Upcoming Teams – Surjahan

Dalinda, Hungary

Dalinda is, in essence, an A’capella band, that is, one that sings without musical accompaniment. This band has three women as lead singers and their music represents a celebration of womanhood and feminine energy – based on the traditional tunes of Hungarian folk music. The power and playfulness, based on folk based rhythms, are the hallmarks of their music. Through their music, woven together by folk tradition and modern sounds, charge the audience with feminine energy and tells about the stages of womanhood in all its earthy and celestial cadence and candor. The messages imparted by their music are everlasting and relevant till date – birth, life, death, body, and soul. They have been playing live music since 2015 and have been performing before international audiences since 2017. Recently, Dalinda is evolving beyond A’capella and is venturing into sublime musical experiences involving instrumentals as well, imparting an aura of richness in terms of tunes to their breathtaking musical presentations. That is why, for this festival, they will be accompanied by a wonderful trio of instrumental performers.

Ale Moller and Ensemble, Sweden

Ale Moller is a living legend in Swedish folk music who has been pushing the barriers of Scandinavian music since the past four decades. His musical journey began as a jazz trumpeter, from which he evolved into a folk musician and has since become a prominent proponent of world music, combining Swedish folk traditions with those of Shetland, Greece, India and West Africa. He has released nearly 40 albums till date. For many years Swedish legendary musician/composer Ale Moller, winner of SKAP's FRED Winter Prize and Lifetime Achievement Award given by the American organization FOLK ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL, often called ”The Godfather of Nordic World Music”, has created new music out of meetings between musicians from different cultures . This version of his band will have Ale Möller himself on various instruments like mandola, flutes, cows horn, clarino and harmonica, along with two great singers - Mamadou Sene from West Africa, and Greek singer/dancer Maria Stellas. Two musicians from the younger generation also join this ensemble, Anna Moller (Ale Moller’s daughter) one of the formost fiddle players on todays Nordic folk scene and Johan Graden, pianist/composer, is one of the most innovative young swedish jazz musicians. Percussionist Olle Linder is a legend on the Swedish world scene and is the pillar of this band. Together they form a creative musical meeting place full of energy, groove and emotions.

Coreyah, South Korea

Coreyah is a multiple awards winning Korean and world music ensemble consisting of six members. Three of the members are performers of traditional Korean instruments such as Daegeum, Sogeum, Tungso, Geomungo and traditional Korean drums, whereas one member is a vocalist, one a guitarist and one a percussionist. Their music thus reflects a rich blend of tradition and modernity. Coreyah made its debut in 2010. Since then, their signature style has constituted of a blend of various genres of ethnic and world music as well as popular music, while still maintaining the distinctive Korean musical flavor imparted by the traditional instruments. Thus, their music consists of a multi-layered soundscape encompassing traditional Korean and contemporary world music, giving it an exotic and yet a strangely familiar flavor. They have released four albums till date and have travelled globally with their music gaining awe, appreciation and admiration from music connoisseurs all around the world.

Radiant Arcadia, Denmark

Radiant Arcadia is a eight member all-women band with roots in Copenhagen, Germany and the UK. The team has members with diverse musical talents – with focus on world music and Sufi music, and a wide variety of instrumentals whose framework is supported by flute, accordion, violin, clarinet and percussions. The diversity of this team is manifest in its members who hail from Jewish, Christian and Muslim backgrounds. Thus, with their music, this team becomes a messenger for inter-cultural connections and interactions. Being an all-woman team, their music also symbolizes women’s empowerment. Their music is a reflection of their artistic individuality. When fused, it creates and unique dimension of music. Further exploration of this dimension by pushing the barriers and boundaries is a hallmark of the music of this all-woman band. Their aim is to usher in joy and inspiration with their music and work for equality – reaching out for friendship beyond the borders and motivate cohesion among communities through music. Their overall genre of music, thus, is World Fusion.

Danyel Waro, La Reunion Islands

The musical tradition that Danyel Waro symbolizes and upholds is acoustic Maloya, the blues of La Reunion islands in the Indian Ocean. Musician and poet Danyel Waro is known to sing Creole with unparalleled passion and emotion. According to him, the Maloya has put him in harmony with the La Reunion islands. Through his music he champions self determination and identity associated with that place. His music is thus a reminder of the cultural heritage of his place and also of the hope and courage in the face of the challenges posed by the independence movements of La Réunion islands that had erupted in the 1970s, followed by the Renaissance of the 1980s. It is thus no wonder that he is regarded as a hero in the volcanic of La Reunion islands. He is also known to craft his own musical instruments – traditional ones from that area - the Kayanm – a flat instrument manufactured from stems of cane flowers and filled with wild saffron seeds; the Bobre, made of a cord suspended on a bow with a calabash as resonance chamber and the Rouler – a large drum made from a rum barrel over which is stretched a cow-skin. Since 1987, he has released ten albums and a documentary has also been made of him. He became a recipient of the WOMEX (World Music Expo) Award in 2010 which was presented to him in Copenhagen on 31st October 2010.

Folks of Bengal, India

Folks of Bengal is an initiative of banglanatak dot com MusiCal for promoting the folk traditions of Bengal through creating opportunities for traditional folk artists/musicians. The all women band on stage is led by Debalina Bhowmick and will be joined by Rina Das Baul, Mallika Akar, Tumpa Burman and Arpita Chakraborty. They will be supported by Arpan Thakur Chakaraborty in Dotara, Mohan Tanti in Flute, Girish Khyapa in Harmonium, Sajib Sarkar in Dhol & Khol and Mamata Bharui in Percussions.

Bauls of Bengal, India

Baul is a philosophy and Baul is a music. The philosophy gets passed from the ‘Guru’ to his disciples. Baul music is the soul of Bengal and is essentially the music of selfsearching. It is about 500 years old. Lalan Fakir, who used to live at Kushtia in Bangladesh, may be called the champion of Baul music. Living the life of an esoteric, denouncing the material world, Bauls urge people to rise above the narrow divides created by caste, creed and religion to nd love, peace and harmony. Baul music got inscribed in UNESCO Representative List of Heritage of Humanity in 2008. Bhajan Das Bairagya of Bardhaman, Chote Golam and Nimai Khyapa from Murshidabad and Pradyut Bala of Birbhum will be leading the Baul ensemble. The instrument support will be provided by Sadhu Das Baul in Khamak, Kangal Khyapa in Dotara, Khokan Das in Dhol, Bodhan Das in Khol, Utpal in Flute and Harsid in Percussions.

Mangniyars of Rajasthan, India

Manganiyars are the traditional folk musicians of Western Rajasthan. The Manganiyars sing Rajasthani folk song, Marwar Lok geet and Sufiyana Kalam. The folk songs mainly revolve around the lives of the Rajas and Maharajas, daily lifestyle, gods and goddesses and several immortal love stories. Thane Khan, Manjur Khan, Samsu Khan , Bhage Khan, Kalyan Khan and Tarif Khan are the artists.

Langas of Rajasthan, India

The Langas are a part of the Sindhi community. The Langas sing Rajasthani folk song, Suyana Kalam, folk songs. The folk songs mainly revolve around the lives of the Maharajas and around various folk deities worshipped in the western part of India. The love story of Heer Ranjha, Shashi Banu is often foretold in the songs. Sindhi Sarangi, Algoza, Matka, Khartal, Harmonium and Morchang are mainly used by the artists. The team comprises of Bachu Khan, Habib Khan, Nure Khan, Idu Khan, Asakar Khan and Sa Khan.