“We’re Creating New Musical Art Forms Indigenous to Brooklyn.”
In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Neel Murgai. Neel is a sitarist, overtone singer, percussionist, composer, teacher, and Co-Artistic Director of the Brooklyn Raga Massive, a raga inspired musician’s collective.
Music on this episode:
“Bagheshri Unbound” (live recorded improvisation by Neel Murgai using sitar, vocals and loops)
Date: April 20, 2016
Venue: Pioneer Works (NY)
Review by Dawoud Kringle
Videos courtesy of BRM
Artist: BRM
Title: Brooklyn Raga Massive Compilation, Volume 1
Label: self produced (producer, editor and mastering engineer – Sameer Gupta,
live recordings – Dave Ellenbogen, NYCRadioLive)
Genre: Indian Classical music/raga/world
CD Review by Dawoud Kringle
For those of you who live in the NYC area, you probably heard of the Brooklyn Raga Massive (BRM). BRM is a collective of musicians whose work is rooted in Indian classical raga. However, unlike most raga based organizations that confine themselves to the admirable (but highly specialized) task of preserving tradition, they expand the scope of their musical endeavors by making liberal use of jazz, Western classical, rock, avant garde, and other music.
Date: September 23, 2015
Venue: Pioneer Works (NY)
Review by Dawoud Kringle
All non credit photos courtesy of Brooklyn Raga Massive
Pioneer Works venue is located in a desolate and largely unimpressive looking area of Brooklyn (despite being quite a beautiful space). However, on this night, the place was packed. The musicians from the Brooklyn Raga Massive, led by Sameer Gupta, convened at Pioneer Works to honor the memory of John Coltrane on his 89th birthday.
Date: August 28,2015
Venue: Rubin Museum of Art (NY)
Review by Dawoud Kringle
Photos courtesy of Brooklyn Raga Massive
Some time ago, I attempted something a bit different (perhaps unique) in music journalism. I attempted to review a concert I actually participated in. As narcissistic as this may appear at first glance, I wanted to give the reader a perspective from the stage, and share the experience the musician has while performing. On Friday, September 28th, I performed with the Brooklyn Raga Massive All-Star Orchestra (BRMO) at the Rubin Museum of Art, in our performance of Terry Riley’s In C. With your permission, I will attempt to give another “view from the stage.”
(Check this video out made by Charles Abraham
