Tony Talwar is one of my recent discoveries in the local world music and dance scene in Chicago. I found his music very pleasant to listen to, so I decided to share it with you. Tony is a local cross-cultural DJ that likes to mix electronic dance music with classical Indian instruments such as sitar, sarangi, waja, tumbi, dhol and tabla. Vocals come from a variety of musical styles, including Qawwali, Bhangra, Bollywood and Raag. You can hear a sample of his music in the following link:http://ow.ly/4TZRL. The name of this song is Tabla Raaga Project and comes from his latest CD titled Bhangra Communication. If you would like to hear more of his music or buy music for this CD, you can do it here.
DEAL OF THE WEEK: Unlimited Bhangra workout with Bollywood Groove for $35!
Attention dance lovers: Would you like to try a vibrant dance that has infectious music, colorful costumes a lots of fun moves? Then you should take some Bollywood or Bhangra dance lessons.
Bollywood dances emerged from India’s Hollywood equivalent movie industry. From folk and Indian classical to belly dance and hip hop, Bollywood captures it all. Bhangra is a folk dance from northern part of the country known for its energetic moves and is done to the rhythmic beats of Dhol.
June marks the completion of 1 year of Chicago-based studio Bollywood Groove owned by Ajanta Chakrabortyis. Ajanta has a Senior Diploma in classical Indian dance of BharatNatyam from Prayag Sangeet Samiti and has extensive dance performance experience, beginning at age 5 and continuing till date. To celebrate the studio’s 1st year anniversary,
Bollywood Grove is offering an amazing deal. For the entire month of June, take Unlimited classes for only $35! This deal is valid for everyone including current and new participants. Please note: This deal is only valid for the first 50 people who sign up. Click here to sign up now.
And here is a video of Ajanta explaining the origin of Bhangra dance as well as a mini-lesson.
Tonight: Should I go Bollywood, Gypsy or Middle Eastern?
So the weekend is here, and there are some cool options to explore. Tonight for example, there is this concert called. “Mag Mahal: Bollywood Night with DJ Lloyd“. This is supposed to be the hottest DJ from India. I checked his website and really liked his music. He is on his 1st-ever Chicago visit on current U.S. Tour, so maybe it would be worth to check him out. He will be at NV Penthouse Lounge (116 W Hubbard in the Loop) from 9PM to 2AM. Pre-paid tickets are $10. You can buy them here
Another cool option for tonight is to go see Ode and Eyes Manouche perform live at Morseland (1218 W Morseland in Rogers Park). It is a fusion of Gypsy dance and indie rock in one great evening. It features Ode, an up and coming Chicago indie band and Eyes Manouche a gypsy dance band that has its own take on music from the Balkans and all over the world. Both bands will be presenting new material. Show runs from 10PM to 2AM
My third option is to go see my friends of Magic Carpet perform their AfroMiddleEasternJazzFusion magic at Ras Dashen Restaurant (5846 N Broadway in Edgewater). The show starts at 8pm.
The night is ours. Let’s go out and explore it. Happy Friday!
Chicago Urbanite 