Red Baraat

Red Baraat is a pioneering band from Brooklyn, New York. Conceived by dhol player Sunny Jain, the group has drawn worldwide praise for its singular sound, a merging of hard driving North Indian bhangra with elements of hip-hop, jazz and raw punk energy. Created with no less a purposeful agenda than manifesting joy and unity in all people, Red Baraat’s spirit is worn brightly on its sweaty and hard-worked sleeve.

Their infectious rhythms roll over the audience like a hurricane and let the audience breathe only in a short ballad pause. - RHEIN MAIN PRESS (GERMANY)

Reemerging in 2021 with a renewed focus, energy and sound, Red Baraat headlined the Wolf Trap Performing Arts Center with master percussionist, Zakir Hussain, performed at the Dubai World Expo, and toured its 10th annual Red Baraat Festival of Colors. Much more is in store for 2022-23.

The band’s 2018 album release, “Sound The People”, hit the top 10 on the World Music Charts Europe and was heralded in the US as the anthem soundtrack for the South Asian diaspora by US hipster, indie-rock magazine, Stereogum:

The funk, ska-punk, and other American forms that make their way into the music are layered intricately within the same threadwork as the ragas on which these songs are pulled from. Each piece is a gesture of cultural harmony, rendering not only genre irrelevant, but the geographic placement of those sounds. The album is full of moments that hit with the force of a spiritual awakening.

2018 also saw the band touring Kazakhstan, United Arab Emirates, US, Canada and Europe. They headlined the renowned WOMAD Festival in Cáceres, Spain in front of 10,000 people, performed the Vienna Konzerthaus (Philharmonie) in Austria and had the crowd jumping at Rudolstadt Festival in Germany. The release of Red Baraat’s 2nd album in 2013, Shruggy Ji, debuted at #1 on the Billboard World Music charts in the USA and propelled the band on a world tour that has yet to stop. They’ve performed at Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, globalFEST, Lincoln Center, New Orleans Jazz Fest, and Colours of Ostrava, just to name a few. Along the way they sold out rooms as diverse as the Luxembourg Philharmonic and the New York City’s legendary rock club Bowery Ballroom, and performed at the request of The White House (Obama), TED and Olympic Games. 

This year's 'discovery' [WOMAD UK Festival], though, was Red Baraat, a cacophonous bhangra funk band from Brooklyn. Think Punjabi weddings, Delhi street brass bands, modern jazz and rock. - THE TELEGRAPH (UK) 

But even as it’s clear that Red Baraat has built a startling history of performances in iconic settings, the band’s bread and butter remains the sweaty clubs, festivals, packed performing arts centers, and college auditoriums that keeps the band on the road all over the world the last several years. It’s here where Red Baraat does what it does best - communing with their audience in a joyful, near hedonistic celebration of music and dance which, tellingly, draws a crowd even more diverse than the players on stage. The universality of what Red Baraat does is undeniable. And this is no happy accident. It is the product of intention and design. Says Jain, “The band…our songs…are addressing the multiplicity of viewpoints,” says Jain. “There’s ‘Zindabad,’ which means ‘Long Live’ in Hindi. In that song, we’re saying that we celebrate life, we celebrate devotion — but we also celebrate agitation and revolution. If we can unite people of all backgrounds and ethnicities to partake in the exuberance of life through the universal language of music, then life is that much sweeter.” 

DJ Rekha (born Rekha Malhotra) is a producer, curator, educator, and founder of Basement Bhangra, one of NYC’s longest-running club nights (1997-2017). They've performed in festivals, clubs, and community spaces worldwide. Their dynamic DJ sets incorporate South Asian Diasporic dance music with ears to a global sound that builds inclusive environments of joy. They have taught at NYU Tisch School of the Arts and have a MS in Comparative Media at MIT. They have been featured on Broadway, NPR, Taste the Nation, Celebrate Brooklyn, and Central Park SummerStage.

Long Bio:
DJ Rekha (born Rekha Malhotra) is a DJ, producer, curator, and educator. Their dynamic dub and hip-hop informed DJ sets often incorporate South Asian Diasporic dance music with ears to a global sound that resonates with dancefloors across the planet. They have shared the stage with many artists including AR Rahman, Yoko Ono, the Roots, M.I.A and have performed in festivals, clubs, and community spaces worldwide including the inaugural Women’s March, London Mela, 5X Fest, SXSW, and Sundance.  

They founded Basement Bhangra, in 1997, one of NYC’s longest-running club nights. Their debut album "DJ Rekha presents Basement Bhangra" (featuring a track with Wyclef Jean) won much critical acclaim and was nominated for best DJ album by the 2008 Plug Awards. They are the founder of Basement Bhangra™, Bollywood Disco, Lipstick Optional, and co-founder of Mutiny and Ronak club nights.

As a sound designer and producer Rekha worked for the TONY award-winning Broadway Show, "Bridge and Tunnel," and received a Drama Desk Award nomination for their work on the play "Rafta Rafta." Rekha was the associate producer for the NPR Radio Documentary, "A Feet in Two Worlds." They created the opening theme (with Raj Makhija and David Sharma) for Padma Lakshmi’s Hulu show, “Taste the Nation.” They have done remixes for artists that range from Meredith Monk to Major Lazer.  

DJ Rekha was NYU's A/P/A Artist-in-Residence for 2006-2007. They have received numerous community awards and in 2009 were inducted into the New York City's Peoples’ Hall of Fame. DJ Rekha was the first intern for Sakhi for South Asian Women, a board member at Chhaya CDC., and a founding member of South Asian Youth Action. They have curated music and events for Celebrate Brooklyn, Central Park Summerstage, South Asian Lodge at Sundance, DJ City, and Sona Restaurant. DJ Rekha was a Grand Marshall of the 9th Annual NYC Dance Parade in 2015. They hold a BA in Urban Studies from Queens College and a Master’s of Science in Comparative Media Studies from MIT.