Description
Brooklyn Raga Massive
presents a night of genre busting ensembles, united by use of the sitar. Quadrature works at the intersection of raga, rock, jazz and psychedelia with Neel Murgai on sitar and effects, Indofunk Satish on trumpet and effects, Damon Banks on Bass and Tripp Dudley on drum set. Opening the night, Compass Trio blends raga and tala with flamenco and jazz harmony with James Labrosse on guitar, Tripp Dudley on tabla and Galen Passen on sitar.
Prepare to be captivated by Quadrature
a musical powerhouse that ventures into uncharted territories at the intersection of raga, rock, jazz and psychedelia. They feature the mesmerizing sitar and effects of Neel Murgai, alongside the innovative firebird trumpet and effects of Indofunk Satish, the rhythmic brilliance of Tripp Dudley on drum set, and the deep grooves of Damon Banks on bass. Emerging from the legendary Brooklyn Raga Massive (BRM) jam sessions, Quadrature began their journey with fully improvised sets rooted in ragas, captivating audiences on the streets of Brooklyn. In 2023, they were artists in residence at David Rockefeller Creative Arts Center at The Pocantico Center, where they further developed their sound and arrangements. They have performed at Globalfest at Lincoln Center, Ragas Live Festival at Pioneer Works, Levitt Pavilion, Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, DromNYC and more. Inspired by their name, which derives from mathematics and astronomy, Quadrature delves into experimental realms of black hole blues and intricate melodies to create a distinctive sound for this time and space.
Compass Trio
brings an original compositional voice to the three musicians’ collective experience and expertise – Indian raga and tala, the art of flamenco, jazz harmony, and deep groove. The rhythmic form of North Indian music known as theka is a uniquely sophisticated container for exploring time and polyrhythm. Separated by hundreds of years and countless migrations of the Gitano diaspora throughout the present day Middle East and Europe we find the same concepts in new forms through the Spanish compás. This musical connection through history and culture is referenced in the name Compass; both a tool to find one’s way home as well as that which structures time in music, another form of finding “home”. Compass Trio is comprised of guitar and effects (James Labrosse), tabla (Tripp Dudley), and sitar (GalenPassen) and integrates these deeper connections of tradition and music into its interweaving forms, reflections and improvisations. Each piece is a truly original creation, borne out of the members’ individual creative expressions while being deeply rooted in the extensive traditions they have studied. Just over one year old Compass has made a fast arrival to NYC’s vibrant and diverse musical scene, performing across the city, working with the likes of Sisters, DROM, and Brooklyn Raga Massive. They are set for their first tour this coming fall.
Brooklyn Raga Massive is an adventurous nonprofit musicians’ collective that creates cross-cultural understanding through the lens of South Asian classical music by providing direct support to artists, fostering collaboration through our iconic concerts and jam sessions, facilitating cultural exchange through educational initiatives, and producing transcendent, and often massive, performances, festivals, and one-of-a-kind albums.