Cross-Pollinating Artists

 

Rajasthan Josh & Friends

Festivals are by nature temporal events that bring artists and audiences together for the briefest of celebratory moments. At Indian Summer Festival, we are proud that we have been able to go beyond and act as cultural catalysts, with a significant impact on the artistic community in Vancouver as well as in India. A case in point is the collaboration between Vancouver-based musicians and Sufi music supergroup Rajasthan Josh from India. Rajasthan Josh first played in Vancouver at ISF2013, when they collaborated with noted local musicians Tarun Nayar, Sara Fitzpatrick (both of Delhi 2 Dublin), Rup Sidhu and Ashwin Sood in a sold out and much beloved show.

Following this, Rup Sidhu visited India with ISF co-founders Laura Byspalko and Sirish Rao, played with Rajasthan Josh on the stages of the acclaimed Jaipur Literature Festival, and spent several days co-creating in Rajasthan Josh’s hometown of Jaisalmer. A year later, thanks to ISF, beloved Vancouver band Delhi 2 Dublin played the JLF stage, on their first India tour, to a crowd of five thousand. This strong trans-continental connection led to Rajasthan Josh’s return to Vancouver for ISF 2016, this time at the iconic Orpheum Theatre. Their now close friend and collaborator Rup Sidhu curated a musical meeting, roping in Juno Award-winning musician Kinnie Starr, Lil’wat Nation composer Russell Wallace and the Sarah McLachlan School of Music Youth Choir, among others, to produce what the Georgia Straight described as ‘hands down, the world music concert of the summer’. ISF is proud to have sparked this globally impactful artistic dialogue. And in the nature of catalytic collaborations, while they were here, Rajasthan Josh went into a recording session with Rup Sidhu and Juno Award nominee Adham Shaikh. There is more yet to come…