EP 37: Neel Murgai on Brooklyn Raga Massive and the New Raga Renaissance

"We're Creating New Musical Art Forms Indigenous to Brooklyn."Our guest for this episode is Neel Murgai. Neel is a sitarist, overtone singer, percussionist, composer, teacher, and Co-Artistic Director of the Brooklyn Raga Massive, a raga inspired musician's collective.  He is a graduate of Goddard College's MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts program, and studied sitar with Pundit Ravindra Goswami in Banaras. Neel's music ranges from Indian classical to original compositions and contemporary cross-cultural collaborations. Neel has worked with a diverse array of artists and ensembles, including Adam Rudolph, Wyclef Jean, Cyndi Lauper, Karsh Kale, Samir Chatterjee, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Laraaji, Baba Israel, Andre DeShields, Raz Mesinai, Mission on Mars, Akim Funk Buddha, Loren Conners, Sameer Gupta, Marc Cary, Jay Gandhi, Arun Ramamurthy, Haunted House, and Cosmo Vinyl. He has performed at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, the Blue Note, at festivals around the U.S, and appeared on the David Letterman Show, and on a music video for Will Smith's Bel Aire. Topics discussed:Neel's beginnings and interest in music and his beginnings with sitar and other musical pursuits, how the Brooklyn Raga Massive (BRM) began, his sources of inspiration, his experiences as co-Artistic Director for the BRM Orchestra and musicians' blending genres, performances with jazz and rock musicians, and musicians from all over the world, performances and recordings of Terry Riley's "In C." collaborations with Adam Rudolph and the Go Organic Orchestra, the BRM's strong online presence with performances and education during the pandemic, their promotion, PR, marketing, and funding strategies, and the friendship and alliance between the BRM and MFM.Music on this episode:"Bagheshri Unbound"  (live recorded improvisation by Neel Murgai using sitar, vocals and loops)"For Elijah” (Brooklyn Raga Massive Orchestra)“In D” (Brooklyn Raga Massive Orchestra) CreditsProducer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLaPublisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)https://musiciansformusicians.org