of the jhanjh/ manjira (small-paired cymbals) and the rhythm of the dholak create the mood for the meditative strains of the bhajan of the Meghwal community. Traditionally, weavers, Meghwal are not only known for their contribution to embroidery and the textile industry, but also for the rich folklore they nurture. This year we have the exquisitely masterful Bhallu Ram and Teja Ram Meghwal singing the poetry of popular poets of their community and the saint poets of Rajasthan.

NOTE : There will be free guided walks in the Rao Jodha Desert Park after each dawn concert.

Discover the myriad hues of the traditional dance forms of Rajasthan, reflecting its distinctive root traditions, some popular and some rare, including: Chang Nritya– a charming, captivating dance, with men swaying and grooving while playing a round frame-drum called chang; TeraahTaali - known for agility and grace, where women move to and produce the reverberating sounds of teraah i.e. thirteen little cymbals or manjira that are fastened to their waist, wrists, elbows, and hands, simultaneously showcasing their skills of movement, balance and concentration; Aangi-Baangi Gair - another visually mesmerising dance form originally performed by the Bhil community, gair is a martial-looking, robust dance with long sticks where men in wide skirts move and turn to the beat of a traditional rhythm, while striking their sticks with their partners’ and dancing for hours. Trance-like, the dance builds to a crescendo as the performers twirl and move faster and faster to the rich sounds of the dhol-thaali. This form is called Aangi-Baangi Gair because of the colour of the clothes of the performers which are white and red.

Khasi indigenous and folk music – an interactive session
Jodhpur RIFF presents its first ever focus on the unique Khasi music traditions from Meghalaya. Facilitated by musician and associate professor Dr. Mebanlamphang Lyngdoh from the Martin Luther King University in Shillong (where Khasi traditional music is taught as a post-graduate subject), the session will explore the musical traditions and instruments of the Khasi people, indigenous to the hills of the north- east. With songs and traditional chanting, instruments such as the duitara, ksing, tangmuri, and others, Dr. Meban will be accompanied by musicians and scholars Amabel Susngi, Risingbor Kurkalang, Banshailnag Mukhim.

Jodhpur RIFF’s interactive session series give the audience a rare opportunity to meet fascinating artists from various root traditions. The sessions encourage audience members to engage and discuss challenges, forms and traditional practice through performances, lecture-demonstrations and facilitated conversations. As more and more of Rajasthan and India’s rich traditional cultural heritage disappears, Jodhpur RIFF puts the spotlight on some of its remarkable music forms and traditions nearing extinction and opens dialogue to surface and explore how these challenges could be addressed.

Padma Shri Lakha Khan (sindhi sarangi, vocals)
Lakha ji is a living legend and the undisputed master of the sindhi sarangi. At 74, he is perhaps still the greatest exponent of the sindhi sarangi. He was born in the village of Raneri in Jodhpur district, Rajasthan, India into a family of traditional musicians from the Manganiyar community. He was trained at an early age by his father Tharu Khan and later, by his uncle Mohammad Khan, in rendering the compositions of the Multan school of Manganiyars. His first public performances were in the late 60's and 70's under the guidance of the late Komal Kothari, a highly regarded Indian historian and ethnomusicologist. His music is truly secular and straddles both the classical and folk domains, with a vast songbook that incorporates Meera bhajan, Sufi kalaam, 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 complements his instrument, Lakha ji's music transcends boundaries and invokes a spiritual oneness in the listener.

Padma Shri Anwar Khan Baiya (vocals) (Anwar ji’s presence is TBC)
Anwar ji is one of the leading vocalists of Rajasthan. Gifted with a sonorous voice, profound knowledge of traditional music and vast experience, Anwar ji is truly a gem of a musician and a charming and loveable personality. Now 62, he was born into a family of musicians and singers of the Manganiyar community and took to performing solo at an early age, singing and playing the harmonium. He learned his music by listening to his elders and memorised hundreds of songs and verses, especially from Indian mythological epics. His repertoire also includes the works of poets such as Mira, Kabir, Dadu and Gorakhnath. He was always guided and helped by his mother. Later, like Lakha ji, his major international performances were with Komal Kothari, the ICCR and many others. He has gone on to perform well over 500 performances in over 50 countries across the world, including stints with Zingaro, UNESCO etc. He has played with and collaborated with stalwarts such as Pt Ravi Shankar, Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Yehudi Menuhin, Ustad Sultan khan, Pt.Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and many others.

Pempa Khan Manganiyar (surnai, shehnai, murli)
Pempa Khan grew up Hamira (near Jaisalmer) playing the surnai while keeping an eye on his family’s camels. Once, the family’s patron (jajmaan) heard him and encouraged him to play. That was when he began learning the kamaicha, surnai and murli from his elder brother, the late Padma Shri Sakar Khan. Their parents died very young, and it was Sakar ji who brought up Pempa ji. For him, the surnai is popular in all over India (in classical music it is referred to as shehnai). Pempa ji’s core instrument is the thalwadi surnai, popular among the Maganiyar of Sindh Pakistan, of Kutch in Gujraat and the Thar in Rajasthan. He also plays the murli which he learned on his own for the love of it. According to Pempa ji, the surnai/ shenai is assumed to be an auspicious instrument across India, played to herald people in a religious or family ceremony. Traditionally, it was only the dhol or the nagada that was considered auspicious by village folk. The surnai was popular with the royal courts or in big cities. Today, in his 60s, Pempa ji is a living master in these traditions. While he still has some students from the community, he rues the fact of the decline in the number of capable artists and the quality and repertoire of the playing of the instrument.

Womanly Voices of Rajasthan
Womanly Voices seeks to bring to the fore voices of women singers from the folk traditions of Rajasthan. While women from these traditions perform in their own communities, it is rare to see them present their work on mainstream stages. Artists like Sumitra Devi are remarkable in that she is one of the few singers who from an early age has regularly performed traditional folk songs in village jagran (all night vigils), played in festivals across Rajasthan, been on tour in Germany, performed in the Berlin Philharmonie and even collaborated with the likes of the Yuri Honing Trio and Mumford & Sons. Other artists include the equally versatile Mohini Devi, singing in the jogi Kalbeliya tradition; mother-daughter duo Ganga and Sunder, who sing spiritual songs in their own inimitable style; Suraiya ji doyen of the rajwada maand, Rajasthan’s unique contribution to the Hindustani music repertoire.

Mauricio Caruso
Bringing together Latin American and Galician tunes - classical, folk and popular – Mauricio presents a solo set of his choice on the guitar. Originally from Brazil, now settled in Spain, Mauricio’s rare style is at once both gentle and urgent, languid and passionate.
This is Mauricio’s premiere performance in India.

The Gentle Good ft. Asin Khan Langa and Khasi musicians
The Gentle Good is the stage name of Cardiff based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Gareth Bonello. Taking influence from the traditional music and folklore of Wales along with a myriad of sources from all over the world, Gareth creates timeless folk music in both English and Welsh.
Best known for his intricate guitar playing and distinctive vocals, Gareth is capable of enchanting an audience as a soloist. And at Jodhpur RIFF we will hear a range of Gareth’s solo work – instrumental and with song. But Gareth is also an incredibly skilful collaborator. So, during the lockdown, Jodhpur RIFF connected Gareth with Asin Langa to explore the possibility of working together. At the same time, Jodhpur RIFF collaborated with Gareth to co-curate the presence of Khasi musicians at the festival (Gareth had already collaborated with them), thereby paving the way for an unusual three-way collaboration between Welsh, Khasi and Rajasthani musicians.
In addition to Gareth’s solo work, we will also get a chance to hear some of his collaborative work with several Rajasthani and Khasi musicians, the beginnings of what we hope will be an exciting musical project.

This project has been made possible with support from the British Council, Wales Arts International and Jodhpur RIFF

Emlyn
Young and pathbreaking Maurtian musician, singer and songwriter < strong>Emlyn is an emerging artist who brings a breath of fresh air into the sega, creole and world music landscape with her soulful vocals and songs resplendent with nature. Initially a dancer and a theatre performer, Emlyn is committed to the environment and creates timeless compositions inspired by the traditional music of Mauritius, sega.

Presenting a mix of energetic spells and boisterous dances, the jubilation of this family band is known to be contagious and often turns the arena into a dance floor.
This is Emlyn’s premiere performance in India.

ARIFA
Master ethnic drummer Sjahin During played at our very first festival in 2007. 15 years later, he returns to Jodhpur RIFF with ARIFA founded by him in 2010. The magic of the unique sound of ARIFA, lies in the creative chemistry between its four members - Zhivko Vasilev, Kaval Bence Huszar, Franz von Chossy and Sjahin. Coming from Bulgaria, Hungary, Turkey, the Netherlands and Germany their music is just as diverse as their origins, moving from traditional Turkish and Balkan sounds to jazz and contemporary music. Contemporary world music at its best! Consecutively awarded the title “best world music release” in the Netherlands and receiving five-star reviews, ARIFA have played all over the world and are highly acclaimed internationally.
“Their music can make you shiver with delight!” – Songlines magazine, UK

Gatha, Katha, Varta – with love from Badnava Jageer
Jodhpur RIFF presents a special Desert Lounge in the Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park. The night features the telling of two tales – that of star-crossed lovers Dhola Maru and tales of hero Durgadas Rathore, in traditional verse. This is live, authentic and emotional storytelling at its best, replete with music, song and oral history by the elders of the Langa community from Badnava (a village two hours outside Jodhpur). The night is led by Sardar ji, Kadar ji, Askar ji, supported by Shamshu, Kasam and others on the sindhi sarangi, with interludes by Idu on the charming, exquisite alghoza. Beautifully expressed & narrated this intimate performance demonstrates how closely integrated was the identity of Marwar, over & above all castes, communities & religions.

As the music is acoustic (non-amplified) and the space is intimate, the slightest noise distracts fellow audience members and makes it hard to listen to the performers. We would greatly appreciate it if the audience refrained from chatting and speaking during the performance.

PLEASE NOTE: The meeting point for the Desert Lounge for all audiences is in the Mehrangarh Fort lower car park at 11.15 pm or at the entrance to the Rao Jodha Park at 11.00 pm. The walk to and from the performance space is approximately 10-15 minutes from the lower car park: first on the road to the Rao Jodha Park entrance (5 minutes) and then in the park itself (5-8 minutes) – so please wear decent shoes for walking! Please carry something warm (it gets chilly); hot drinks & light refreshments are available for purchase.

PLEASE NOTE

-The Jodhpur RIFF program is subject to change, without prior announcement.
- For more information on the program, email: info@jodhpurriff.org.

Jodhpur RIFF presents its indigenous dawn from Meghalaya, with haunting, yet charming tunes and songs of the Khasi people by Meban Lyngdoh, Amabel Susngi, Risingbor Kurkalang, Banshailnag Mukhim.

Mexican traditional dances
Traditional Mexican dances merge the country’s indigenous, African and European influences. The Spanish could not suppress indigenous dance during colonial times; instead, Spanish culture became part of the routines. And styles such as folklorico and jarabe became popular.
At Jodhpur RIFF, sweat it out with some hard practice with ace dancer and choreographer, promoter of performing arts, founder of moving borders - scene without borders and CAMP_iN / scenic encounter in Mexico, Jaciel Neri. Hailing from San Pedro Tlaltizapan, State of Mexico, Jaciel trained and studied dance at the Folkwang Hochschule in Germany, at the Choreographic Research Center (C.I.CO) of the I.N.B.A and at the National Polytechnic Institute. He currently collaborates as a consultant for the design and programming of festivals, as well as continuing his work as a promoter of Mexican folk dance abroad.
At Jodhpur RIFF, we will be holding our first ever international dance collaboration workshop with Asha Sapera and her dancers, facilitated by Jaciel. Watch this space!!

Jodhpur RIFF presents rustic dance ‘bootcamps’, facilitated by legendary, noted trainers. Short, intense and very rigorous, these camps will give participants an experiential insight into the movements and practice of folkdance forms.

Please Note:
The is the one-and-only, stand-alone session.
Please wear/ bring appropriate and comfortable clothing that allows free movement such as T-shirts, long, loose shirts or blouses, tights, stretchable and loose track or harem pants or long skirts.
Do carry your own wiping material (towel, wet wipes, etc.). Be prepared to sweat! It is a boot camp!!

Discover the myriad hues of the traditional dance forms of Rajasthan, reflecting its distinctive root traditions, some popular and some rare, including: Chang Nritya– a charming, captivating dance, with men swaying and grooving while playing a round frame-drum called chang; TeraahTaali - known for agility and grace, where women move to and produce the reverberating sounds of teraah i.e. thirteen little cymbals or manjira that are fastened to their waist, wrists, elbows, and hands, simultaneously showcasing their skills of movement, balance and concentration; Aangi-Baangi Gair - another visually mesmerising dance form originally performed by the Bhil community, gair is a martial-looking, robust dance with long sticks where men in wide skirts move and turn to the beat of a traditional rhythm, while striking their sticks with their partners’ and dancing for hours. Trance-like, the dance builds to a crescendo as the performers twirl and move faster and faster to the rich sounds of the dhol-thaali. This form is called Aangi-Baangi Gair because of the colour of the clothes of the performers which are white and red.

Asia premiere ofHEADING WEST, a film by Dan Coutts on Scotland's famous acid croft band Shooglenifty, their late front man Angus Grant and the band's sojourn to Rajasthan, to Jodhpur RIFF and the recording of their album ‘Written on Water’ in collaboration with Dhun Dhora.

Beginning this year, Jodhpur RIFF presents an Indie Roots Afternoon , an informal occasion for young, independent singers and songwriters to share their work with Jodhpur RIFF audiences and artists alike. Bawari Basanti is a contemporary Indian artist known for her modern interpretations of traditional tunes and vocal styles, creating uniquely authentic musical compositions. Her original songs, sung in these styles, poetically reflect the hopes and the challenges of young folk from across our urban landscape. Harpreet is a raw, rare talent, freely emotive and sensitive. He sings the timeless songs of poets such as Bulleh Shah and Kabir, making their meanings completely relevant and urgent for our society today. The words of his original songs, emanating from an everyman yet spiritual core, try and make sense of a world that continues to turn in its own dhun, seemingly oblivious of human effort or shenanigans.

Manganiyar of Marwar – Vocal Magic
The Manganiyar of Marwar is an annual special performance dedicated to the late Sakhar Khan Manganiyar by the artists of the community. This year, we focus on the particularity of their vocal traditions performed by some of their very best, in an expression of the desert like none other. Barkat Khan Chattanghar, Barkat Khan Myjar, Gullu Khan Jantra, Hakam Khan Kisola and Talab Khan Barna – all superb vocalists, lead the performance supported by younger members of the community on the kamaicha and dholak - Rafiq, Roshan and Kode on the kamaicha and Latif and Sawai on the dholak, with special support by Devu on the khartal.
First produced in 2013, this concert is one in a series of folk concerts that we present – commissioned and creatively produced in collaboration with the musicians.

Riff Cohen
Riff Cohen brings to Jodhpur RIFF an unusual musical legacy – a mix of Algerain folk (Rai), middle eastern urban rock and north-African folk music. An emerging star on the world music-indie scene and an astute songwriter who sings in Hebrew, Arabic and French, Riff’s music stands apart from the crowd. She believes in the need for a new rhythm, across extremities - from the classical to indigenous African beats. Though completely at home in a contemporary, electronic environment, at her first appearance in Jodhpur and India, Riff presents an all-acoustic set, introducing us to her recent, yet remarkable body of work.

RANG-e-THAR
RANG-e-THAR takes us on a colourful and leisurely journey through the myriad flavours of traditional music of the Langa people from the deserts of western Rajasthan - rare, melodious folk songs to ecstatic spiritual and robust dance grooves... and remarkably so, also many new songs and tunes that musicians have written and composed themselves (a rarity in Rajasthani folk traditions). Rang-e-Thar is presented by SAZ, young musicians from the Langa community and the Blue City, who are immersed in a vast and varied musicality, successfully keeping their traditions alive in modern settings while retaining the innocence, charm and depth of their legacy. SAZ is - Asin Khan, superb vocalist and a most proficient young master of the Sindhi sarangi; Zakir Khan, a wonderful vocalist and khartal player; Sadiq Khan, among the finest dholak players Rajasthan has to offer.
SAZ is supported and produced by Jodhpur RIFF.

Bombay Brass
With musical influences ranging from Shankar Jaikishan, Niladri Kumar and Blackstratblues to Snarky Puppy, Trombone Shorty, Vulfpeck, Steely Dan and Broken Brass, Bombay Brass are exactly what you make of them – a homegrown, contemporary Indian instrumental band led by a saxophonist, Rhys Sebastian, performing high energy instrumental music inspired by the eclectic sounds of Bombay… which could spin off from melodic ragas, the rhythm of the common man’s spirit and even the incessant honking of car horns! Their songs lead with western arrangements and jazz riffs but retain a remarkably local flavour with wind instruments - trombone, saxophones, trumpets - as its lead element. Bombay Brass band members include young luminaries on the commercial and indie music circuit in Mumbai such ace drummer Jehangir Jehangir (aka JJ), the wonderful Ramon Ibrahim on trombone, the superbly talented ID Rao on tenor sax, the cool Zohran Miranda on electric guitar and others.

Maga Bo
Inspired by the philosophies of Hip Hop and Dub, Maga Bo's work makes connections between the traditional and the avant grade, and the local and the global. With collaborations playing a major role in his creative process, he has travelled the world searching for new ideas, inspiration and people to work with for over twenty years. There are no canned samples here - all instruments and vocals come straight from the source. Tackling challenging topics of cultural appropriation, stylistic fusion and immigration, his music continues to carry a message no matter what the circumstance.
Back at Jodhpur RIFF after a gap of seven years, Maga Bo performs his own current sets exploring the contours of Afro-Brazilian culture, including collaborations with the brightest talents in Brazil’s vast musical landscape. He also develops a path breaking new set with Langa percussionists Kasam on dholak, Bhawaru on khartal, Mubarik on vocals and Sikander on alghoza and morchang – a truly unusual night of electronic dance music!

PLEASE NOTE

-The Jodhpur RIFF program is subject to change, without prior announcement.
- For more information on the program, email: info@jodhpurriff.org.

A young, soulful singer takes us on a special journey. From the wee hours of the morning to early dawn through to sunrise, the serene, yet passionate voice of Jasleen Kaur Monga brings us raag based Shabads (a hymn, a sacred song, a verse, a phrase), Reet (Shabads set to light tunes), chanting and Jaap (incantation in low voice) and folk, from the Granth Sahib (holy book of the Sikhs) introducing the festival to the odes of Nanak Dev ji. She also brings to light his numerous nirguni bhajans. Jasleen's soothing vocals have found hundreds of followers after the release of numerous songs over the last ten years.
From the age of 13, she has been learning Indian classical music from Pt. Rajinder Singh ji, of the Patiala Gharana.

NOTE : There will be free guided walks available in the Rao Jodha Desert Park after each dawn concert.

Ghoomar & Kalbeliya dances
Ghoomar is derived from the Hindi word ‘ghoom’ which literally means ‘to twirl’. One of the most popular dance forms of the country, as the name signifies, the chief movement of this form is pirouetting. The footwork and hand movements are always in synchronization with this spinning motion. Ghoomar is conventionally performed by women in groups, who wear colourful, mirror-embedded ghaghra (flowing skirts) and cover their faces with a matching-coloured veil. The coordinated movement accompanied by the haunting music of Rajasthan’s folk musical instruments, this dance form is vivid and surreal. The fantastic Asha Sapera, kalbeliya dancer conducts the session.

Jodhpur RIFF presents rustic dance ‘bootcamp’s, facilitated by legendary, noted trainers. Short, intense and very rigorous, these camps will give participants an experiential insight into the movements and practice of folk-dance forms.

Please Note:
The is the one-and-only, stand-alone session.
The boot camp will have limited capacity.
Please wear/ bring appropriate and comfortable clothing that allows free movement such as T-shirts, long, loose shirts or blouses, tights, stretchable and loose track or harem pants or long skirts.
Do carry your own wiping material (towel, wet wipes, etc.). Be prepared to sweat! It is a boot camp!!

Discover the myriad hues of the traditional dance forms of Rajasthan, reflecting its distinctive root traditions, some popular and some rare, including: Chang Nritya– a charming, captivating dance, with men swaying and grooving while playing a round frame-drum called chang; TeraahTaali - known for agility and grace, where women move to and produce the reverberating sounds of teraah i.e. thirteen little cymbals or manjira that are fastened to their waist, wrists, elbows, and hands, simultaneously showcasing their skills of movement, balance and concentration; Aangi-Baangi Gair - another visually mesmerising dance form originally performed by the Bhil community, gair is a martial-looking, robust dance with long sticks where men in wide skirts move and turn to the beat of a traditional rhythm, while striking their sticks with their partners’ and dancing for hours. Trance-like, the dance builds to a crescendo as the performers twirl and move faster and faster to the rich sounds of the dhol-thaali. This form is called Aangi-Baangi Gair because of the colour of the clothes of the performers which are white and red.

The Sufi songs of the Langa and Manganiyar
In India the sufi repertoire is better known through popular poetry and compositions such as chaap tilak and dam-a-dam mast kalandar. Rajasthani musician communities have their own songs too, attributed to lesser known but equally gifted poets. In this interactive session we hear from the stalwarts of the Thar Sufi masters, led by Saawan ji and Kachara ji Manganiyar. We also hear the songs of Chanan ji from the Manganiyar community and Muse ji and Rashid ji from the Langa community. Hailing from Jaisalmer, Kachara ji vocals reveal a deep knowledge of traditional poetry, and his compositions provide a rustic, yet lilting and melodious texture to his sufi renditions. Kachchra ji sings ‘Sufiana Sindhi’, and ‘Punjabi Sindhi’ styles, dotes on poetry by Bulleh Shah and loves singing extracts from the epic ballads of love and loss of Heer-Ranjha and Laila-Majnu. Saawan ji, hails from remote the remote village of Dabdi in the district of Jaisalmer. While his style of singing is extremely distinctive from the others, he is highly respected across the artist communities in Rajasthan as his commitment is well known and his repertoire and knowledge of Sufi music is vast. Saawanji spent several years learning from the great Sufi singer from Sindh, Ustaad Bhikhey Khan. Saawan ji has performed all over India and travelled to more than 30 countries across the world. He has also done shows for BBC London and Coke Studio in India.

Dilshad Khan is one of India’s most sought-after north Indian classical sarangi players. He brings in this year’s Sharad Poornima moon with a classical set on his sarangi, accompanied by Pratap Patil on pakhawaj, and other stellar artists on flute and tabla.
No stranger to Jodhpur RIFF, Dilshad is a part of the lineage of the Sikar Gharana, a member of the ninth generation to take up Sarangi. His great grandfather Ustad Azim Khan Sahab was a court musician in the erstwhile princely region of Sikar, Rajasthan. As a young boy, he first learned from his grandfather Ustad Gulab Khan Sahab a great sarangi player and vocalist of his time, and then from his father Ustad Nasir Khan Sahab, also a great sitar player. Later, he learned Sarangi from his uncle, the late Padma Bhushan Ustad Sultan Khan Sahab, who was probably the world’s most renowned Sarangi player and a unique vocalist. In previous years, Dilshad has shared the stage with his uncle the late Ustad Sultan Khan Sahab. More recently he has performed with artists such as Ustad Zakir Hussain, Trilok Gurtu, Aabida Parveen, Ustad Gulam Mustafa Khan, Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, Pandit Birju Maharaj, Pt. Ajay Pohankar, Pt. Ajay Chakarborty, Giovanni Hidalgo, Mickey Hart, Pandit Anindo Chatterjee, Sivamani, Ustad Ghulam Ali, V. Selvaganesh, Pankaj Udhas, Talat Aziz, Shankar Mahadevan, Pt. Rajan-Sajan Mishra, Ustad Fazal Qureshi, Nitin Swahney, Taufiq Qureshi and many, many others.
He was on sarangi with Ustad Zakir Hussain in the Grammy winning album Global Drum Project. Dilshad Khan is now also a recognised contributor in the Hindi film music industry, having been a key instrumentalist in remarkable film projects, both popular and art, such as Devdas and others. He is a beacon for the younger generation of musicians, a teacher and exemplary artist, talented and superbly proficient in a difficult instrument.

Rajwadi Maand with Anita and Prem Dangi
Appearing at Jodhpur RIFF for the first time, Anita and Prem present a short set of rajwadi maand to begin the evening’s performances. Extremely popular across Rajasthan, they hail from the village of Nimbola in Nagaur, where their family has been connected to music from many generations. They are professional singers, usually performing for their traditional Rajput jajman or patrons. In the 10 th century, Jaisalmer used to be called ‘maand’, hence the music that emerged from the region was also referred to as ‘maand’

Yurdal Tokcan in solo concert
Jodhpur RIFF is proud to present a solo concert by Yurdal Tokcan , often cited as the finest oud player in the world today. Combining older traditions with many new stylistic innovations, his compositions bring together traditional rich melodies with polyphonic textures (traditionally played on Turkish classical instruments). With collaborations and recordings in over 40 countries, teaching a wide variety of students and a career spanning three decades, Yurdal is truly one of the musical masters of his generation. He is a member of the Istanbul Fasil Ensemble and the Istanbul Tasavvuf Music Ensemble, and a founding member of the Istanbul Sazendeleri, a group dedicated to preserving and presenting Turkish instrumental works. In addition to his solo performance, we get a sneak peek into our remarkable new collaboration being developed with the young classical sarangi virtuoso Dilshad Khan.

Kamaicha Wizardry
Brothers Ghewar and Darra Manganiyar are the undisputed masters of the kamaicha, a string instrument unique to the Manganiyar community. Sons of the legendary Sakar ji and custodians of his legacy the brothers present a special showcase of some of the most unusual, significant, and legendary tunes of their traditional repertoire on the rustic, earthy and soulful kamaicha. Their brother Feroze , arguably among the finest dholak players in Rajasthan and master of the khartal Devu , accompany them. Young Sawai , an emerging vocalist and multi-instrumentalist of the next generation, supports the masters.

In its present form, the kamaicha comes with 10-17 strings and is played with a bow. Made of mango wood, its rounded resonator is covered with goat skin. Three or four of its strings are goat intestine called roda and joda while the other 14 strings of steel are ‘jhara’. The kamaicha (also called kamaycha, but completely different from the spiked fiddle from Iran – the kamancheh) bow is prepared from khejari; wood and horse tail hairs or synthetic thread. Small bells (ghungroo) are attached to the bow to produce rhythmic jingle along the notes.

Citadels of the Sun
Jodhpur RIFF presents the unusual concert Citadels of the Sun, a two-part creative collaboration emerging from the many folk and historical connections between India and Ireland, from the origins of the Irish and Indian fiddle to our shared colonial past. The initial collaboration in 2019 was developed in Donegal and culminated at Jodhpur RIFF that year. But the artists continued their engagement after sharing and developing their music online throughout the lockdown. Now, this collaboration of warm, yet exquisite music feels complete and features some of the best musicians from Donegal and Rajasthan: Sarah E Cullen* (Donegal fiddle, vocals), Martin Coyle (bouzouki, composer and producer), Paul Cutliffe (uilleann pipes, whistles) with Asin Khan Langa (Sindhi sarangi and vocals) and Sawai Khan Manganiyar (dholak, morchang, bhapang, khartal and vocals).
Sharing common themes and stories that connect the cultures of the two regions, ‘Citadels of the Sun’ refers to a recurring edifice in both cultures: Mehrangarh fort (fort of the sun) in Rajasthan, and Grianán of Aileach, Donegal’s own fort of the sun. Bridging these two iconic locations a world apart, Citadels of the Sun is a coming together of diverse but connected voices, the result of which is a sound that transcends and braves new territories in music.

Citadels of the Sun began as a collaboration between Eragail Arts Festival, Donegal (Ireland) and Jodhpur RIFF supported by Culture Ireland. It continued to develop with support from the British Council as a collaboration between Marty Coyle and Jodhpur RIFF. This year, the Irish artists appear with support from both Arts Council Northern Ireland and the British Council.

*Sarah is unable to make it to Jodhpur. The remarkable fiddler Denise Boyle replaces her for this concert

Warsi Brothers
The Warsi Brothers are among the finest qawaals in the Indian sub-continent, hailing from the lineage of the ‘qawaal bachhey of the Delhi gharana’, descendants of the disciples who learned directly from the legendary Amir Khusro, the iconic writer, poet, singer and Sufi mystic of the 14 th century. Custodians of his gayaki, students of Padma Shri Aziz Ahmad Khan Warsi (their grandfather) and recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi award, the Warsi brothers present a wide repertoire of sufiyana qawaali, many songs which we rarely hear and some popular compositions such as chaap tilak and dam-a-dam mast qalandar.

RIFF Rustle is our largest, impromptu collaboration performance that concludes the festival's nighttime revelries. Every year, the festival appoints one musician as a 'rustler', who then rustles up other musicians from the festival to participate in this performance in pairs or quartets or all together. This year the young, highly skilled and accomplished saxophonist and producer Rhys Sebastian will be our “rustler”. He will gather musicians to come and jam with each other while collaborating with Rajasthani musicians and curating a series of sets for the Rustle!

Rhys Sebastian is one of the most renowned and sought-after saxophonists in India. He is well known for brass arrangements in Bollywood films and ads. He is currently the band leader for The Bartender and Bombay Brass. His versatile playing style has seen him perform with Lionel Richie, AR Rahman, Mikey McCleary, Ritviz and many more. His single ‘Qegdevilim Sunset’ is featured in Mira Nair’s latest series on Netflix ‘A Suitable Boy’.

As Rhys leads a diverse group of musicians, something they have done several times before, expect to be listening and enjoying, excited and thrilled and very likely, be on your feet and grooving and shaking throughout!

PLEASE NOTE

-The Jodhpur RIFF program is subject to change, without prior announcement.
- For more information on the program, email: info@jodhpurriff.org.

Jodhpur RIFF’s closing concerts are special, taking place against the backdrop of the beautiful Jaswant Thada. This year the renowned Prahlad Tipaniya, folk maestro from Malwa from the neighbouring state of Madhya Pradesh, shares with us the poetry of sant Kabir Das. Sant Kabir was a 15 th -century mystic poet whose words influenced not only the Bhakti movement in India but touched the hearts and minds of common people and enlightened souls across religious and spiritual spectrum in the sub-continent. Prahlad ji is probably the most renowned and respected of Kabir panthi, having performed extensively across India and abroad.
In addition to being an exceptional singer and a profound understanding of the saint-poet Kabir’s words (Kabir vaani), Prahladji’s explanations and insights into life/ poetry bring immense meaning and solace to his listeners.

PLEASE NOTE

- The Jodhpur RIFF program is subject to change, without prior announcement.
- For more information on the program, email: info@jodhpurriff.org

A widespread but less understood aspect of India’s spiritual traditions are the numerous texts and poetry of the nirguni and saguni bhakti sects - such as poetry and teachings of Goraknathji, Sankarcharya, Ramananda, Guru Nanak and more recently that of Sri Aurobindo, the Radahswamis and Sadhguru (these are only a few!). The popularity of Kabir’s poetry of the 15th century only lends voice to this truth; even today he is easily the most popular of nirguni poet-saints.

Nirguni poetry offers a striking testimony to the idea that any attempt to construct a unified, homogeneous religious or social ideology is futile, even unnecessary for one’s well-being and one’s spiritual journey on this earth. And if we were to look closely at our own lives, we could all come to the same conclusion. At its core is the idea of a submission and devotion to a ‘higher’ entity not separate from us - an entity entirely devoid of form (nirguni = without characteristics, or formless). Interestingly, while the nirguni tradition is clearly an alternate to Vedic Brahmanism and sagun bhakti (devotion to a defined being) traditions, it has emerged from the concepts and sentiments of the same Veda, Purana and Upanishad that has conditioned so much of modern Hinduism.

Rajasthan has a rich culture of such poetry and Jodhpur RIFF brings a taste of this amazing tradition at our dawn session, led by the soft and lilting vocals of Bhaga Khan Manganiyar and Mahesha Ram Meghwal.

Discover the myriad hues of the traditional dance forms of Rajasthan, reflecting its distinctive root traditions, some popular and some rare, including:

Chang Nritya - a charming, captivating dance, with men swaying and grooving while playing a round frame-drum called chang;

Derun Nritya – dedicated to Gogaji (the folk deity of snakes), this is a pan-community dance tradition performed to the primal beats of the derun or damru, a small two headed drum;

Teraah Taali - known for agility and grace, where women move to and produce the reverberating sounds of teraah i.e. thirteen little cymbals or manjira that are fastened to their waist, wrists, elbows, and hands, simultaneously showcasing their skills of movement, balance and concentration;

Gavari – a troupe of Bhil performers from Mewar perform musical street theatre that explores themes of worship of their Devi (goddess), mythology, history and biting political satire, alongside the rising beats of madal (a hand drum);

Aangi-Baangi Gair - another visually mesmerising dance form originally performed by the Bhil community, gair is a martial-looking, robust dance with long sticks where men in wide skirts move and turn to the beat of a traditional rhythm, while striking their sticks with their partners’ and dancing for hours. Trance-like, the dance builds to a crescendo as the performers twirl and move faster and faster to the rich sounds of the dhol-thaali.

Jodhpur RIFF presents its first ever focus on the unique jogi music tradition of Mewat. Located in the east and covering the districts of Alwar and Bharatpur and a little part of Haryana, Mewat is a distinct cultural region of Rajasthan, with its own folklore and language - Mewati. Its contribution to the music of Rajasthan includes unusual instruments such as the bhapang, jogiya sarangi, singi, algoza, bakra mashaq (goat-skin bagpipes) and the chikara, believed to have been formed from the bow of Shiva

Widespread across Mewat and tracing their roots to Guru Gorakhnath (founder of the Nath sect) and Ismail nath, hailing from Bengal and guru of the Mev (Meo) Muslim jogi (also credited with having invented the bhapang), the jogi were healers as well, trained in magic and tantra vidya. They were the primary custodians of the music and storytelling traditions of the region under the patronage of a variety of Rajput nobility, both Hindu and Muslim. The Pandwand ka Kada - a garland of more than forty folk stories strung together and recited with music, is a unique product of this patronage. They were also social satirists and political commentators, something that they practice to this day.

At Jodhpur RIFF, we will hear their amazing music and meet the stalwarts among the jogi musicians, including Babunath Jogi, Ram Swaroop Jogi, Yusuf Khan, Mehboob Khan and others.

Jodhpur RIFF’s interactive session series give the audience a rare opportunity to meet fascinating artists from various root traditions. The sessions encourage audience members to engage and discuss challenges, forms and traditional practice through performances, lecture-demonstrations and facilitated conversations. As more and more of Rajasthan and India’s rich traditional cultural heritage disappears, Jodhpur RIFF puts the spotlight on some of its remarkable music forms and traditions nearing extinction and opens dialogue to surface and explore how these challenges could be addressed.

Hakam Khan Manganiyar comes from Sanawara in Jaisalmer, where most of the families are traditional folk musicians. Hakam ji was initiated into music by his forefathers at the age of three by a traditional sweetening of the tongue ceremony (“... so that he retains a melodious voice all his life”). Today he is a respected elder of the community and is a custodian of the rich repertoire of the Manganiyar vocal traditions, particularly that of the dingle, chhand and doha. He is a master of the jangda style of singing unique to his community, with his remarkable rendering of epic sagas and ballads. At the age of 72, he remains a master of the kamaicha - the earthy, string instrument of the Manganiyar, a teacher to younger musicians and a wonderful improviser in numerous collaborations with artists from India and abroad.

Rawata Ram Shekhawati Now well over 60 years old, Rawata ji is probably the only farmer to have showcased the dhol thali nritya with his group from Shekhawati, outside the region. A simple, improvised dance typically celebrating the success of a new crop or the beginning or end of a good season, it is performed only by senior farmers as a part-social, part-ritual to please folk deities and express gratitude for providing food and abundance to all. Rawata Ram ji is the torchbearer of this very raw and farmer-led dance form, keeping it alive by taking it to villages and regional cultural events across Rajasthan.

Kachara Khan Manganiyar Hailing from Jaisalmer, Kachara ji is a sufi folk singer from the Manganiyar community. Having performed at numerous sufi music festivals in India and across the world, his body of work and tremendous repertoire have had a significant contribution in sustaining the sufi traditions of Rajasthan. His vocals reveal a deep knowledge of traditional poetry and his compositions provide a rustic, yet lilting and melodious texture to his sufi renditions. Kachchra ji sings ‘Sufiana Sindhi’, and ‘Punjabi Sindhi’ styles, dotes on poetry by Bulleh Shah and loves singing extracts from the epic ballads of love and loss of Heer-Ranjha and Laila-Majnu. With his effortless singing and powerful compositions, accompanied by the rich music and rhythm of traditional instruments in the ensemble, Kachara ji is known to create a trance-like atmosphere in his concerts.

Jodhpur RIFF presents a special showcase of some of the most unusual, significant, and legendary songs of the desert regions of Marwar and its vicinity - Legendary folk songs of Marwar. Some of the regions’ master musicians such as Sugna Devi, Lakha Khan, Kadar and Asgar Langa, Daya Ram, Barkat and Talab Manganiyar share the stage, presenting a carefully chosen repertoire that will provide a rare glimpse into the richness of the home of Rajasthan’s professional musician communities - the Langa, the Manganiyar and the Jogi Kalbeliya

Malian virtuoso kora player and composer Ballake Sissoko, is considered to be one of the most important musicians of his generation. His performances are known to entrance, magnified by his talent as a melodist and an improviser. Having learnt the manding kora, a twenty-one-stringed harp at a very young age from his father Djelimady Sissoko, a renowned master, he became the first local kora player to master musical styles typical of the Western guitar while still being able to maintain the traditional West African rhythmic structures required for dancing.After a period of performing as a member of large ensembles and as an accompanist for Malian singers, he came to international attention by performing solo, in a duo with Toumani Diabate, with Taj Mahal and since 2009, with Vincent Segal on the album “Chamber Music” and the recent “Musique de Nuit”. At Jodhpur RIFF Ballake presents a virtuosic, solo set that takes us to the heartland of Mali’s traditional music and then emerges to reveal modern, original compositions by the maestro of the kora.

Karolina Cicha singer, composer, multi-instrumentalist and one-woman-orchestra, Karolina is known for her masterful vocals with accordion in one hand, keyboard in another and drums by her feet. Equally comfortable in singing in Yiddish and Esperanto (yes!), she is primarily committed to singing and performing tunes and songs of the Tartars - a minority Turkic and Finno-Ugric culture, sometimes understood as part Hungarian/ part Mongolian - and brings a Polish sensibility to her music. At Jodhpur RIFF, she presents some of her newer compositions, reflecting her current direction of musical exploration: the touchpoints between tradition and modernity as well as the ones between the music of the Podlasie minorities and modern poetry. Karolian has performed all over the world, including TFF Rudolstadt (Germany), World Music Festival (Slovakia), WOMEX 2015 Official Selection (Hungary), Sibiu International Theatre Festival (Romania) and La Mama Theatre (USA) among many others.

Legendary Hungarian folk band Muzsikas has pioneered the global popularity of Hungarian folk music that is now a well-established niche in the roots and world music scenes. In the 46 years of their unrivalled career, they’ve collaborated with various noted musicians and groups, from folk and world-music to classical, klezmer and jazz, and even to alternative rock music. The first Hungarian folk ensemble accepted by the classical music scene, Muzsikas have combined 20th century Hungarian classical and traditional Hungarian folk music and have preserved the legacy of both for future generations. They have presented their exceptional live performances at the greatest festivals and in the most significant concert halls in the world, such as the Royal Festival Hall in London, the Théatre de la Ville in Paris and Carnegie Hall in New York. The winner of WOMEX Award 2008 for World Music, their instrumental knowledge and musical versatility is a treat to experience!

Jose Marquez (latin and Afro-beat inspired electronic world rhythms) will perform at Club Mehran for the second consecutive year. Los Angeles DJ/Producer Jose Marquez’s musical influence is a result of being brought up on a staple diet of Latin and World Music. Always intrigued by electronic sounds, Jose's mission has been to fuse his love of world rhythms with the dance floor. He is a groovy, in-the-pocket, make-you-move DJ who gained notoriety when he burst onto the scene in 2010 with memorable remixes and edits of artists such as Celia Cruz, Nina Simone, Oumou Sangare and many others. Having performed at major clubs and events such as Djoon (Paris), Global Fantasy (Athens), Solid Garage (Toronto), DEEP (Los Angeles), Crossroads (NYC), etc. he continues to travel the globe uniting nations on the dance floor with his signature sound.

PLEASE NOTE

-The Jodhpur RIFF program is subject to change, without prior announcement.
- For more information on the program, email: info@jodhpurriff.org.

A true surprise at sunrise, the third dawn session at Jodhpur RIFF is presented by an enchanting line up of Indian and international musicians, including:

Valeri Tolstov of Armenian origin, a supremely adept multi-instrumentalist and composer that not only masters the flute and the organ but also plays keyboards, guitars and various ethnic wind instruments.

Andrew Cronshaw is an English musician, zither-player and multi-instrumentalist, heavily influenced by traditional Finnish, Scots Gaelic and North Iberian music.

Mahesh Vinayakram, Carnatic vocalist extraordinaire (and son of the ghatam legend Padma Bhushan T.H. Vikku Vinayakram)

Asin Langa, Rajasthan’s young vocal and Sindhi sarangi maestro

Darra Manganiyar, master of the kamaicha

PLEASE NOTE: There will be free guided walks available in the Rao Jodha Desert park after each dawn concert.

Discover the myriad hues of the traditional dance forms of Rajasthan, reflecting its distinctive root traditions, some popular and some rare, including:

Chang Nritya - a charming, captivating dance, with men swaying and grooving while playing a round frame-drum called chang;

Derun Nritya – dedicated to Gogaji (the folk deity of snakes), this is a pan-community dance tradition performed to the primal beats of the derun or damru, a small two headed drum;

Teraah Taali - known for agility and grace, where women move to and produce the reverberating sounds of teraah i.e. thirteen little cymbals or manjira that are fastened to their waist, wrists, elbows, and hands, simultaneously showcasing their skills of movement, balance and concentration;

Gavari – a troupe of Bhil performers from Mewar perform musical street theatre that explores themes of worship of their Devi (goddess), mythology, history and biting political satire, alongside the rising beats of madal (a hand drum);

Aangi-Baangi Gair - another visually mesmerising dance form originally performed by the Bhil community, gair is a martial-looking, robust dance with long sticks where men in wide skirts move and turn to the beat of a traditional rhythm, while striking their sticks with their partners’ and dancing for hours. Trance-like, the dance builds to a crescendo as the performers twirl and move faster and faster to the rich sounds of the dhol-thaali.

The Ghoomar of Rajasthan

Ghoomar is derived from the Hindi word ‘ghoom’ which literally means ‘to twirl’. One of the most popular dance forms of the country, as the name signifies, the chief movement of this form is pirouetting. The footwork and hand movements are always in synchronization with this spinning motion. Ghoomar is conventionally performed by women in groups, who wear colourful, mirror-embedded ghaghra (flowing skirts) and cover their faces with a matching coloured veil. The coordinated movement accompanied by the haunting music of Rajasthan’s folk musical instruments, this dance form is vivid and surreal. The fantastic Asha Sapera, kalbeliya dancer conducts the session to live music.

Jodhpur RIFF presents rustic dance ‘bootcamp’s, facilitated by legendary, noted trainers. Short, intense and very rigorous, these camps will give participants an experiential insight into the movements and practice of folk-dance forms.

Please Note:
The is the one-and-only, stand-alone session..
The boot camp will have limited capacity.
Please wear/ bring appropriate and comfortable clothing that allows free movement such as T-shirts, long, loose shirts or blouses, tights, stretchable and loose track or harem pants or long skirts.
Do carry your own wiping material (towel, wet wipes, etc.). Be prepared to sweat! It is a boot camp!!

Kahaniyan Kahan Hain?

Most of the songs sung by the folk artists of Rajasthan were written a long time ago - their most recent ones could be 20-30 years old. And while so many of these songs are popular and are cherished by musicians and audiences alike, there is little new writing in these traditions. Evoking the richness of contemporary Rajasthani poetry and traditional and epic folk songs, Aidan Singh Bhati (poet), Shankar Singh Rajpurohit (poet and translator), Monika Gour (poet), Kadar Khan Langa (Sarangi, vocals), Ghevar Manganiyar (Kamaicha), Sumitra Devi (vocals), Kachra Khan (vocalist) and Bhikhe Khan (dingle poet) and others, share and present glimpses of their work and talk about the intricacies of Rajasthani language, the interconnectedness of oral storytelling with poetry and music in Rajasthan and the possibilities of new words - beginning a fresh conversation and embarking on a journey together as they imagine a contemporary song-writing culture for the folk music of Rajasthan.

This session is presented in collaboration with Ramneek Singh and Ankita Shah of Poetry Local.

“Kahaniyan Kahan Hain” is our ongoing series that enquires into the processes and challenges that confront the spoken word in the traditional folk repertoire - be it chant, song or story.

Pushkar Lele, one of India’s young and sought-after North Indian classical vocalists from Gwalior gharana debuts at Jodhpur RIFF, under the rising moon. With rarely heard compositions in his rich and sonorous voice, Pushkar will uncover the deep intricacies of Kumar Gandharva’s unique gayaki acquired from over two decades of study and training. He also performs natyasangeet, bhavgeet, bhajan, tappa, thumri, dadra, hori, abhang, Malwi lokgeet and other semi-classical and folk forms with exceptional ease and mastery. In love with poetry, attentive to diction, ability to go beyond strict parameters of the bandish and over 30 years of being on stage make Pushkar a remarkable, veteran performer even at his young age. A post-graduate in music from Lalit Kala Kendra (Centre for Performing Arts), University of Pune he is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards such as Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar Award, Gayanacharya Ramkrishnabua Vaze Puraskaar and the prestigious Sanatan Sangeet Puraskaar, whose past awardees include the likes of U. Shrinivas and A R Rahman.

Authentic Light Orchestra was founded 2009 by Swiss multi-instrumentalist with Armenian roots, Valeri Tolstov. Combining different musical genres - jazz, elements of Armenian folk and modern composition -the band brings a freshness to roots music with a new musical language and distinctive sound. ALO are fiddler and jazz and folk singer Veronika Stalder, Swiss percussionist Andi Pupato, guitarist Franz Hellmüller, bass player Thomas Tavano, percussionist Peter Somos, duduk maestro Emmanuel Hovhaniesyan and composer and tar player Michael Voskanyan.

Armenian melodies, classical influences, jazz and a touch of electronica mingle seamlessly in Authentic Light Orchestra’s creations. The resulting fusion is emotive, intelligent and playful.

Parampara… Pandit VikkuVinayakram is Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, and a Grammy Award-winning Indian percussionist (in 1991, for the album Planet Drum), has performed globally and is credited for popularising the ancient percussion instrument ghatam (an earthen mud pot) across the world. Over the past 60 years or more, he has played with all the leading Carnatic vocalists such as M. K. Thiagaraja Bagavathar, G. N. Balasubramaniam and M. S. Subbulakshmi. He has performed on global stages extensively as an integral part of ‘Shakti’, an innovative acoustic jazz/ Indian fusion band with guitarist John McLaughlin, violinist L. Shankar and Zakir Hussain on tabla.

This legendary percussionist performs at Jodhpur RIFF with his son Mahesh Vinayakram and Mahesh’s young children Guruprasad and Gurupriya, sharing and collaborating within three generations of the family.

Mahesh, who started his vocal career at the young age of twelve, he has performed extensively across continents with the likes of Ustad Zakir Hussain (Shakti), Talvin Singh and with American and European artists like Kai Eckhardt, Steve Smith, George Brooks, James Asher, Jonas Hellborg, Shawn Lane & Pete Lockett. He is the first Asian male vocal artist to be cast in Cirque du Soleil’s theatrical production ‘Luzia’. At JRIFF, Mahesh deftly produces both the traditional and music that re-interprets Carnatic music with infusions of contemporary flavours.

Rajasthani Brass - celebrates Rajasthan’s vibrancy and colour as folk musicians collaborate with Mehrangarh’s own house brass band - an ensemble on trumpet, trombone, euphonium, clarinet, bass and other instruments, presenting a heady, exciting musical reflection of this enchanting region. The ensemble of brass instruments was brought by the British in the 18th century and it’s believed that there were hundreds of brass bands in Rajasthan alone. However, the way of playing brass instruments and the compositions performed have evolved over time and are now strongly influenced by Indian folk music. With a diverse repertoire, the brass band and the collaborating folk musicians will cover the full spectrum of the evocative and joyous music that steers life in Rajasthan, facilitated by Hameed Kawa of the famous Kawa Brass Band of Rajasthan

RIFF Rustle is our largest, impromptu collaboration performance that concludes the festival's night time revelries. Every year, the festival appoints one musician as a 'rustler', who then rustles up other musicians from the festival to participate in this performance in pairs or quartets or all together. This year the young, highly skilled and accomplished Yissy Garcia will be our “rustler”. She will gather musicians to come and jam with her and compatriot Mary de La Paz, and will be collaborating with Rajasthani musicians and curating a set for the Rustle!

Born in the very musical neighborhood of Cayo Hueso, Yissy, a composer and drummer- is one of the most powerful artists of a new generation of Cuban musicians. With her creative impulses and grooves, her wide-ranging compositions and collaborations that run across different musical genres and styles, she knows how to create a rich sound that is both familiar yet distinct, that blurs the boundaries between tradition and the avant-garde. Collaboration comes naturally to Yissy, who has been involved with Maqueque – an all-female Afro-Cuban jazz ensemble put together by the Canadian soprano saxophone player Jane Bunnett — as well as Interactivo, the experimental band led by pianist Roberto Carcassés.

As Yissy leads a diverse group of musicians, something she’s done flawlessly several times before, expect to be excited and thrilled and very likely, to be on your feet and grooving and shaking throughout!

PLEASE NOTE
-The Jodhpur RIFF program is subject to change, without prior announcement.
- For more information on the program, email: info@jodhpurriff.org.

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