WOMAD

Dhols of Jaipur

From India

Doldrums-defeating dhol drums
Right from the off in 1982, when the Drummers of Burundi shared a stage with Echo & The Bunnymen, WOMAD has had a very specific connection with the drum. The sound of hand or stick on tightened animal skin can be heard right across Charlton Park - from stage to campsite and all points in between. The loudest and most accomplished drums this year surely belong to the Dhols of Jaipur. Their hometown is pretty much Drum City; every district of the Rajasthan capital boasts its own orchestra of up to 40 drummers, which all take to the streets for an annual ten-day commemoration of Imam Hussain's martyrdom. The Dhols of Jaipur are excellent ambassadors for the sound of their native city, an unrelenting battery of bassy dhol drums and the more snare-like tasha drums. It's a glorious and stirring experience - and one that will release the air drummer in all of us.

Biography written by Nige Tassell 2011)

Dhols of Jaipur's » Myspace Page