Sound the brass and the drum!

Hailing from a long family lineage of musicians and sharing his life between Jaipur and Paris, Hameed Khan Kawa, a tabla maestro and artistic director of Musafir, has known the sound of the brass band since his birth. In its native place, Rajasthan, the brass band is a feature of life itself. Exposed to different musical styles – jazz, Western traditional music, Indian music – Hameed developed the idea of creating a brass band of his own to present the fantastic sound of the Indian Brass Band.
He selected the most talented musicians from the best local bands of Rajasthan, with a repertoire blending popular themes from Bollywood films, traditional music of Rajasthan with its distinctive Gypsy sound, and even a touch of Hindustani classical music to create a sound which is individual and unexpected.

The melodies and songs are developed with much refinement, featuring virtuoso solos and dazzling improvisations on the clarinet and trumpet. The percussionists elaborate their fast and spontaneous playing with the sophisticated rhythms of India, providing counterpoint to the Gypsy danseuse, the fakir in his astonishing acts and of course the band itself.

Jaipur Kawa Brass Band has firmly established itself on the international music scene, and its performances include Roskilde Festival 2004, Dunya Festival, Mar de Musica, Forum des Cultures Barcelona 2004, Venice Carnival 2004, La Carnavalcade (Football World Cup in Paris), Expo Suisse 2002, Paléo Festival and Sfinsk Festival, as well as WDR and BBC Radio Three.

The JKBB debut UK tour in 2005 was a resounding success for promoters and audiences alike, with over 60 performances all across the country from The Isle of Skye down to Penzance; their four appearances on one day at Glastonbury Festival earned them an invitation to return for the whole weekend in 2007! 
Performing with an amazing energy and humour both on stage and in a moving parade, the performers in this unique musical feast represent the soul of contemporary India.

Work in Schools: Over the last three years we have brought in specialists to work with the JKBB to develop their skills and devise an education programme.  They now have extensive experience of working with children in UK schools and have conducted two week long residencies in Durham and Somerset.  They are available for work in schools whilst on tour in the UK.

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