COMPOSERS: A.R. Rahman
LABELS: Emergency Exit Arts
WORKS: World
PERFORMER: The Bollywood Brass Band
CATALOGUE NO: BOLLCD 2001 (distr. 020 8853 4809)
The BOLLYWOOD BRASS BAND, as British as a curry house, takes its cue from the wedding bands that stagger drunkenly around India at all hours. This group of mainly European musicians plus a vigorous bhangra drummer plays a menu of Bombay film hits and other popular tunes old and new in its very own way: thunderous unisons Indian-style, and free breaks that veer off in a jazzy direction.
When it all starts feeling relentless they slip in a couple of varied remixes. The band’s live events reportedly go down well with passers-by of most cultural backgrounds, and as served up on disc they mix their energy with wit and a touch of parody.