Great British Gharana

The idea of a ‘great British gharana’ – a tradition or school of music – was thought up in 2011 by Milapfest (a UK-based arts trust). Identifying UK-produced classical Indian music as reflecting the South Asian diasporic, fusion-heavy scene as a distinct tradition in its own right, it's an audacious claim to make. But this two-CD set from Milapfest goes a long way towards justifying it. Drawn from the live performances of Samyo and Tarang – two British Indian music youth orchestras – this is a breath of fresh air. Bringing the loose structure of ragas and the discipline of an orchestra together for an unpredictable and impressive collection, the sound is certainly original. The orchestral strings recall the grandeur of vintage Bollywood, and at their best Samyo and Tarang even approach the mellower compositions of the composer and pianist Naushad, partly due to innovative usages of Indian percussion.

There is an accompanying book, profiling young British Asian musicians involved in the orchestras, and it is an inspiring read, though it would have been more interesting to read more of the theory behind the concept. In any case, it highlights the need for greater opportunities to be provided to British artists working within classical Indian forms, but even with the limited resources available, these artists are determined to thrive.