Robert Browning Associates Presents Celebrating 43 Years Of Presenting World Music Events In NYC

Robert Browning, called "the entrepreneur who almost single-handedly created and filled New Yorkers' passion for world music" in the New York Times, has presented world music since April 1976. From his years at the Alternative Center for International Arts / Alternative Museum to his 26-year tenure at World Music Institute (which he co-founded and directed from 1985 - 2011) and his past six seasons as the director of Robert Browning Associates, he has presented over 2,300 concerts of world music and dance from internationally renowned figures and emerging artists from more than 100 countries and regions.

The 2019-20 season features soulful music of Syria with the commanding singer Wajde Ayub, a leading proponent of Syrian vocal music in the US (Sept 28); three outstanding artists in Persian music - Pejman Hadadi, Saeed Kamjoo and Kourosh Taghavi (Oct 19); the 4th annual World Dance Festival with the Dancing Crane Georgian Dance Theater, known for its acrobatic dancing, and the acclaimed Sonali Skandan and Jiva Dance in a program of South Indian dance (Oct 27); virtuoso violinist L Shankar (aka Shenkar), famed for his work with the legendary Indo-jazz group Shakti, performing on his special 10-string double violin (Nov 9); traditional Iraqi music performed by vocal maestro Hamid Al-Saadi with santur(zither) player Amir ElSaffar (Nov 23); hypnotic gamelan music and dance of Java with Gamelan Kusuma Laras and guest artists from Indonesia (Dec 7); a celebration of dance tunes and ballads of French Canadian culture with the popular Le Vent de Nord and De Temps Antan (Jan 24); ancient court and folk music of Korea with reed master gamin and Nangye Gugak (Mar 27); mesmerizing flamenco music with artists to be announced (Mar 28); and music of Yemen and Oman, which is rarely performed on US stages, with Abdulrahman Al-Akhfash and Amal Waqar(Apr 4). The 6th Annual A World in Trance Festival (Apr 18 - Apr 25) features sacred music of Kurdistan with two of Iran's most esteemed musicians, Ali Akbar Moradi and Pejman Hadadi (Apr 18); an unusual jugalbandi (duet) of Hindustani (North Indian) music for vocal and sitarwith Debapriya & Samanwaya (Apr 24); and Gnawa trance music with the remarkable Hassan Hakmoun and special guest Brahim Fribgane, anoud (lute) virtuoso (Apr 25). The season ends with Kaivalya Kumar Gurav, a leading vocalist of India in a rare NY appearance (May 2).

Robert Browning Associates and Lotus Music & Dance in partnership with Brooklyn Maqam present

Saturday, September 28, 2019 at 8:00pm

WAJDE AYUB & ENSEMBLE

Wasla: Soul Music of Syria

Roulette, 509 Atlantic Avenue (at 3rd Ave), Downtown Brooklyn (tel. 917-267-0363)

Wajde Ayub, born in Aleppo, is a classically trained Syrian mutrib (principal vocalist) who has been acclaimed for his exquisite and commanding renderings of wasla, a musical suite that incorporates composed and improvised parts. His performances, which include muwashahat, (sung poetry),layal (melismatic vocalizations) and mawwal (unmetered song), resonate with the musical ecstasy known as tarab, a heightened state of emotion similar to duende in flamenco. For over 25 years he performed with many of the major musical figures of Aleppo, and today is a leading proponent of Syrian vocal music in the US. His ensemble features a chorus and instrumentalists on 'ud (lute), qanun (zither), nay (flute), violin, bass, cello and percussion.

Video: https://youtu.be/qOP-xZahOTI

Robert Browning Associates presents

Saturday, October 19, 2019 at 8:00pm

NAMD TRIO: PEJMAN HADADI, SAEED KAMJOO & KOUROSH TAGHAVI

Ode to Hope - Persian Music

Roulette, 509 Atlantic Avenue (at 3rd Ave), Downtown Brooklyn (tel. 917-267-0363)

The Namd Trio brings together three brilliant musicians in the world of Persian music. The internationally-renowned Pejman Hadadi, considered to be one of the most innovative Iranian percussionists today, is known for his work with the Dastan Ensemble and Zarbang, as well as his performances with celebrated artists from Iran and other cultures, including Hossein Alizadeh, Shahram Nazeri, Parissa, Ali Akbar Moradi, and Shujaat Khan.Saeed Kamjoo (kamancheh - spike-fiddle) has appeared as a guest artist with the Dastan Ensemble and been noted for his style which combines tradition with innovation. Kourosh Taghavi (setar-lute) studied with masters Mohammad Reza Lotfi and Hossein Alizadeh and has collaborated with many international and local cultural organizations to raise awareness on the importance of music in people's lives. Their critically acclaimed program, "Ode to Hope: A Melodic Epiphany," is rooted in diverse world cultures. Featuring both ancient and modern melodies and rhythms, this haunting music provides an inner journey to passion and peace.

"Spectacular musicianship." Los Angeles Times

"Hadadi is a technical wizard who contributes fire and a unique personality to improvisational passages."- Los Angeles Weekly

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0Q7LYtaeQk

Lotus Music & Dance in partnership with Robert Browning Associates presents

Sunday, October 27, 2019 at 4:00pm

World Dance Festival: Dancing Across Cultural Borders

Dancing Crane Georgian Dance Theater / Sonali Skandan & Jiva Dance (South Indian Dance)

Manhattan Movement & Arts Center, 248 West 60th St. (betw Amsterdam & West End Aves), NYC (tel. 212- 627-1076)

This exciting dance festival, now in its fourth year, features Georgian and South Indian dance accompanied by live music. Dancing Crane, noted for its thrilling feats of acrobatic dancing, presents traditional dance from Georgia. The dance forms from the Caucasus mountain region have a distinctive style that rivals ballet in its demanding and refined technique, elegance and graceful movement. Jiva Dance, under the artistic direction of accomplished Bharata Natyam dancer Sonali Skandan, is a critically-acclaimed company based in New York that preserves and promotes traditional South Indian dance, while developing new and universal narratives. Jiva Dance holds the belief that tradition is a continuum of evolution and aims to invigorate classical works with a fresh and unique voice.

"The interplay of the sculptural and rhythmic aspects of Indian dance was compelling.... riveting." --New York Times

Video: Dancing Crane: https://youtu.be/wNvpu1AHAtQ

Jiva Dance: https://youtu.be/8XZwr6KOBuc

Robert Browning Associates presents

Saturday, November 9, 2019 at 8:00pm

L. SHANKAR with NEEL AGRAWAL

Indian Masters

Roulette, 509 Atlantic Avenue (at 3rd Ave), Downtown Brooklyn (tel. 917-267-0363)

Master violinist and vocalist L. Shankar (aka Shenkar) is renowned for his deeply soulful performances of Indian classical music. Since playing his first solo concert at the age of seven, he has gone on to accompany many of South India's leading vocalists and become a major soloist. In the 1970s, with John McLaughlin and Zakir Hussain, he founded the legendary Indo-jazz group Shakti. In the 1980s, he introduced a 10-string double violin capable of covering the whole range of the orchestra's string section from violin to double bass. Since then he has continued to expand the international audience for Indian music, often combining North Indian (Hindustani) and South Indian (Carnatic) styles. He will be accompanied by Neel Agrawal on ghatam (clay pot).

"dazzling virtuosity" - London Times

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDsjQvt2g6o

Robert Browning Associates and Lotus Music & Dance present

Saturday, November 23, 2019 at 8:00pm

HAMID AL-SAADI with SAFAAFIR

featuring Amir ElSaffar, DENA EL SAFFAR & Tim Moore

Journey to the Heart of the Iraqi Maqam

Roulette, 509 Atlantic Avenue (at 3rd Ave), Downtown Brooklyn (tel. 917-267-0363)

The Iraqi maqam (melodic mode), one of Iraq's richest cultural offerings, features sophisticated melodies, infectious rhythms, and eloquent poetry.Hamid Al-Saadi, Iraq's foremost purveyor of this centuries-old tradition, is renowned for his powerful voice and highly ornamented style, as well as his comprehensive knowledge of the intricate details of the music and poetry of Iraq. He studied with the legendary Yusuf Omar, who named Al-Saadi as his successor. Muhammed Al-Gubbenchi, who taught Omar and was probably the most influential maqam reciter in history, said that he considered Al-Saadi to be the "ideal link to pass on the maqam to future generations." Al-Saadi is the only person from his generation to have memorized and mastered all 56 maqamat from the Baghdad repertoire, and is one of the few vocalists to keep this maqam alive today. He is joined bySafaafir, the only US-based ensemble dedicated to performing the Iraqi maqam in it traditional format. The group is led by Amir ElSaffar (santur-zither) and Dena El Saffar (joza-bowed stringed instrument, violin) of Iraqi descent and features Tim Moore on percussion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhf8fMj5M-E

Robert Browning Associates presents

Saturday, December 7, 2019 at 8:00pm

GAMELAN KUSUMA LARAS with I.M. HARJITO
Guest musicians DARSONO HADIRAHARJO & HENI SAVITRI
Guest dancer ANANG TOTOK DWIANTORO
Music and Dance of Java

Roulette, 509 Atlantic Avenue (at 3rd Ave), Downtown Brooklyn (tel. 917-267-0363)

Since its formation over 30 years ago, Gamelan Kusuma Laras has entranced American and Indonesian audiences with its mesmerizing renditions of traditional Javanese performances on instruments created for the Indonesian Pavilion at the 1964-5 World's Fair. This NYC-based classical Javanese gamelan orchestra, comprised of American and Indonesians, is under the direction of the renowned I. M. Harjito. A master of all the Javanese gamelan instruments, he is most famous for his superb rebab and gendèr playing. In this program, the orchestra will be joined by several special guests who graduated from Indonesia's state conservatory for the traditional performing arts in Surakarta: Darsono Hadiraharjo, a leading young Javanese gamelan player of his generation; the captivating young Javanese singer Heni Savitri, who performs widely with many gamelanensembles in the US and Indonesia; and dancer Anang Totok Dwiantoro, who is known for his mastery of the strong male style of Central Javanese court dance.
"The gamelan, or orchestra, composed largely of pitched percussion, provided a variety of textures, from the gently meditative to the clangorous, and the listener is quickly drawn into its rhythms. The ensemble's performance is also a treat to watch." - The New York Times

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn3rrYAzZtk

Carnegie Hall in partnership with Robert Browning Associates presents

Friday, January 24, 2020 at 8:30pm

LE VENT DU NORD & DE TEMPS ANTAN

QuebecFest!

Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall

57th Street & 7th Avenue, NYC (tel 212-247-7800)

The two most popular groups from Quebec join together in an exuberant celebration of traditional and contemporary dance tunes and earthy, often hilarious, ballads of French-Canadian culture. Performing on a host of instruments that include hurdy-gurdy, jaws harp, guitar and accordion, the musicians maintain a constant banter (in English!) between their richly harmonized songs and instrumentals.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2Wrv75D1CM

Carnegie Hall in partnership with Robert Browning Associates presents

Friday, March 27, 2020 at 8:30pm

GAMIN & NANGYE GUGAK

Court & Folk Music of Korea

Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall

57th Street & 7th Avenue, NYC (tel 212-247-7800)

Gugak, the ancient court and folk music of Korea, is characterized by a huge range of sounds from piercing oboes and bombastic percussion to the dulcet tones of reed flutes, zithers, and fiddles. The orchestra takes its name from a legendary 13th-14th century master, Nangye Park Yeon. Soloistgamin is one of the most celebrated performers of the piri and taep'yõngso (oboes).

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJNyp8QKxQo

Robert Browning Associates & Flamenco Festival Inc. present

Saturday, March 28, 2020 at 8:00pm

FLAMENCO FESTIVAL

Artists to be announced

Robert Browning Associates presents

Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 8:00pm

ABDULRAHMAN AL-AKHFASH with ZAFIR TAWIL / AMAL WAQAR with TAREQ RANTISI

A Night in Arabia: Music of Yemen & Oman

Roulette, 509 Atlantic Avenue (at 3rd Ave), Downtown Brooklyn (tel. 917-267-0363)

The music of the Arabian peninsula is far less documented and more rarely heard than that of the Levant and of Egypt. On the southern edge of the peninsula lies Yemen, a country with an ancient history, remarkable architecture, and a rich musical culture that is steeped in the classic Arabic tradition of sung poetry. Both Yemen and its neighbor Oman are seafaring nations with a long history of trade with East Africa and Asia and have thus absorbed musical influences from these regions, as well as from nomadic tribal culture.

Yemeni singer and 'ud (lute) player Abdulrahman Al-Akhfash has a wide command of Yemeni genres and is particularly noted for his contribution to and development of the Sanani (North Yemen) tradition of classical Arabic and Yemeni songs. He has built a considerable reputation throughout Yemen and the Yemeni diaspora for his performances which include both traditional songs and his own compositions. He is accompanied by Palestinian multi-instrumentalist Zafer Tawil and others to be announced.

Amal Waqar is a young singer and 'ud player from the coastal city of Muscat, Oman. At a young age she began to study the 'ud, an instrument that was traditionally played only by men. Currently living in Boston, she continues her musical education at Berklee College and dedicates much of her time to teaching 'ud to women. She sings and plays both traditional Omani songs, as well as her own compositions. She is accompanied by Palestinian percussionist Tareq Rantisi.

Video: Abdulrahman Al-Akhfash: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9bxTzGX5xI&list=PLAuOcRnymrpM4QlD2BR_d-cECj8pjFm7W&index=2&t=0s

Amal Waqar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWc9WCRxOyw

Fri April 18 - Sat Apr 25 A World in Trance Festival

This 3-day festival, now in its sixth season, transcends boundaries and brings the listener to a state of ecstasy and enchantment.

Robert Browning Associates and Lotus Music and Dance present

Saturday, April 18, 2020 at 8:00pm

6th Annual A World in Trance Festival

ALI AKBAR MORADI & PEJMAN HADADI

Sacred Music of Kurdistan

Roulette, 509 Atlantic Avenue (at 3rd Ave), Downtown Brooklyn (tel. 917-267-0363)
This ecstatic and trance-inducing concert of Kurdish music from western Iran brings together two of Iran's most renowned musicians: Ali Akbar Moradi, the extraordinary virtuoso of the tanbour, an ancient 2-stringed long-necked fretted lute traditionally used in religious ceremonies, and Pejman Hadadi, the innovative percussionist (tombak, daf) who has been a member of the Dastan Ensemble for over 20 years and collaborated with countless master musicians in Persian and world traditions. Their program features meditative improvisations based on the repertoire of the Yarsan people - followers of a mystical faith associated with Sufism, and the beauty and complexities of the art of this region. The program marks a rare NY appearance for Moradi and Hadadi.

"Love, spirituality, intoxication with the divine and the power of music... With one string providing a drone, everything else rides on a single string of the tanbour, and in Mr. Moradi's hands, that string encompasses an expressive universe." - New York Times

"The masterful Hadadi delivers an astonishing array of sounds." - Los Angeles Times

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQJ6s7io1vg

Robert Browning Associates and Lotus Music & Dance present

Friday, April 24, 2020 at 8:00pm

6th Annual A World in Trance Festival

DEBAPRIYA & SAMANWAYA with SAMAR SAHA

Music of North India - Sitar/Vocal Jugalbandi (duet)

Roulette, 509 Atlantic Avenue (at 3rd Ave), Downtown Brooklyn (tel. 917-267-0363)

This jugalbandi with virtuosos Debapriya Adhikary and Samanwaya Sarkar, two of India's foremost young artists, is unusual in that is a duet with vocal and sitar (lute) instead of the more common duets with two instrumentalists or two vocalists. Both artists trained with Padmabhusan Giriji Devi and have traveled worldwide with their brilliant renditions of Hindustani (North Indian) music. They are joined by the accomplished tabla(drums) player Samar Saha, who has performed with many of India's top vocalists and instrumentalists.

"the confluence of their expressions of music and perfect harmony left the listeners spellbound" -The Indian Express

"Sarkar's sitar playing was sublime and authoritative....Adhikary's vocals were technically flawless, and he possessed a marvelous quality of expression." --Doobeedoobeedoo

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTva2XE4o7A

Robert Browning Associates presents

Saturday, April 25, 2020 at 8:00pm

6th Annual A World in Trance Festival

HASSAN HAKMOUN with special guest BRAHIM FRIBGANE

Gnawa Soul of Morocco

Roulette, 509 Atlantic Avenue (at 3rd Ave), Downtown Brooklyn (tel. 917-267-0363)

Born in Marrakech, Hassan Hakmoun is the premier exponent of Moroccan Gnawa trance music in America and a commanding figure in world music circles. While punching out a groove on the sintir, a bass lute, his ecstatic vocals invoke the spirits of healing through chants of praise to the Prophet Mohammad and the saints. His music is a spellbinding blend of North African and Arab melodies with West African rhythms. He is joined by Casablanca-born Brahim Fribgane, whose virtuosic skills on oud and a variety of percussion instruments have been sought after by a wide array of artists, including Peter Gabriel, Adam Rudolph, and Zakir Hussain. Accompanists to be announced.
"Mr. Hakmoun had the charisma of a rock star...rapturous...enthralling" -- New York Times
"one of Morocco's greatest musical exports: "- WNYC.org

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPZMiGpQLYs

Robert Browning Associates presents

Saturday, May 2, 2020 at 8:30pm

KAIVALYA KUMAR GURAV with SUBHEN CHATTERJEE

Songs of Dharwad - Vocal Music of North India

Leonard Nimoy Thalia at Peter Norton Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway at 95th Street, NYC (212-864-5400)

Kaivalya Kumar Gurav, a leading vocalist of India making a rare NY appearance, hails from Dharwad, the region admired as a mecca for North Indian classical vocal music where such luminaries as Bhimsen Joshi and Mallikarjun Mansoor lived. With his rich multigenerational lineage, he is a major exponent of the Kirana gharana (tradition): his grandfather, Ganapatrao Gurav, was a top disciple of Abdul Karim Khan, the founder of thisgharana, and his father, Sangameshwar Gurav, groomed him into an outstanding vocalist. Kaivalya Kumar is the youngest Hindustani classical vocalist to be given a top grade by All India Radio and Doordarshan, a national television network, at the age of 35. He is joined on tabla (drums) bySubhen Chatterjee, a disciple of Swapan Chaudhuri, who has performed with many of India's major artists, including Bhimsen Joshi, Girija Devi, V. G. Jog and Pandit Jasraj. Accompaniment on harmonium by Sanatan Goswami.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBATeABQXKQ&feature=youtu.be