Named a rising percussion star by Downbeat magazine in 2011, bandleader Sunny Jain is known as an innovator in the contemporary world fusion scene. On Friday he leads his high-energy crew of self-styled “party starters,” known collectively as Red Baraat, to Moe’s Alley. The Brooklyn nine-piece melds Indian Bhangra beats with big brass accompaniments to create a unique sound somewhere between go-go, Latin jazz and funk that’s been described as “New York meets New Delhi.”
Jain, a drumset player since the age of 12, was trained in the jazz tradition and established an impressive resume early on playing with such high-profile stars as Peter Gabriel, Norah Jones and David Byrne. In 2007 he even performed for Al Gore at the Nobel Peace Prize concert in Oslo with the Sufi-rock group Junoon. Despite the success, he felt the need to reflect his identity as an Indian-American through his music. The dhol—the double-headed drum often played with an almost galloping jangle in traditional Indian dance music—caught his attention.
“Music has always served as a bridge for me between two disparate cultures,” he told Santa Cruz Weekly. “For about a decade now I’ve felt myself being drawn to the dhol. [With Red Baraat] I wanted to look back and cull all of the influences that I grew up with and that affected me. Create something that was Indian-American, not just Indian and not just American.”
Born to Punjabi immigrants, Jain grew up in a household that strongly reflected his Indian background. As a child he was introduced to the sounds of his parents’ native country, an influence that left an indelible trace on Jain and eventually on Red Baraat. “I wanted a band that was very primal and energetic, that was able to do it on a completely acoustic set with no electrified instruments. Almost a throwback to the traditional Indian marching bands I grew listening to as a child, but incorporating the sounds of America everyone in the band grew up listening to.”
Their rollicking combination of styles culminates in a stage show full of bombastic energy. NPR’s Fresh Air called them “one of the greatest party bands around,” a distinction that they have worked hard to live up to. “We throw it all out there,” says Jain. “By the end of the performance I’m pretty much exhausted, but it’s a good exhaustion. I feel like I didn’t hold anything back. It’s a great cathartic release. Everyone gives 100 percent no matter what condition they’re in.”
Since Red Baraat formed in 2008 to record its debut album, Chaal Baby—the title track of which is now the theme music for the television show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia—the band’s profile has rapidly ascended. After playing at world music festivals across the Midwest in support of the first album, its market of listeners has expanded immensely, both at home in New York City and abroad. The bandmembers are making their first trip to Northern California on this tour in anticipation of their second studio album, Shruggy Ji. Their current tour will take them across the Atlantic to make their first European tour.
As Red Baraat gains accolades, the band focuses on improving its sound and performance. “The only real difference for us is that we’re getting stronger. We’re adding to our history, we’re adding to our repertoire, we’re adding to the breadth and scope of what we do,” says Jain, who insists that the band is committed to “bringing good vibes and good energy to people.
“It’s one big party and you’re a part of it, whether you’re playing an instrument or not.”
RED BARAAT
Friday, Feb. 24, 9pm
Tickets $12 adv/$15 door
