Back From The Dead

“It’s most unfortunate that in India,everyone associates the sarangi with death,” explains the 33-year-old musician Kamal Sabri,who plays a decade-old instrument bequeathed to him by his forefathers. Son of sarangi maestro Sabri Khan,he casually strings the fretless instrument and produces the poignant sound,that has come to define state cremations and mourning in India. Sabri says he wants to take this instrument out of the funereal atmosphere that it’s been languishing in for too long,and give it its rightful place,alongside other classical Indian instruments like the sitar and harmonium. He drags his finger harder across the strings and it suddenly sounds more like an electronic guitar.

A 2006 Grammy nominee,Sabri is ready with his latest album—Sarangi Funk (Music Today),a new age album that hits music stores in June. “I just want to bring the sarangi out of oblivion and make the global audience understand that it has been the backbone of our music,” says Sabri. Sarangi Funk combines this ancient instrument with blues,Arab music and flemenco.

An 8 track album,it opens with a track titled Sarangi technology,that cleverly merges electronica sounds with a mish mash of global music. Another good track on the album is Jazzirangi — a mix of sarangi with jazz. It goes on to Namaste India which sounds more like Indian folk music.

“Sarangi was always an accompanying instrument. I want to tell the audience that even with an instrument as traditional as the sarangi,one can create a modern repertoire and present a solo concert,” explains Sabri,who’s held concerts in the UK,France,Norway,Pakistan and South America. So much for knocking on heaven’s door.