Q. How would you introduce the band for the UK audience?
NIGHT is a new-school Nepali
folk band that focuses on using traditional and especially endangered Nepali
instruments and tunes. Night is creating new sounds and reintroducing Nepali
instruments to a contemporary audience.
Q. With your music you revive lost Nepali traditions. Can you
explain why they are lost and how you revive them?
There are many factors involved
in why Nepali traditions are being lost. Economic and industrial developments,
urbanization, increased migration are just a few of the factors that have led
to deep and rapid socioeconomic transformations. People are heavily inspired by
modern culture and trying to adopt their daily life style to it. From which after
a certain time the traditions are either forgotten or abandoned.
Q. Can you describe some of the rare instruments you use in your
set?
1. Paluwa is a fresh young leaf in Nepali. Leaf is found everywhere
but only few can be played. Most commonly played leaves are cilāune (Needlewood Tree) and sāl. In Nepal people play the leaf at the
time of cattle herding. But in the current time, this culture is becoming extinct. There
are very few good leaf players remaining in Nepal.
2. Mahaali is a reed instrument, mostly used by the jugi community (tailor caste musicians).
It is a conical bore double reed shawm. It is used in many religious moments
and mainly the melody instrument of Navabaaja
(ensemble of nine drums).
3. Pilrhu is a wind instrument made out of clay in the shape of a
small bird. This instrument is usually played by children of the Tharu community imitating the sound of
bird. It consists of 2 -4 small holes in the body.
4. Piwancha is a bowed bamboo instrument. The string of the Piwancha is made from the horse tail hair.
This instrument became extinct many decades ago but it was frequently used
during the Malla period (medieval
period of Nepal which was from 1201–1769). It produces warm and low sound and
is said to have been played by farmers of the Kathmandu valley.
Q. You are inspired by local traditions and songs – can you tell
us something about these?
First of all we love local Nepali music and we
love to create folk music and we are doing what we believe in.
Our interest in
local traditions was also born out of the increasing rate of their
endangerment. Most importantly it has not only been about music and instruments.
Our creative thoughts mainly revolve around village life of
Nepal, the hardships of simple working class people and the inherent resilience
of the Nepali spirit. There is struggle in the Nepali village life, but despite
the apparent hardships, there is joy, contentment and certain warmth that
always shine through despite the daily toil. Our music and lyrics celebrate
this - both the joy and the struggle.
Q. Do you also find inspiration from other music from around the
world?
We usually listen to many kinds of music around the world. …..
Q. You create a contemporary sound for a band with traditional
roots. How did this concept come about?
We started out as an avant-garde metal band. As Jason travelled Nepal while working as a Chartered
Accountant, he was exposed to lot of new music and the flavour of Nepali folk. With
this new-found interest in traditional music and ethnomusicology, Night changed
gears and started experimenting in producing contemporary music with
traditional instruments.
Q. What would you hope the UK audience can learn from your
concerts?
They definitely will get to hear a new sound. From our music, we
hope they will see a reflection of the current situation of Nepal, the stories
of Nepali people. We built very special relationships with our audience when we
visited England for the first time last summer. Though we sing in Nepali people
somehow relate to our songs. Music definitely is a universal language. We are
also learning from our audience.
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