Bhangra
Encyclopedia
Bhaṅgṛā Bhangra is a form of music and dance whose origins lie the traditions of the Punjab region of the sub-Indian continent. Originally a harvest celebration dance, it developed in England during the 1980s into its proper and modern form. It draws from both classical and folk music of the Punjab region of Un-partitioned India as well as various Western influences. It is a widely practiced cultural activity by Indo-Canadians.
Bhangra, also refers to a form of dance. It was initially used as a celebratory folk dance which heralded the coming of spring, or Vaisakhi, as it is known.Following the partition of India different regions of the country began to mix and interact sharing their different forms of Bhangra. The end result was a hybrid being created which incorporated the many different styles of the unique act.
Bhangra also refers to a folk dance. Bhangra dance began as a folk dance conducted by Punjabi farmers in 11th century to celebrate the coming of the harvest season. The specific moves of bhangra reflect the manner in which villagers farmed their land. This hybrid dance became bhangra. The folk dance has been popularised in the Western world by Punjabi musicians
and is seen in the West as an expression of South Asian culture as a whole. Today, Bhangra dance survives in different forms and styles all over the globe – including pop music, film soundtrack
s, collegiate competitions and cultural shows.
, Apna Sangeet and The new pardesi music machine. This period of bhangra prosperity lasted until 1994 when the introduction of the folk dhol drum and electronic dj looped sampling caused most bands to either dissolve or morph into Punjabi folk singers albeit keeping the band name.
youth culture centred on an experiential sense of self, e.g., language, gesture, bodily signification, desires, etc., in a situation in which tensions with British culture and racist elements in British society had resulted in alienation
in many minority ethnic groups
, fostered a sense of need for an affirmation of a positive identity and culture, and provided a platform for British Punjabi males to assert their masculinity.
In the 1980s, distributed by record labels such as Multitone Records
, Bhangra artists were selling over 30,000 cassettes a week in the UK, but not one artist made their way into the Top 40 UK Chart despite these artists outselling popular British ones; most of the Bhangra cassette sales were not through the large UK record stores, whose sales were those recorded by the Official UK Charts Company for creating their rankings.
The 1980s is also what is commonly known as the golden age, or what the "bhangraheads" refer to as the age of bhangra music, which lasted roughly from 1985 to 1993. The primary emphasis during these times was on the melody/riff (played out usually on a synthesizer/harmonium/accordion or a guitar); the musician/composer received as much fanfare, if not more, than the vocalist. The folk instruments were rarely used, because it was agreed that the music was independent of the instruments being used.
This era saw the very first bhangra boy band, called the Sahotas
, a band made up of five brothers from Wolverhampton
, UK. Their music is a fusion of bhangra, rock and dance.
One of the biggest bhangra stars of the last several decades is Golden Star UK. Its lead singer Malkit was born in June 1963 in the village of Hussainpur in Punjab. He attended the Khalsa College, Jalandhar, in Punjab in 1980 to study for a bachelor of arts degree. There he met his mentor, Professor Inderjit Singh, who nurtured his skills in Punjabi folk singing and bhangra dancing. Due to Singh's tutelage, Malkit entered and won many song contests during this time. In 1983, he won a gold medal at the Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar
, Punjab, for performing his hit song "Gurh Naloo Ishq Mitha", which later featured on his first album, Nach Gidhe Wich, released in 1984. This album, created with the aid of one of bhangra's greatest musicians, Tarlochan Singh Bilga, was a strong hit among South Asians worldwide. The band has toured 27 countries. Malkit has been awarded the prestigious MBE by the British Queen for his services to bhangra music.
The group Alaap, fronted by Channi Singh, the man made famous by his white scarf, hails from Southall
, a Punjabi area in London. Their album Teri Chunni De Sitaray, released in 1982 by Multitone, created quite a stir at a time when bhangra was still in its early days. This album played a critical role in creating an interest in bhangra among Asian university students in Britain . The music produced for Alaap included the pioneering sounds by Deepak Khazanchi .
Heera
, formed by Bhupinder Bhindi and fronted by Kumar and Dhami, was one of the most popular bands of the 1980s . Fans were known to gate-crash weddings where they played . The group established itself with the albums Jag Wala Mela, produced by music maestro of the time Kuljit Bhamra
, and Diamonds from Heera, produced by Deepak Khazanchi, the man behind the new sound of UK bhangra, on Arishma records. These albums are notable for being amongst the first bhangra albums to mix Punjabi drums and Punjabi synthesizers with traditional British instruments successfully.
Bands like Alaap and Heera incorporated rock-influenced beats into bhangra, because it enabled "Asian youth to affirm their identities positively" within the broader environment of alternative rock as an alternative way of expression. However, some believe that the progression of bhangra music created an "intermezzo culture" post-India's partition, within the unitary definitions of Southeast Asians within the diaspora, thus "establishing a brand new community in their home away from home".
Several other influential groups appeared around the same time, including The Saathies, Premi Group, Bhujungy Group, and Apna Sangeet. Apna Sangeet, best known for their hit "Mera Yaar Vajavey Dhol", re-formed for charity in May 2009 after a break-up.
When bhangra and Indian sounds and lyrics were brought together, British-Asian artists began incorporating them in their music. Certain Asian artists, such as Bally Sagoo
, Talvin Singh
, Badmarsh, Black Star Liner, and State of Bengal, are creating their own form of British hip-hop.
This era also brought about bhangra art, which, like the bhangra music it represented was rebellious and unlike anything that ever came out in the Indian subcontinent. Unlike folk music art, which simply consisted of a picture of the folk singer, Bhangra recordings had distinctive artwork, logos, clever album names, band/musician listings (who played what) and other details that raised the level of professionalism to a level that had never been seen in Bollywood recordings or folk recordings from Punjab.
, Achanak
, and Anamika were moving away from the older gen staples of performing in weddings and community events. Their attempts at bringing bhangra music to the western audiences were bearing fruition as they were playing some of the top venues.
Bands like Canada's Punjabi by Nature
as well as Sahotas
were pushing the frontiers of Bhangra by going outside the usual realm of performing at community events or events marketed to Ethnic Indians. According to Tony Singh, singer/songwriter in PBN, "I wanted to take sound and culture out. There are other bands-Punjabi bands, bhangra bands, but they still play within the community. To me, that's great, but those bands aren't really useful for showing ourselves to other communities, to say, hey, we're Punjabis and we're damn proud of it. I don't think they [other communities] would know. They would never know. So, to Punjabi by Nature, playing in our own community is not a big deal. I think the challenge is to get out."
Beginning around 1994, there was a trend towards the use of samples (often sampled from mainstream hip hop) mixed with traditional folk rhythm instruments, such as the tumbi and dhol. Using folk instruments, hip-hop samples, along with relatively inexpensive folk vocals imported from Punjab, Punjabi folk music was able to abolish bhangra music.
Pioneering DJs instrumental in the destruction of bhangra were Bally Sagoo and Punjabi MC. As Djs who were initially hired by bhangra labels to remix the original recordings on the label's roster (OSA and Nachural respectively), they along with the record labels quickly found that remixing folk singers from India was much cheaper than working with bhangra bands (outsourced).
mus
A pioneering folk singer that was instrumental in bhangra's demise was the "Canadian folkster", Jazzy B
, who debuted in 1992. Having sold over 55,000 copies of his third album, Folk and Funky, he is now one of the best-selling Punjabi folk artists in the world, with a vocal style likened to that of Kuldip Manak
.
Other influential folk artists include Surinder Shinda
- famous for his "Putt Jattan De" - Harbhajan Mann
, Manmohan Waris
, Meshi Eshara, Sarbjit Cheema
, Hans Raj Hans
, Sardool Sikander
, Anakhi, Sat Rang, XLNC, B21, Shaktee, Sahara, Paaras
, PDM
, Amar Group, Sangeet Group, and Bombay Talkie
. A DJ to rise to stardom with many successful hits was Panjabi MC
.
By the end of the 1990s, Bhangra music had been wiped out and replaced with Punjabi folk singers.
The same folk singers bhangra bands had replaced a decade earlier were being utilized by DJs to make relatively inexpensive non live music on laptops. This "folkhop" genre was short lived as records could not be officially released due to non clearance copyrights on samples used to create the "beat". This "poor man's bhangra" continued until the end of the century. Folkhop record labels such Hi Tech were investigated by BPI (British Phonographic Industry) for copyright infringement by way of uncleared samples on releases by Folk Djs such as Dj Sanj
Two folk singers that had a big role in killing bhangra were Surjit Bindrakhia and Amar chamkila.
In 2010, the story of how bhangra arrived and developed in the UK was told in the stage musical Britain's Got Bhangra, produced by Rifco Arts. The show was the first ever bhangra musical, with much of the show in Punjabi, making use of the live dhol, dholak and tabla throughout, and has traditional folk melodies as well as an original score by Sumeet Chopra with crossovers into pop, rap and R&B. The production had its world premiere at Theatre Royal Stratford East in May 2010 and went on a UK Tour . Another major tour is expected in 2011 .
and the chimta
. The accompanying songs are small couplet
s written in the Punjabi language
called bolis. In Punjabi folk music, the dhol's smaller cousin, the dholki, was nearly always used to provide the main beat. Nowadays, the dhol is used more frequently. Additional percussion
, including tabla
, is less frequently used in bhangra as a solo instrument but is sometimes used to accompany the dhol and dholki. This rhythm serves as a common thread that allows for easy commingling between Punjabi folk and reggae, as demonstrated by such artists as the UK's Apache Indian.
Bhangra has developed as a combination of dances from different parts of the Punjab region. The term Bhangra now refers to several kinds of dances and arts, including Jhumar, Luddi, Giddha, Julli, Daankara, Dhamal, Saami, Kikli, and Gatka.
In addition to these different dances, a bhangra performance typically contains many energetic stunts. The most popular stunt is called the moor, or peacock, in which a dancer sits on someone's shoulders, while another person hangs from his torso by his legs. Two-person towers, pyramids, and various spinning stunts are also popular.
while doing bhangra. A chaadra is a piece of cloth wrapped around the waist. Men also wear a kurta
, which is a long Indian-style shirt. In addition, men wear pagadi (also known as turbans) to cover their heads.
In modern times, men also wear turla, the fan attached to the pagadi. Colorful vests are worn above the kurta. Fumans (small balls attached to ropes) are worn on each arm.
Women wear a traditional Punjabi dress known as a salwar kameez, long baggy pants tight at the ankle (salwar) and a long colorful shirt (kameez). Women also wear chunnis
, colorful pieces of cloth wrapped around the neck.
These items are all very colorful and vibrant, representing the rich rural colors of Punjab. Besides the above, the bhangra dress has different parts that are listed below in detail:
Southeast Asia, Central America etc. . In particular, many bhangra tracks have been written about Udham Singh
and Bhagat Singh. Less serious topics include beautiful ladies with their colorful duppattas
.
Bhangra singers do not sing in the same tone of voice as their Southeast Asian counterparts. Rather, they employ a high, energetic tone of voice. Singing fiercely and with great pride, they typically add nonsensical, random noises to their singing. Likewise, often people dancing to Bhangra will yell phrases such as hoi, hoi, hoi; balle balle
; chak de; oye hoi; bruah (for an extended length of about 2–5 seconds); haripa; or ch-ch (mostly used as slow beats called Chummer/Jhoomer) to the music.
One famous bhangra or Punjabi lyricist is Harbans Jandu
(Jandu Littranwala), who has written famous songs such as "Giddhian Di Rani". Another famous bhangra lyricist is Rattan Reehal (Rurki wala rattan).
The primary and most important instrument that defines bhangra is the drumset. The drumset is a collection of drums, played by beating it with two sticks - as well as pedals played with foot (bass end) and snaar (treble end).
The string instruments include the guitar
(both acoustic and electrical), bass
, sitar
, tumbi
, violin
and sarangi
. The snare
, toms
, dhad
, dafli, dholki, and damru are the other drums. The tumbi, originally played by folk artists such as Lalchand Yamla Jatt and Kuldip Manak in true folk recordings and then famously mastered by chamkila, a famous Punjabi folk singer (not bhangra singer), is a high-tone, single-string instrument. It has only one string; however, it is easy to master. The sarangi is a multi-stringed instrument, somewhat similar to the violin and is played using meends, its more complex and difficult to master than the tumbi. The sapera produces a beautiful, high-pitched stringy beat, while the supp and chimta add an extra, light sound to bhangra music. Finally, the dhad, dafli, dholki, and damru are instruments that produce more drum beats, but with much less bass than the dhol drum.
The keyboard and guitar are the most important melodic instruments used in bhangra, with even the sitar being used on certain albums.
were trained exponents of Indian percussion and helped create the current UK sound, albeit mainly with tabla and dholki for bands like Alaap
and Heera
. The generation that followed became overly dependent on folk music.
Talented 15-year-old percussionist Bhupinder Singh Kullar, aka Tubsy, of Handsworth, Birmingham, created a more contemporary style and groove that seemed to fuse more naturally with Western music. Songs such as "Dhola veh Dhola" (Satrang) and albums such as Bomb the Tumbi (Safri Boyz) contained this new style and were very successful.
Then came Sunil Kalyan of Southall, London, who also sessioned on many songs and albums. He added a smoothness and sweetness never heard before on the tabla, hailing him as one of the best tabla players in UK bhangra.
Sukhshinder Shinda
later introduced his unique style of dhol playing with the album Dhol Beat. He added a very clean style of dhol playing and helped create the sound for artists such as Jaswinder Singh Bains and Bhinda Jatt
. He was regarded at the time as the best dhol player in UK.
Another influential percussionist was :Parvinder Bharat :(Parv) of Wolverhampton, who for many years had been percussionist for DCS' his style, speed and improvisational skills were second to none. Parv also introduced playing the dholak and tabla top end (dhayan) with great effect into the live bhangra scene, a style that has been adopted by most bhangra percussionists ever since.
Also came to attention, the talented & sensational percussionist Aman Hayer
who had learned quiet a lot instruments from his father "Avtar Singh Hayer" from a young age and has also played instruments "live" to thousands of people since the mid 90's (with 80's Amar Group from Leamington Spa
) to date. Hayer is also known to be Ustad Sukshinder Shinda's student as he learned Tabla from him back in days, also Hayer learned to play Dhol from one of the World's best Dhol Players; "Lal Singh Bhatti Ji" who stayed at their house for few months and encourage Hayer to take steps towards the industry slowly, slowly. Hayer is known with his nickname "Littranwale da Dhol" which indicates whenever it's played, it's for sure to shake the ground as he is; Mr. Groundshaker.
Other important percussionists include Juggy Rihal of Coventry, and Billy Sandher of Gravesend.
Folk vocals are usually sung to traditional melodies, that are often repeated with new lyrics.
Many South Asian DJs, especially in America, have mixed Punjabi folk music with house, reggae
, and hip-hop to add a different flavor to Punjabi folk. These remixes continued to gain popularity as the 1990s came to an end.
Of particular note among remix artists is Bally Sagoo, a Punjabi-Sikh, Anglo-Indian raised in Birmingham
, England. Sagoo described his music as "a bit of tablas, a bit of the Indian sound. But bring on the bass lines, bring on the funky-drummer beat, bring on the James Brown
samples", to Time magazine in 1997. He was recently signed by Sony
as the flagship artist for a new sound. The most popular of these is Daler Mehndi
, a Punjabi singer from India, and his music, known as "folk pop". Mehndi has become a major name not just in Punjab, but also all over India, with tracks such as "Bolo Ta Ra Ra" and "Ho Jayegee Balle Balle". He has made the sound of bhangra-pop a craze amongst many non-Punjabis in India, selling many millions of albums. Perhaps his most impressive accomplishment is the selling of 250,000 albums in Kerala
, a state in the South of India where Punjabi is not spoken. His song "Tunak Tunak Tun
" (1998) also became an internet phenomenon across the world.
Toward the end of the decade, bhangra continued to slow down, with folkhop artists such as Bally Sagoo and Apache Indian signing with international recording labels Sony and Island. Moreover, Multitone Records, one of the major recording labels associated with bhangra in Britain in the 1980s and 1990s, was bought by BMG. Finally, a recent Pepsi
commercial launched in Britain featured South Asian actors and Punjabi folk music. This, perhaps more than anything else, is a true sign of the emergence of Punjabi folk into popular culture.
Bhangra followers often feel that the music is an expression of identity. As the movement gains momentum, bhangra music has also gained international recognition. "Asian fusion is a melding of the sounds of the sub-continent with hip-hop beats and R&B influences, and it's no longer destined to be tucked away in the World Music
section of your record store," says Ashta Mehta.
However, with the emergence of North American (non bhangra) folk artists such as Manmohan Waris
, Jazzy Bains, Kamal Heer
, Harbhanjan Maan, Sarabjit Cheema, and Debi Makhsoospuri and the growth of the remix
market, the future of Punjabi folk music in North America looks good.
In 2001, Punjabi folk, and its hip-hop form, folkhop, began to exert an influence over US R&B music, when Missy Elliott
released the folkhop-influenced song "Get Ur Freak On
". In 2003, Punjabi MC's "Mundian To Bach Ke
" ("Beware of the Boys") was covered by the U.S. rapper Jay-Z
. The great popularity of these two tracks led to an even greater usage of Punjabi folk in American music. Additionally, American rapper Pras
of The Fugees
has recorded tracks with British alternative bhangra band Swami
. Because the original Punjabi folk beat is different from the commercialized version we see today, the use of bhangra beats shows the complexity and ingenuity of hip-hop in North America and how artists gain inspiration from all different genres of music. The commercialization of Punjabi folk and the way it has traveled around the world speaks to the versatility and longevity of the musical style.
Bhangra, the dance, has also expanded into the world of fitness. Fitness instructors like television host Sarina Jain have developed fitness routines based on bhangra dance moves for their workout programs. Bhangra Empire
, a bhangra dance group from California, has appeared on America's Got Talent and in Harper's Bazaar.
2010 was the first year for Elite 8 Bhangra Invitational, in Washington, D.C. This event invited eight of the top teams from North America to showcase their routines and compete for the number one spot. Virginia Commonwealth University of Richmond, Virginia, was crowned champion. Sonay Gabroo Punjab De (SGPD) from Toronto, Canada took the title in 2011.
In the West, unlike in the Punjab, there is less emphasis on traditional songs and more focus on the flow of a mix; an easy example of this is a team such as Da Real Punjabis, which is notorious for mixing traditional bhangra music with hip-hop or rock songs. This synergy of the bhangra dance with other cultures parallels the music's fusion with different genres. University competitions have experienced an explosion in popularity over the last five years and have helped to promote the dance and music in today's mainstream culture.
In the UK, the first ever major bhangra competition, The Bhangra Showdown, was organised by students from Imperial College London and held on 1 December 2007. The competition was held at Indigo2 in the O2 in Greenwich
and was attended by over 1000 people. Kings College London won the inaugural Bhangra Showdown, followed by Brunel and Imperial College. All proceeds from this show were donated to two charities, Wateraid
and The Child Welfare Trust, and the show looks to continue on an annual basis. The show was held once again on 31 January 2009 at the Sadler's Wells Theatre, with proceeds going to the MND Association and The Child Welfare Trust, and was attended by around 1,500 people. Six universities took part: Imperial, Queen Mary's, Kingston, Brunel, Birmingham and Leicester/DMU. Birmingham came in 3rd place, Imperial came a very close 2nd, and Queen Mary's took 1st place. This was followed by another sell-out show at London Palladium in January 2010, with crowds of around 2400, where Imperial won, followed by Queen Mary and Barts in second place and Brunel in third.
Most recently, the 4th Bhangra Showdown was held at HMV Hammersmith Apollo on Saturday, 5 February, featuring 10 teams (Imperial College, Kings College, UCL & LSE, Manchester, Brunel, Kingston, Birmingham, Queen Mary and Barts, Leicester and St Georges). The number one spot went to Birmingham, followed closely by Imperial in 2nd place. They performed in front of yet another sell-out crowd of 3500.
performed during Bihu festival. Magh Bihu is associated with farming, as the traditional Assamese society is predominantly dependent on farming. Parallels between bhangra and bihu can be drawn from the fact that the merriments for both of these music forms involve characteristic overtones with dances along with the enthralling beats of percussive musical instruments. Moreover, both bihu and bhangra involve high-energy dance moves and sequences
with young dancers in colorful clothing and the folk music played with the dhol. Both music/dance varieties, though having the similar themes, are distinctly different and have their proper origins in the respective regions of Punjab and Assam Valley.
Bhangra, also refers to a form of dance. It was initially used as a celebratory folk dance which heralded the coming of spring, or Vaisakhi, as it is known.Following the partition of India different regions of the country began to mix and interact sharing their different forms of Bhangra. The end result was a hybrid being created which incorporated the many different styles of the unique act.
Bhangra also refers to a folk dance. Bhangra dance began as a folk dance conducted by Punjabi farmers in 11th century to celebrate the coming of the harvest season. The specific moves of bhangra reflect the manner in which villagers farmed their land. This hybrid dance became bhangra. The folk dance has been popularised in the Western world by Punjabi musicians
Music of Punjab
Punjab is a region in the South Asia, divided into two parts Western Punjab and Eastern Punjab . Punjabi music has a diverse style of music, ranging from Folk and Sufi to Classical, notably the Patiala gharana-Sufi Music :...
and is seen in the West as an expression of South Asian culture as a whole. Today, Bhangra dance survives in different forms and styles all over the globe – including pop music, film soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
s, collegiate competitions and cultural shows.
Bhangra Music (1986-1994)
The pre history of Bhangra music dates back to the late 1960s and early 1970s, when several Punjabi bands from the United Kingdom set the stage for bhangra to become a form of music instead of being just a dance. Some of the earliest bands were The Shots/The black mist (1967), The Jambo boys (1968), Kalapreet (1969) and The Saathies (1970). The success of many bands based in the United Kingdom created a fanbase, inspired new artists, and found large amounts of support in both Pakistani and Indian Punjab where bhangra music imports from the UK created an alternative to Punjabi folk singers in the rural areas and Hindi film music in the cities. These artists, some of whom are still active today, include, Heera Group, Alaap band, Chirag PehchanChirag Pehchan
Chirag Pehchan was an early Bhangra band that featured Amarjit Sidhu, Mangal Dhillon, Mangal Singh as well as other people who later went on to form Apna Sangeet....
, Apna Sangeet and The new pardesi music machine. This period of bhangra prosperity lasted until 1994 when the introduction of the folk dhol drum and electronic dj looped sampling caused most bands to either dissolve or morph into Punjabi folk singers albeit keeping the band name.
In the 1980s (Big Bhangra)
Bhangra music was invented in the 1980s by Punjabi Immigrants who took the folk sound of their home country and began experimenting by altering it using instruments from their host country. In a sense Bhangra music is one of the few immigrant music genres of the world in that it is absent in the home country. The new genre quickly became popular in Britain replacing Punjabi folk singers due to it being heavily influenced in Britain by the infusion of rock sounds and a need to move away from the simple and repetitive Punjabi folk music. It signaled the development of a self-conscious and distinctively rebellious British AsianBritish Asian
British Asian is a term used to describe British citizens who descended from mainly South Asia, also known as South Asians in the United Kingdom...
youth culture centred on an experiential sense of self, e.g., language, gesture, bodily signification, desires, etc., in a situation in which tensions with British culture and racist elements in British society had resulted in alienation
Social alienation
The term social alienation has many discipline-specific uses; Roberts notes how even within the social sciences, it “is used to refer both to a personal psychological state and to a type of social relationship”...
in many minority ethnic groups
Minority group
A minority is a sociological group within a demographic. The demographic could be based on many factors from ethnicity, gender, wealth, power, etc. The term extends to numerous situations, and civilizations within history, despite the misnomer of minorities associated with a numerical statistic...
, fostered a sense of need for an affirmation of a positive identity and culture, and provided a platform for British Punjabi males to assert their masculinity.
In the 1980s, distributed by record labels such as Multitone Records
Multitone Records
Multitone Records, originally Savera Investments, was a British record label founded by Pranil Gohil in 1978 that specialized in bhangra style musicians...
, Bhangra artists were selling over 30,000 cassettes a week in the UK, but not one artist made their way into the Top 40 UK Chart despite these artists outselling popular British ones; most of the Bhangra cassette sales were not through the large UK record stores, whose sales were those recorded by the Official UK Charts Company for creating their rankings.
The 1980s is also what is commonly known as the golden age, or what the "bhangraheads" refer to as the age of bhangra music, which lasted roughly from 1985 to 1993. The primary emphasis during these times was on the melody/riff (played out usually on a synthesizer/harmonium/accordion or a guitar); the musician/composer received as much fanfare, if not more, than the vocalist. The folk instruments were rarely used, because it was agreed that the music was independent of the instruments being used.
This era saw the very first bhangra boy band, called the Sahotas
Sahotas
Sahotas were a U.K. based Bhangra/Rock/World music band. The band, started in Wolverhampton in the mid-1980s, had a line-up of five brothers. The band's music is very different from conventional Punjabi music. They have released music in both English and Punjabi...
, a band made up of five brothers from Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
, UK. Their music is a fusion of bhangra, rock and dance.
One of the biggest bhangra stars of the last several decades is Golden Star UK. Its lead singer Malkit was born in June 1963 in the village of Hussainpur in Punjab. He attended the Khalsa College, Jalandhar, in Punjab in 1980 to study for a bachelor of arts degree. There he met his mentor, Professor Inderjit Singh, who nurtured his skills in Punjabi folk singing and bhangra dancing. Due to Singh's tutelage, Malkit entered and won many song contests during this time. In 1983, he won a gold medal at the Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
, Punjab, for performing his hit song "Gurh Naloo Ishq Mitha", which later featured on his first album, Nach Gidhe Wich, released in 1984. This album, created with the aid of one of bhangra's greatest musicians, Tarlochan Singh Bilga, was a strong hit among South Asians worldwide. The band has toured 27 countries. Malkit has been awarded the prestigious MBE by the British Queen for his services to bhangra music.
The group Alaap, fronted by Channi Singh, the man made famous by his white scarf, hails from Southall
Southall
Southall is a large suburban district of west London, England, and part of the London Borough of Ealing. It is situated west of Charing Cross. Neighbouring places include Yeading, Hayes, Hanwell, Heston, Hounslow, Greenford and Northolt...
, a Punjabi area in London. Their album Teri Chunni De Sitaray, released in 1982 by Multitone, created quite a stir at a time when bhangra was still in its early days. This album played a critical role in creating an interest in bhangra among Asian university students in Britain . The music produced for Alaap included the pioneering sounds by Deepak Khazanchi .
Heera
Heera Group UK
Heera Group UK was a popular bhangra music group that originated in the early 1980s. They scored several Punjabi hit songs through much of the decade. Arguably, Heera Group introduced Bhangra as we hear it today.-History:...
, formed by Bhupinder Bhindi and fronted by Kumar and Dhami, was one of the most popular bands of the 1980s . Fans were known to gate-crash weddings where they played . The group established itself with the albums Jag Wala Mela, produced by music maestro of the time Kuljit Bhamra
Kuljit Bhamra
Kuljit Bhamra MBE Hon DMus is a British composer, record producer and musician whose main instrument is the tabla. He is best known as one of the record producers who pioneered the British Bhangra sound and for his many collaborations with musicians from different genres and continents...
, and Diamonds from Heera, produced by Deepak Khazanchi, the man behind the new sound of UK bhangra, on Arishma records. These albums are notable for being amongst the first bhangra albums to mix Punjabi drums and Punjabi synthesizers with traditional British instruments successfully.
Bands like Alaap and Heera incorporated rock-influenced beats into bhangra, because it enabled "Asian youth to affirm their identities positively" within the broader environment of alternative rock as an alternative way of expression. However, some believe that the progression of bhangra music created an "intermezzo culture" post-India's partition, within the unitary definitions of Southeast Asians within the diaspora, thus "establishing a brand new community in their home away from home".
Several other influential groups appeared around the same time, including The Saathies, Premi Group, Bhujungy Group, and Apna Sangeet. Apna Sangeet, best known for their hit "Mera Yaar Vajavey Dhol", re-formed for charity in May 2009 after a break-up.
When bhangra and Indian sounds and lyrics were brought together, British-Asian artists began incorporating them in their music. Certain Asian artists, such as Bally Sagoo
Bally Sagoo
Bally Sagoo is a British Asian musician and DJ who was born in Ranjit Nagar, Delhi, India, but grew up in Birmingham, England, in a predominantly black neighbourhood, influenced by disco, rap and Motown music. In an interview "Re-mixing Identities: "Off" The Turn-Table," Bally said:"Indian music...
, Talvin Singh
Talvin Singh
Talvin Singh Matharoo , is a producer and composer and tabla player, known for creating an innovative fusion of Indian classical music and drum and bass...
, Badmarsh, Black Star Liner, and State of Bengal, are creating their own form of British hip-hop.
This era also brought about bhangra art, which, like the bhangra music it represented was rebellious and unlike anything that ever came out in the Indian subcontinent. Unlike folk music art, which simply consisted of a picture of the folk singer, Bhangra recordings had distinctive artwork, logos, clever album names, band/musician listings (who played what) and other details that raised the level of professionalism to a level that had never been seen in Bollywood recordings or folk recordings from Punjab.
In the 1990s (Bhangra, true multicultural genre)
Bhangra took large steps toward mainstream credibility in the early 1990s, especially among youths. Gen X bands like The new pardesi music machine, SahotasSahotas
Sahotas were a U.K. based Bhangra/Rock/World music band. The band, started in Wolverhampton in the mid-1980s, had a line-up of five brothers. The band's music is very different from conventional Punjabi music. They have released music in both English and Punjabi...
, Achanak
Achanak
Achanak may refer to:* Achanak * Achanak * Achanak , a British bhangra band...
, and Anamika were moving away from the older gen staples of performing in weddings and community events. Their attempts at bringing bhangra music to the western audiences were bearing fruition as they were playing some of the top venues.
Bands like Canada's Punjabi by Nature
Punjabi by Nature
Punjabi by Nature was a seven piece bhangra band founded in Toronto in 1993.. They were nominated for a 1996 Juno Award in the Best Global Album category for their album Jmpn For Joy....
as well as Sahotas
Sahotas
Sahotas were a U.K. based Bhangra/Rock/World music band. The band, started in Wolverhampton in the mid-1980s, had a line-up of five brothers. The band's music is very different from conventional Punjabi music. They have released music in both English and Punjabi...
were pushing the frontiers of Bhangra by going outside the usual realm of performing at community events or events marketed to Ethnic Indians. According to Tony Singh, singer/songwriter in PBN, "I wanted to take sound and culture out. There are other bands-Punjabi bands, bhangra bands, but they still play within the community. To me, that's great, but those bands aren't really useful for showing ourselves to other communities, to say, hey, we're Punjabis and we're damn proud of it. I don't think they [other communities] would know. They would never know. So, to Punjabi by Nature, playing in our own community is not a big deal. I think the challenge is to get out."
Mid 1990s (Folk Backlash)
At the mid nineties, however, many artists returned to the original, traditional folk beats away from bhangra music, often incorporating more dhol drum beats and tumbi. This time also saw the rise of several young Punjabi folk singers as a backlash to bhangra music. They were aided by Djs who mixed hip hop samples with folk singing to create folk's answer to bhangra.Beginning around 1994, there was a trend towards the use of samples (often sampled from mainstream hip hop) mixed with traditional folk rhythm instruments, such as the tumbi and dhol. Using folk instruments, hip-hop samples, along with relatively inexpensive folk vocals imported from Punjab, Punjabi folk music was able to abolish bhangra music.
Pioneering DJs instrumental in the destruction of bhangra were Bally Sagoo and Punjabi MC. As Djs who were initially hired by bhangra labels to remix the original recordings on the label's roster (OSA and Nachural respectively), they along with the record labels quickly found that remixing folk singers from India was much cheaper than working with bhangra bands (outsourced).
mus
A pioneering folk singer that was instrumental in bhangra's demise was the "Canadian folkster", Jazzy B
Jazzy B
Jaswinder Singh Bains, more popularly known as Jazzy B, is a Punjabi language bhangra singer-songwriter. He was born on April 1, 1975 in Durgapur, Nawanshahr, Punjab, India. When he was 5 years old, his family moved to Vancouver, Canada. He has released 12 studio albums, including two religious ones...
, who debuted in 1992. Having sold over 55,000 copies of his third album, Folk and Funky, he is now one of the best-selling Punjabi folk artists in the world, with a vocal style likened to that of Kuldip Manak
Kuldip Manak
Kuldeep Manak was the adopted name of Latif Mohammed . He was a Punjabi singer who was known for singing a genre of traditional Punjabi songs called kaliyan....
.
Other influential folk artists include Surinder Shinda
Surinder Shinda
Surinder Shinda is an Indian singer of bhangra music with traditional Punjabi roots, who is considered a "grandfather of modern Punjabi music", and has been described as "legendary". He has had numerous hit songs including Putt Jattan De, Truck Billiya, Balbiro Bhabhi, Kaher Singh Di Mout and...
- famous for his "Putt Jattan De" - Harbhajan Mann
Harbhajan Mann
Harbhajan Mann is a Punjabi singer and actor. Although not known much for his singing he soon became a Punjabi all rounder star in the entertainment industry. He got spotlight in Punjabi music industry with his astonishing performance and miraculous voice in "Husn Jawani"...
, Manmohan Waris
Manmohan Waris
Manmohan Waris is an award-winning Indian Punjabi folk/pop singer. Manmohan Waris was born in Halluwal, District Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India. He is the elder brother of Sangtar & Kamal Heer...
, Meshi Eshara, Sarbjit Cheema
Sarbjit Cheema
Sarbjit Cheema was born on June 14 at village Cheema Kalan .HIs Mother name is Harbhajan Kaur and father S. Piyara singh Cheema. He is the youngest of the three siblings. From childhood, Cheema was fond of village games like Kabaddi, Hockey, Football, Athletics, High jump and long jump. In his...
, Hans Raj Hans
Hans Raj Hans
Hans Raj Hans is an Indian Punjabi language singer.Early lifeHans was born in Shafipur, a village near Jalandhar, Punjab, India. He is the second son of Late Sardar Arjan Singh Ji and Mata Ajit Kaur Ji . Hans had no musical history in his family, yet he began singing at a young age. Hans...
, Sardool Sikander
Sardool Sikander
Sardool Sikander is a Punjabi folk singer, sometimes called "The King of Bhangra" making his first appearances on radio and television in the early 1980s with his introductory album, "Roadways Di Laari". He has appeared in numerous films as an actor and musician. He also acted in a handful of...
, Anakhi, Sat Rang, XLNC, B21, Shaktee, Sahara, Paaras
Paaras
Paaras is a bilingual family magazine published each month from Canada for the large Pakistani Canadian community in North America by Meridian Multimedia Network Inc....
, PDM
PDM
- Politics :* Democratic Party of Moldova, a political party of Moldova* Partido Demócrata Mexicano, a political party in Mexico* People's Democratic Movement, a political party of Papua New Guinea...
, Amar Group, Sangeet Group, and Bombay Talkie
Bombay Talkie (band)
Bombay Talkie was a Bhangra band of the 1990s, from Glasgow, Scotland. The group were best known for their hit, "Charigue", which is still included on many Bhangra compilation albums....
. A DJ to rise to stardom with many successful hits was Panjabi MC
Panjabi MC
Rajinder Singh Rai , better known by his stage name Panjabi MC is a British Indian musician.-Career:...
.
By the end of the 1990s, Bhangra music had been wiped out and replaced with Punjabi folk singers.
The same folk singers bhangra bands had replaced a decade earlier were being utilized by DJs to make relatively inexpensive non live music on laptops. This "folkhop" genre was short lived as records could not be officially released due to non clearance copyrights on samples used to create the "beat". This "poor man's bhangra" continued until the end of the century. Folkhop record labels such Hi Tech were investigated by BPI (British Phonographic Industry) for copyright infringement by way of uncleared samples on releases by Folk Djs such as Dj Sanj
Two folk singers that had a big role in killing bhangra were Surjit Bindrakhia and Amar chamkila.
In 2010, the story of how bhangra arrived and developed in the UK was told in the stage musical Britain's Got Bhangra, produced by Rifco Arts. The show was the first ever bhangra musical, with much of the show in Punjabi, making use of the live dhol, dholak and tabla throughout, and has traditional folk melodies as well as an original score by Sumeet Chopra with crossovers into pop, rap and R&B. The production had its world premiere at Theatre Royal Stratford East in May 2010 and went on a UK Tour . Another major tour is expected in 2011 .
Bhangra Dance
Bhangra dance is based on music from a Punjabi folk drum, folk singing, a single-stringed instrument called the iktar, the tumbiTumbi
The Tumbi or Toombi is a traditional North Indian instrument from Punjab. The tumbi was invented and popularized by the renowned folk-singer of Punjab "Lal Chand Yamla Jatt". In the 1960s, 70s and 80s most of the Punjabi singers used the Tumbi...
and the chimta
Chimta
A Chimta literally means tongs. Over time it has evolved into a traditional percussion instrument of South Asia by the permanent addition of small brass jingles...
. The accompanying songs are small couplet
Couplet
A couplet is a pair of lines of meter in poetry. It usually consists of two lines that rhyme and have the same meter.While traditionally couplets rhyme, not all do. A poem may use white space to mark out couplets if they do not rhyme. Couplets with a meter of iambic pentameter are called heroic...
s written in the Punjabi language
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
called bolis. In Punjabi folk music, the dhol's smaller cousin, the dholki, was nearly always used to provide the main beat. Nowadays, the dhol is used more frequently. Additional percussion
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, including tabla
Tabla
The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
, is less frequently used in bhangra as a solo instrument but is sometimes used to accompany the dhol and dholki. This rhythm serves as a common thread that allows for easy commingling between Punjabi folk and reggae, as demonstrated by such artists as the UK's Apache Indian.
Dances
- Jhumar, originally from Sandalbar, Punjab, comprises an important part of Punjab folk heritage. It is a graceful dance, based on a specific Jhumar rhythm. Dancers circle around a drum player while singing a soft chorus.
- A person performing the Luddi dance places one hand behind his head and the other in front of his face, while swaying his head and arms. He typically wears a plain loose shirt and sways in a snake-like manner. Like a Jhumar dancer, the Luddi dancer moves around a dhol player.
- Women have a different and much milder dance called GiddhaGiddhaAbout the Folk dance=Giddha is a popular folk dance of women in Punjab region of India and Pakistan. The dance is often considered derived from the ancient dance known as the ring dance and is just as energetic as Bhangra; at the same time it manages to creatively display feminine grace, elegance...
. The dancers enact verses called bolis, representing a wide variety of subjects—everything from arguments with a sister-in-law to political affairs. The rhythm of the dance depends on the drums and the hand claps of the dancers. - Daankara is a dance of celebration, typically performed at weddings. Two men, each holding colorful staves, dance around each other in a circle while tapping their sticks together in rhythm with the drums.
- Dancers also form a circle while performing Dhamal. They also hold their arms high, shake their shoulders and heads, and yell and scream. Dhamal is a true folk dance, representing the heart of bhangra.
- Women of the Sandalbar region traditionally are known for the Saami. The dancers dress in brightly colored kurtas and full flowing skirts called lehengas.
- Like Daankara, Kikli features pairs of dancers, this time women. The dancers cross their arms, hold each other's hands, and whirl around singing folk songs. Occasionally, four girls join hands to perform this dance.
- Gatka is a Punjabi Sikh martial art in which people use swords, sticks, or daggers. Historians believe that the sixth Sikh guru started the art of Gatka after the martyrdom of fifth guru, Guru Arjan DevGuru Arjan DevGuru Arjan Dev Ji was the fifth of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism. He was born in Goindval, Punjab, India, the youngest son of Guru Ram Das and Bibi Bhani, the daughter of Guru Amar Das. He became the Guru of the Sikhs on 1 September 1581 after the death of his father Guru Ram Das. Guru Arjan died in...
. Wherever there is a large Punjabi SikhSikhA Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
population, there will be Gatka participants, often including small children and adults. These participants usually perform Gatka on special Punjabi holidays.
In addition to these different dances, a bhangra performance typically contains many energetic stunts. The most popular stunt is called the moor, or peacock, in which a dancer sits on someone's shoulders, while another person hangs from his torso by his legs. Two-person towers, pyramids, and various spinning stunts are also popular.
Outfits
Traditional men wear a chaadraLungi
The Lungi , also known as a sarong , is a traditional garment worn around the waist in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Burma, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Horn of Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula...
while doing bhangra. A chaadra is a piece of cloth wrapped around the waist. Men also wear a kurta
Kurta
A kurta is a traditional item of clothing worn in Afghanistan, Pakistan , Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. It is a loose shirt falling either just above or somewhere below the knees of the wearer, and is worn by both men and women...
, which is a long Indian-style shirt. In addition, men wear pagadi (also known as turbans) to cover their heads.
In modern times, men also wear turla, the fan attached to the pagadi. Colorful vests are worn above the kurta. Fumans (small balls attached to ropes) are worn on each arm.
Women wear a traditional Punjabi dress known as a salwar kameez, long baggy pants tight at the ankle (salwar) and a long colorful shirt (kameez). Women also wear chunnis
Dupatta
Dupatta Dupatta(Urdu: دوپٹا, Hindi: दुपट्टा, Bengali: ওড়না, Sindhi: پوتي, Tamil:துப்பட்ட) Dupatta(Urdu: دوپٹا, Hindi: दुपट्टा, Bengali: ওড়না, Sindhi: پوتي, Tamil:துப்பட்ட) (alternative names include chadar (in Pakistan), orni/odhni, chunri, chunni, orna, and pacheri, is a long,...
, colorful pieces of cloth wrapped around the neck.
These items are all very colorful and vibrant, representing the rich rural colors of Punjab. Besides the above, the bhangra dress has different parts that are listed below in detail:
- Turla or torla, a fan-like adornment on the turban
- PagPagri (turban)Pagri or Pagadi is the term for a turban within India and Pakistan. It specifically refers to a headdress that is worn by men and needs to be manually tied. In several regional dialects it is often shortened to Pag .-The cloth:...
(turban, a sign of pride/honor in Punjab). This is tied differently than the traditional turban one sees Sikhs wearing in the street. This turban has to be tied before each show. - KurtaKurtaA kurta is a traditional item of clothing worn in Afghanistan, Pakistan , Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. It is a loose shirt falling either just above or somewhere below the knees of the wearer, and is worn by both men and women...
, similar to a silk shirt, with about four buttons, very loose with embroidered patterns - LungiLungiThe Lungi , also known as a sarong , is a traditional garment worn around the waist in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Burma, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Horn of Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula...
or chadar, a loose loincloth tied around the dancer's waist, which is usually very decorated - Jugi, a waistcoat with no buttons
- RumālRumalA Rumāl is a piece of clothing similar to a handkerchief or bandana. It is worn by Sikh men who cut their hair and other male guests when they are in a Gurdwara...
, small "scarves" worn on the fingers. They look very elegant and are effective when the hands move during the course of bhangra performance.
Lyrics
Bhangra lyrics, sometimes sung in the Punjabi language and sometimes in English, generally cover social issues or are about love as opposed to Punjabi folk lyrics which generally are devoted to promotion of the caste system, alcohol and khanda abuse. Additionally, there are countless bhangra songs devoted to Punjabi pride themes and Punjabi heroes. The lyrics are tributes to the rich cultural traditions of Punjabi Immigrants of various parts of the world such as sub saharan Africa,Southeast Asia, Central America etc. . In particular, many bhangra tracks have been written about Udham Singh
Udham Singh
Udham Singh was an Indian independence activist, best known for assassinating Michael O'Dwyer in March 1940 in what has been described as an avenging of the Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre....
and Bhagat Singh. Less serious topics include beautiful ladies with their colorful duppattas
Dupatta
Dupatta Dupatta(Urdu: دوپٹا, Hindi: दुपट्टा, Bengali: ওড়না, Sindhi: پوتي, Tamil:துப்பட்ட) Dupatta(Urdu: دوپٹا, Hindi: दुपट्टा, Bengali: ওড়না, Sindhi: پوتي, Tamil:துப்பட்ட) (alternative names include chadar (in Pakistan), orni/odhni, chunri, chunni, orna, and pacheri, is a long,...
.
Bhangra singers do not sing in the same tone of voice as their Southeast Asian counterparts. Rather, they employ a high, energetic tone of voice. Singing fiercely and with great pride, they typically add nonsensical, random noises to their singing. Likewise, often people dancing to Bhangra will yell phrases such as hoi, hoi, hoi; balle balle
Balle Balle
Balle Balle is the title of a song from the Bollywood film "Bride and Prejudice" The language of the song is a mixture of Hindi and Punjabi. The phrase is used in many Punjabi songs to depict a feeling of happiness...
; chak de; oye hoi; bruah (for an extended length of about 2–5 seconds); haripa; or ch-ch (mostly used as slow beats called Chummer/Jhoomer) to the music.
One famous bhangra or Punjabi lyricist is Harbans Jandu
Harbans Jandu
Harbans Singh Jandu, also known as Jandu Littranwala, is a composer. He was born in the village of Littran in Jalandhar District, Punjab.-Career:He first started writing lyrics for Punjabi songs in 1968...
(Jandu Littranwala), who has written famous songs such as "Giddhian Di Rani". Another famous bhangra lyricist is Rattan Reehal (Rurki wala rattan).
Instruments
Many different Punjabi instruments contribute to the sound of bhangra. Although the most important instrument is the tumbi, dhol, sarangi, keyboard, bhangra also features a variety of string and other drum instruments.The primary and most important instrument that defines bhangra is the drumset. The drumset is a collection of drums, played by beating it with two sticks - as well as pedals played with foot (bass end) and snaar (treble end).
The string instruments include the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(both acoustic and electrical), bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, sitar
Sitar
The 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
, tumbi
Tumbi
The Tumbi or Toombi is a traditional North Indian instrument from Punjab. The tumbi was invented and popularized by the renowned folk-singer of Punjab "Lal Chand Yamla Jatt". In the 1960s, 70s and 80s most of the Punjabi singers used the Tumbi...
, violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
and sarangi
Sarangi
The Sārangī is a bowed, short-necked string instrument of India which is originated from Rajasthani folk instruments. It plays an important role in India's Hindustani classical music tradition...
. The snare
Snare drum
The snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
, toms
Tom-tom drum
A tom-tom drum is a cylindrical drum with no snare.Although "tom-tom" is the British term for a child's toy drum, the name came originally from the Anglo-Indian and Sinhala; the tom-tom itself comes from Asian or Native American cultures...
, dhad
Dhad sarangi
The dhad is a small hourglass-shaped drum of the Damru style. Held in one hand, it is struck on either side, with the other hand holding the skinned sides vertically or horizontally...
, dafli, dholki, and damru are the other drums. The tumbi, originally played by folk artists such as Lalchand Yamla Jatt and Kuldip Manak in true folk recordings and then famously mastered by chamkila, a famous Punjabi folk singer (not bhangra singer), is a high-tone, single-string instrument. It has only one string; however, it is easy to master. The sarangi is a multi-stringed instrument, somewhat similar to the violin and is played using meends, its more complex and difficult to master than the tumbi. The sapera produces a beautiful, high-pitched stringy beat, while the supp and chimta add an extra, light sound to bhangra music. Finally, the dhad, dafli, dholki, and damru are instruments that produce more drum beats, but with much less bass than the dhol drum.
The keyboard and guitar are the most important melodic instruments used in bhangra, with even the sitar being used on certain albums.
Percussion
With unskilled tumbi and dhol players, bhangra today has evolved into a largely beat-based music genre, unlike until 1994, when it was slightly more mellow and classical. Pandit Dinesh and Kuljit BhamraKuljit Bhamra
Kuljit Bhamra MBE Hon DMus is a British composer, record producer and musician whose main instrument is the tabla. He is best known as one of the record producers who pioneered the British Bhangra sound and for his many collaborations with musicians from different genres and continents...
were trained exponents of Indian percussion and helped create the current UK sound, albeit mainly with tabla and dholki for bands like Alaap
Alaap
Alaap is a 1977 Indian film produced by Hrishikesh Mukerjee and N.C Sippy and directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Rekha, Asrani, Farida Jalal, Om Prakash and A. K. Hangal...
and Heera
Heera Group UK
Heera Group UK was a popular bhangra music group that originated in the early 1980s. They scored several Punjabi hit songs through much of the decade. Arguably, Heera Group introduced Bhangra as we hear it today.-History:...
. The generation that followed became overly dependent on folk music.
Talented 15-year-old percussionist Bhupinder Singh Kullar, aka Tubsy, of Handsworth, Birmingham, created a more contemporary style and groove that seemed to fuse more naturally with Western music. Songs such as "Dhola veh Dhola" (Satrang) and albums such as Bomb the Tumbi (Safri Boyz) contained this new style and were very successful.
Then came Sunil Kalyan of Southall, London, who also sessioned on many songs and albums. He added a smoothness and sweetness never heard before on the tabla, hailing him as one of the best tabla players in UK bhangra.
Sukhshinder Shinda
Sukhshinder Shinda
Sukshinder Shinda is a bhangra record producer and singer–songwriter. Since releasing his first professional recording in 1993, Dhol Beat Ek, Shinda has produced or collaborated on more than 200 albums, including all of Jazzy B's releases and the majority of Amrinder Gill's...
later introduced his unique style of dhol playing with the album Dhol Beat. He added a very clean style of dhol playing and helped create the sound for artists such as Jaswinder Singh Bains and Bhinda Jatt
Bhinda Jatt
Bhinda Jatt, is a Punjabi language bhangra singer-songwriter. He was born and raised in San Joaquin County, California.-Discography:-Duo Collaboration:-References:*http://web.archive.org/web/20040324155456/http://bhindajatt.com/...
. He was regarded at the time as the best dhol player in UK.
Another influential percussionist was :Parvinder Bharat :(Parv) of Wolverhampton, who for many years had been percussionist for DCS' his style, speed and improvisational skills were second to none. Parv also introduced playing the dholak and tabla top end (dhayan) with great effect into the live bhangra scene, a style that has been adopted by most bhangra percussionists ever since.
Also came to attention, the talented & sensational percussionist Aman Hayer
Aman Hayer
Amandeep Singh Hayer, better known as Aman Hayer, is a British Asian music artist and producer, born and based in the United Kingdom. The Bhangra producer, lyricist, director, musician and singer has worked on numerous albums since 2002...
who had learned quiet a lot instruments from his father "Avtar Singh Hayer" from a young age and has also played instruments "live" to thousands of people since the mid 90's (with 80's Amar Group from Leamington Spa
Leamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...
) to date. Hayer is also known to be Ustad Sukshinder Shinda's student as he learned Tabla from him back in days, also Hayer learned to play Dhol from one of the World's best Dhol Players; "Lal Singh Bhatti Ji" who stayed at their house for few months and encourage Hayer to take steps towards the industry slowly, slowly. Hayer is known with his nickname "Littranwale da Dhol" which indicates whenever it's played, it's for sure to shake the ground as he is; Mr. Groundshaker.
Other important percussionists include Juggy Rihal of Coventry, and Billy Sandher of Gravesend.
Remixes
Punjabi folk remixed with hip hop, known lovingly as folkhop, is most often produced when folk vocals are purchased online to be remixed in a studio.Folk vocals are usually sung to traditional melodies, that are often repeated with new lyrics.
Many South Asian DJs, especially in America, have mixed Punjabi folk music with house, reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, and hip-hop to add a different flavor to Punjabi folk. These remixes continued to gain popularity as the 1990s came to an end.
Of particular note among remix artists is Bally Sagoo, a Punjabi-Sikh, Anglo-Indian raised in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England. Sagoo described his music as "a bit of tablas, a bit of the Indian sound. But bring on the bass lines, bring on the funky-drummer beat, bring on the James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
samples", to Time magazine in 1997. He was recently signed by Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
as the flagship artist for a new sound. The most popular of these is Daler Mehndi
Daler Mehndi
Daler Mehndi , born August 18, 1967, is an Indian Bhangra pop singer.Mehndi was a student of traditional Punjabi music and his first album broke sales records in India. Since 1995 he has recorded several highly successful albums in India, and also sung as a playback singer for several Hindi movies...
, a Punjabi singer from India, and his music, known as "folk pop". Mehndi has become a major name not just in Punjab, but also all over India, with tracks such as "Bolo Ta Ra Ra" and "Ho Jayegee Balle Balle". He has made the sound of bhangra-pop a craze amongst many non-Punjabis in India, selling many millions of albums. Perhaps his most impressive accomplishment is the selling of 250,000 albums in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, a state in the South of India where Punjabi is not spoken. His song "Tunak Tunak Tun
Tunak Tunak Tun
"Tunak Tunak Tun" or "Tunak", is a bhangra/pop love song by Indian artist Daler Mehndi released in 1998. At the time, critics complained that Mehndi's music was only popular due to his videos that featured beautiful women dancing. Mehndi's response was to create a video that featured only himself...
" (1998) also became an internet phenomenon across the world.
Toward the end of the decade, bhangra continued to slow down, with folkhop artists such as Bally Sagoo and Apache Indian signing with international recording labels Sony and Island. Moreover, Multitone Records, one of the major recording labels associated with bhangra in Britain in the 1980s and 1990s, was bought by BMG. Finally, a recent Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
commercial launched in Britain featured South Asian actors and Punjabi folk music. This, perhaps more than anything else, is a true sign of the emergence of Punjabi folk into popular culture.
Cultural impact
The interpretation of bhangra must exist in the space where Asian, and UK cultures meet. There is an expressed concern that oversimplification of the genre by outsiders is detrimental to the music's message, but artists are responsible for how they express their music's content as well. In "Bhangra's Ambassador, Keeping the Party Spinning" from the New York Times, DJ Rekha is conscious of her cultural accountability to her music.Bhangra followers often feel that the music is an expression of identity. As the movement gains momentum, bhangra music has also gained international recognition. "Asian fusion is a melding of the sounds of the sub-continent with hip-hop beats and R&B influences, and it's no longer destined to be tucked away in the World Music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
section of your record store," says Ashta Mehta.
In North America
Punjabi immigrants have encouraged the growth of Punjabi folk music/rural music in the Western Hemisphere instead of bhangra music. The bhangra industry has not grown in North America nearly as much as it has grown in the United Kingdom. Indian Lion, a Canadian folk artist explains why:However, with the emergence of North American (non bhangra) folk artists such as Manmohan Waris
Manmohan Waris
Manmohan Waris is an award-winning Indian Punjabi folk/pop singer. Manmohan Waris was born in Halluwal, District Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India. He is the elder brother of Sangtar & Kamal Heer...
, Jazzy Bains, Kamal Heer
Kamal Heer
-Compilations:-Music videos:-Videography:-Concerts/Tours:-Other:-Awards and nominations:-External links:* * *...
, Harbhanjan Maan, Sarabjit Cheema, and Debi Makhsoospuri and the growth of the remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
market, the future of Punjabi folk music in North America looks good.
In 2001, Punjabi folk, and its hip-hop form, folkhop, began to exert an influence over US R&B music, when Missy Elliott
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott , is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actressA five-time Grammy Award winner, Elliott, with record sales of over seven million in the United States, is the only female rapper to have five albums certified platinum by the RIAA, including one...
released the folkhop-influenced song "Get Ur Freak On
Get Ur Freak On
"Get Ur Freak On" is a hip hop song written by American rapper/singer Missy Elliott and her producer Tim "Timbaland" Mosley for Elliott's third studio album Miss E... So Addictive. Released as the album's first single in 2001, the track reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming Missy...
". In 2003, Punjabi MC's "Mundian To Bach Ke
Mundian To Bach Ke
"Mundian To Bach Ke" , also titled "Beware of the Boys ", is a bhangra song performed by Punjabi artist Labh Janjua and remixed by Panjabi MC in 2002...
" ("Beware of the Boys") was covered by the U.S. rapper Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
. The great popularity of these two tracks led to an even greater usage of Punjabi folk in American music. Additionally, American rapper Pras
Pras
Prakazrel Samuel Michel, known as Pras, is a Grammy Award-winning Haitian-American rapper, actor, film producer, and member of the hip hop trio The Fugees.-Early life:...
of The Fugees
The Fugees
Fugees were a Haitian American hip hop group who rose to fame in the mid-1990s. Their repertoire included elements of Hip hop, soul and Caribbean music, particularly reggae. The members of the group were rapper/singer/producer Wyclef Jean, rapper/singer/producer Lauryn Hill, and rapper Pras Michel...
has recorded tracks with British alternative bhangra band Swami
Swami (band)
Swami are a critically acclaimed British Indian pop/alt/bhangra band from Birmingham, England. It is also the pseudonym of the band's lead performer, producer, DJ and guitarist Diamond Duggal , who founded the band with his brother Simon Duggal...
. Because the original Punjabi folk beat is different from the commercialized version we see today, the use of bhangra beats shows the complexity and ingenuity of hip-hop in North America and how artists gain inspiration from all different genres of music. The commercialization of Punjabi folk and the way it has traveled around the world speaks to the versatility and longevity of the musical style.
Bhangra, the dance, has also expanded into the world of fitness. Fitness instructors like television host Sarina Jain have developed fitness routines based on bhangra dance moves for their workout programs. Bhangra Empire
Bhangra Empire
Established in 2006, Bhangra Empire is a San Francisco Bay Area dance team in California. The team is composed of undergraduates, graduate students, and recent graduates pursuing a variety of career paths while taking time to pursue Bhangra and Punjabi culture...
, a bhangra dance group from California, has appeared on America's Got Talent and in Harper's Bazaar.
Bhangra dance competitions
Bhangra competitions have been held in the Punjab for many decades. However, now universities and other organizations have begun to hold annual bhangra dance competitions in many of the main cities of the United States, Canada, and England. At these competitions, young Punjabis, other South Asians, and people with no South Asian background compete for money and trophies. For example, Bruin Bhangra in Los Angeles has become one of the biggest bhangra competitions in the nation. Teams from all over United States and Canada come together to compete and show their talent. Every year, Bruin Bhangra also invites different well-known Punjabi singers. SoCal Bhangra's past list of artists includes RDB, Manak-e, Sukhshinder Shinda, Jassi Sidhu, KS Makhan and Malkit Singh.2010 was the first year for Elite 8 Bhangra Invitational, in Washington, D.C. This event invited eight of the top teams from North America to showcase their routines and compete for the number one spot. Virginia Commonwealth University of Richmond, Virginia, was crowned champion. Sonay Gabroo Punjab De (SGPD) from Toronto, Canada took the title in 2011.
In the West, unlike in the Punjab, there is less emphasis on traditional songs and more focus on the flow of a mix; an easy example of this is a team such as Da Real Punjabis, which is notorious for mixing traditional bhangra music with hip-hop or rock songs. This synergy of the bhangra dance with other cultures parallels the music's fusion with different genres. University competitions have experienced an explosion in popularity over the last five years and have helped to promote the dance and music in today's mainstream culture.
In the UK, the first ever major bhangra competition, The Bhangra Showdown, was organised by students from Imperial College London and held on 1 December 2007. The competition was held at Indigo2 in the O2 in Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
and was attended by over 1000 people. Kings College London won the inaugural Bhangra Showdown, followed by Brunel and Imperial College. All proceeds from this show were donated to two charities, Wateraid
WaterAid
WaterAid is an international non-profit organisation set up as a response to the UN International Drinking Water & Sanitation decade . WaterAid is dedicated to helping people escape the poverty and disease caused by living without safe water and sanitation. It is based in London, England and was...
and The Child Welfare Trust, and the show looks to continue on an annual basis. The show was held once again on 31 January 2009 at the Sadler's Wells Theatre, with proceeds going to the MND Association and The Child Welfare Trust, and was attended by around 1,500 people. Six universities took part: Imperial, Queen Mary's, Kingston, Brunel, Birmingham and Leicester/DMU. Birmingham came in 3rd place, Imperial came a very close 2nd, and Queen Mary's took 1st place. This was followed by another sell-out show at London Palladium in January 2010, with crowds of around 2400, where Imperial won, followed by Queen Mary and Barts in second place and Brunel in third.
Most recently, the 4th Bhangra Showdown was held at HMV Hammersmith Apollo on Saturday, 5 February, featuring 10 teams (Imperial College, Kings College, UCL & LSE, Manchester, Brunel, Kingston, Birmingham, Queen Mary and Barts, Leicester and St Georges). The number one spot went to Birmingham, followed closely by Imperial in 2nd place. They performed in front of yet another sell-out crowd of 3500.
Relation to other Indian dance forms
Bhangra can be related to Assam's Bihu danceBihu dance
The Bihu dance is a folk dance from the Indian state of Assam related to the festival of Bihu. This joyous dance is performed by both young men and women, and is characterized by brisk dance steps,and rapid hand movement...
performed during Bihu festival. Magh Bihu is associated with farming, as the traditional Assamese society is predominantly dependent on farming. Parallels between bhangra and bihu can be drawn from the fact that the merriments for both of these music forms involve characteristic overtones with dances along with the enthralling beats of percussive musical instruments. Moreover, both bihu and bhangra involve high-energy dance moves and sequences
Sequence dance
Sequence dancing is a form of dance in which a preset pattern of movements is followed, usually to music which is also predetermined. Sequence dancing may include dances of many different styles. The term may include ballroom dances which move round the floor as well as line, square and circle...
with young dancers in colorful clothing and the folk music played with the dhol. Both music/dance varieties, though having the similar themes, are distinctly different and have their proper origins in the respective regions of Punjab and Assam Valley.
See also
- Multitone recordsMultitone RecordsMultitone Records, originally Savera Investments, was a British record label founded by Pranil Gohil in 1978 that specialized in bhangra style musicians...
- Punjabi by NaturePunjabi by NaturePunjabi by Nature was a seven piece bhangra band founded in Toronto in 1993.. They were nominated for a 1996 Juno Award in the Best Global Album category for their album Jmpn For Joy....
- List of bhangra bands
- DholDholDhol can refer to any one of a number of similar types of double-headed drum widely used, with regional variations, throughout the Indian subcontinent and nearby regions. Its range of distribution in India and Pakistan primarily includes northern areas such as the Assam Valley, Bengal, Gujarat,...
- GiddhaGiddhaAbout the Folk dance=Giddha is a popular folk dance of women in Punjab region of India and Pakistan. The dance is often considered derived from the ancient dance known as the ring dance and is just as energetic as Bhangra; at the same time it manages to creatively display feminine grace, elegance...
- Malwai GiddhaMalwai GiddhaMalwai Giddha is the folk dance of males of Malwa region of Punjab. This dance is originated performed by Babey . This includes teasing of other people in their Boliaan ....
- Music of IndiaMusic of IndiaThe music of India includes multiple varieties of folk, popular, pop, classical music and R&B. India's classical music tradition, including Carnatic and Hindustani music, has a history spanning millennia and developed over several eras. It remains fundamental to the lives of Indians today as...
- Music of PakistanMusic of PakistanThe music of Pakistan includes diverse elements ranging from music from various parts of South Asia as well as Central Asian, Persian, Turkish, Arabic and modern day Western popular music influences...
- Music of PunjabMusic of PunjabPunjab is a region in the South Asia, divided into two parts Western Punjab and Eastern Punjab . Punjabi music has a diverse style of music, ranging from Folk and Sufi to Classical, notably the Patiala gharana-Sufi Music :...
- Eastern PunjabPunjab (India)Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
- Western PunjabPunjab (Pakistan)Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
- Punjab regionPunjab regionThe Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
- Punjabi cuisinePunjabi cuisinePunjabi cuisine is food from the Punjab region of northwestern India and eastern Pakistan. It can be non-vegetarian or completely vegetarian. One of the main features of Punjabi cuisine is its diverse range of dishes...
- Punjabi CulturePunjabi CulturePunjabi Culture is the culture of the Punjab region. It is one of the oldest in world history, dating from ancient antiquity to the modern era. The Punjabi culture is the culture of the Punjabi people who are now distributed throughout the world. The scope, history, sophistication and complexity of...
- Punjabi folk dances
- Punjabi languagePunjabi languagePunjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
- Punjabi peoplePunjabi peopleThe Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...
- Punjabi wedding traditionsPunjabi wedding traditionsPunjabi wedding traditions and ceremonies are traditionally conducted in Punjabi and are a strong reflection of Punjabi culture.The actual religious marriage ceremony - among Sikhs, the weddings are conducted in Punjabi; among Muslims, in Urdu; and among Hindus, in Sanskrit. There are...
- TumbiTumbiThe Tumbi or Toombi is a traditional North Indian instrument from Punjab. The tumbi was invented and popularized by the renowned folk-singer of Punjab "Lal Chand Yamla Jatt". In the 1960s, 70s and 80s most of the Punjabi singers used the Tumbi...
- Finnish Bhangra