Asian music in Britain

Subject: Asian music in Britain
From: Fay
Date: 05 Nov 03 - 11:21 AM

Hello, another school project!!!

My new chosen subject is the Asian music scene in Britain (esp Bradford area).

I want to look at the content of traditional music in the pop music scene and what influences have come from where.

I am also interested in the nationalistic issues involved, ie affirming their heritage and traditions while being a part of another culture.

The new style which is neither the music of where they are 'from'(I appreciate most of the people I will be interviewing were born and raised in Britain) nor the music of the culture they are surrounded by.

A tricky topic, and I'm sure a difficult one to be completly PC about, though I am trying not to phrase things badly.

I hope you get what I'm on about and have some opinions/ideas for areas of study.

Thanks, Fay

Subject: RE: Asian music in Britain
From: GUEST,Sooz(at work)
Date: 06 Nov 03 - 08:24 AM

Good luck - I'd be interested to see what you find.

Subject: RE: Asian music in Britain
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 06 Nov 03 - 12:59 PM

Asia in general, or just "South Asia"?

I'd imagine a major aspect would be how far the differences in the cultures from which the music comes are carried on or transformed here. Muslim/Hindu/Sikh; Pakistan/Bangla Desh.

Another aspect would be links with other traditions. The last couple of years there've been Asian Music groups from this country in Sidmouth. greg stephens in the Mudcat has posted about making music with Kurds in his part of the country.   Here's a picture I took on the big anti-war demo in February which is interesting in that context. (Might take a bit of time loading that, all depending.)

Subject: RE: Asian music in Britain
From: GUEST,Noddy
Date: 06 Nov 03 - 04:59 PM

Just back from Central Asia Kyrgystan to be exact. Got some CDs downstairs. I ll Be back with info in five minutes...lots of stairs!

Subject: RE: Asian music in Britain
From: GUEST,noddy
Date: 06 Nov 03 - 05:06 PM

the artist is "nouri" the title is "rain in my soul"

website http://nouri.gratis.kg

The artist is "Ordo Sakhna" the albums are "the music of the legends" and "song of the Nomad"

Very interesting stuff.
Hope it is of help even though it is not in Britain.

Subject: RE: Asian music in Britain
From: greg stephens
Date: 07 Nov 03 - 11:51 AM

Fay
I am doing a great deal of work with Asian musicians (mainly Iraqi Kurds and Afghans) and would be perfectly happy to talk to you. The use of folk music to reinforce identity is a very big thing with refugees stuck in a strange land, and the tension between hanging on to music from "back home", or learning western music, is a very interesting and ongoing process. There is a huge difference beteen a young person born here from immigrant parents, and a young refugee,say, who has just arrived totally on their own wioth no family or community immediately available to wrap themselves in.
Get in touch with me via PM if you want to go into this.
greg

Subject: RE: Asian music in Britain
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 07 Nov 03 - 02:47 PM

Wow this is exciting stuff. So many minority ethnic communities have cultures rich and extra-ordinary in music, song, dance etc etc. Can we enjoy any of that without patronising or misunderstanding? Peoples music can be a great bridge even though we don't have much of a record of building those bridges.

As I have suggested on other threads, East European and Asian communities that arrived after WW2 have been playing tunes and singing songs longer than many people in the Irish communities of England but we don't seek it out and enjoy it much, although I think I saw a photo of a Punjabi group of dancers and musicians in the last EFDSS magazine.

Subject: RE: Asian music in Britain
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 07 Nov 03 - 03:41 PM

One of the most inexcusable aspects of the business with the refoirm that makes music illegal eceot where there's a licence (apart from places of worship) was this assumption that the only place informal music belongs is in pubs.

There was a complete failure to realise that this assumption in effect discriminates against many people from Asian minorities, especially Muslims.

Subject: RE: Asian music in Britain
From: M.Ted
Date: 07 Nov 03 - 04:57 PM

My suggestion is to make connections in an active and growing ethnic community that is close you you and just write about what you find there, don't worry about analysis or answering research questions--anything you document is going to be valuable and interesting--as Les pointed out, very little effort has been made to explore what is out there--

Once thing about older ethnic communities is that they tend to preserve music and traditions that have disappeared in the country of origin--another interesting thing is the musical conflict between the contemporary music from the country of origin, which the new immigrants tend to know, and the old time music that the second/third/forth generation people have preserved--

Something I've run into is that the new immigrant musicians dodn't know the traditional dances, though they often knew the traditional melodies, but played them in a different style. Another thing that I ran across(among young Cambodian musicians) was that they would play songs in their ethnic style and not realize that the melodies were Western ones--

A lot of great things are out there, and once you've opened the door, I'll bet that you keep it open-

Subject: RE: Asian music in Britain
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 07 Nov 03 - 06:18 PM

Is this Cecil goes global or what????????

I feel seriously humbled, so much stands before us and we are so ill-equiped.

A million years ago, before the war, I danced with Gorton Morrismen and we danced at a school in Longsight, Manchester, in a school hall, before an audience of parents and children that were largely Muslim. We were never better reveived, with the possible exception of a tour of Manchester's Gay Village before it was thus proclaimed. Shall we celebrate or what?

Subject: RE: Asian music in Britain
From: greg stephens
Date: 07 Nov 03 - 06:23 PM

Last night I was singing a Christmas song(from the bahamas) with young lads freshly arrived from Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, Ethiopia and I think Liberia. Plus hearing a load of their music. there's a lot of it about.

Subject: RE: Asian music in Britain
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 08 Nov 03 - 07:18 AM

Fay - I may have a contact number for one of Bradford's local Bhangra bands. I know a couple of members including the lead singer. If it would be of any use to you, send a message, and I'll see if I can find it.
Quack!
Geoff the Duck.
(p.s. When you get your Folk Degree - do we all get a share?)

Subject: RE: Asian music in Britain
From: Fay
Date: 12 Nov 03 - 03:55 PM

You certainly should all get a share - I should point out that I do credit you in the work you help with!!

Thanks again - good stuff. I'll be PMing some of you for more info.

I've narrowed my thing down a bit to the Keighley population from Kashmir origin, set in a national context (the Bradford Band's details would be great)

Thanks again, Fay xx

Subject: RE: Asian music in Britain
From: s&r
Date: 13 Nov 03 - 04:44 AM

We have provided music in a local prison for some years: the Asian inmates often asked for videos which were locally available for hire, and which were typically three-hour long musicals.

Worth looking at a couple.