Search - State of Bengal, Paban Das Baul :: Tana Tani

Is Authenticity Irrelevant?

S. L. Winant | Seattle, WA United States | 08/09/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Once, back when us Northwesterners were fortunate (very fortunate) enough to host the WOMAD-USA Festival, I had a debate with a colleague about whether Real World Records had its own distinct audience. Real World's audience was and is, I would argue, neither post-Hippie travelers in love with grooves nor internationalist scholars dedicated to 'tradition,' although perhaps some of both. The label has always put its money on a balance between immaculate production and inspired performance. In the words of Real World's own Web site, "the Real World label has become renowned for bringing together musicians who share an empathy with music in general, rather than a shared cultural background....We find that great music is enjoyable to listen to irrespective of the nationality of artists creating it. Indeed, many of the most exciting sounds that you will discover on our label are the result of collaborations between musicians from many different countries." In other words, Real World is about music making, not labels--including "World Music"--musicians and audience, not...authenticity. Thus, I think Real World's audience is one that respects this perspective on music, an audience that is at once knowledgeable about context but cosmopolitan enough to look beyond context.



Tana Tani seems like a perfect case example for this definition of Real World's ethics/aesthetics, as well as how it can succeed. Many listeners will know that the Bauls are itinerant nonconformists from Bengal and Bangladesh who make their living playing and dancing to ecstatic, idiosyncratic devotional music. Some will also know that Paban Das Baul left India to live in Paris, where he became literate in multiple languages. Many will also know that Sam Zaman, under the moniker State of Bengal, was one of the founders of the "Asian Underground" scene, mxing up Indian sounds and breakbeats. Yet Tana Tani uses each of these artistic precedents merely as background. Paban Das Baul plays instruments like the dotara (a lute) and the ektara (a drone), but what is up front is his emotional vocals and--if you check the liner notes--sincere lyrics. State of Bengal is still a great beatmaker, but there is diversity in his sound. BPM's range from a slow 86 through a regular 120 to a fast, Junglist 190, while the timbres are given an extra depth by live bass and drums. There is even a relatively a capella track in which State of Bengal is scarcely sonically present. The result is a CD that is equally good as a collection of tracks and as an album, just as friendly to the dancefloor as to the living room.



A collaboration between these two artists is a natural choice for Real World. Both are rooted in a place and a tradition, but both are inherently modernists. The resulting mixture is full of cultural markers, whether they're London breakbeats or Indian tones, but stands on its own as good music. Tana Tani and Real World exemplify how grounding in context does not limit creativity.



To my fellow ethnomusicologists, go ahead and pounce on me. To long-time aficianados of Peter Gabriel's record company, here's a CD worth picking up. And to the rest, welcome to the Real World."

Modernizing Bengali Music

Amardeep Singh | Conshohocken, PA USA | 08/18/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD should appeal to Bengali speakers especially, as I think the modernization of Bengali-language music has been overwhelmed by the flood of Punjabi beats and hip-hoppified Punjabi folk songs coming from the UK. I personally don't mind the Punjabi dominance, as I understand a lot of Punjabi, but I think there is a huge reservoir of music in other languages that is being overlooked. As this CD shows, there is certainly something very distinctive and beautiful in the Bengali folk tradition; I hope Zaman will continue to explore it. (As a side note, I should point out that the CD liner to Tana Tani has translations of the songs -- my only request is that in future they also include the literal transcriptions in Bangla.)"