Red Baraat, a pioneering 8-piece band, was formed in 2008. Sunny Jain created the group. It has received worldwide praise for its unique sound, which combines hard-driving North Indian bhangra rhythms and elements of jazz, go -go, brass-funk, and hip hop. Red Baraat was founded with a clear purpose: to bring joy and unity to all people. As word spreads about the band’s incredible live performances, it is being returned to them in cities around the globe. Red Baraat sounds like an ethnomusicologist’s dream in theory. But in practice it is a peyote’s dream. The needle drop on Shruggy J, [Sinj Records], the group’s second studio album, was clear evidence of this. It was released in January 2013. Red Baraat’s music is full of soul and energy. “Halla Bol”, a power-to the-people anthem, is sung in Hindi. Literally translating to “raise you voice,” “Burning Instinct”, plays like a Tarantino car chase. The album’s title track is a fitting tribute to the band. It’s impossible to classify by genre. It’s a party jam that moves your body. Sunny Jain produced the record. It follows Chaal Baby’s 2010 debut, as well as the digital-only live album Bootleg Bhangra. These songs live take on new life. The band, which is road-trained and whip-smart and well-versed, challenges itself night after night. They improvise, teach the audience moves and have a lot of fun. Jain’s vision shines through – look closely and you may see the bass horns shift course with the raised eyebrows of the bandleader. There is not one front man on stage. Each musician commands his space with his own style and flair. The band has been able to find itself in amazing places because notice has come from high places. Red Baraat presented their own TED Talk in 2012 at the flagship TED Conference, in front a dance audience that included thought leaders such as Al Gore and Matt Groening. They were invited to the White House where a group of business and elected leaders was treated to full-throttle bhangra. A fan brought them clandestinely to Google’s Mountain View Campus. The joint was second-lined by employees from all directions. They were selected to close the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Trafalgar Square. It’s evident that Red Baraat has a long history of performing in iconic venues. But the band’s mainstay is still the sweaty clubs and festivals, packed performing art centers and college auditoriums, which have kept them on the road for almost 200 dates per year. This is where Red Baraat does its best work – sharing music and dance with an audience that is joyful and almost hedonistic. Red Baraat’s universality is evident here. This is not a happy accident. It is the result of planning and design. Jain says, “We are simple creatures who desire community.” “Life is so much more enjoyable when we can bring people from all walks of life together through the universal language that is music.
