Jaubi The Deconstructed Ego

Limited grey marble vinyl! In Pakistan the interest in local traditional music is slowly dying. As western music and sounds are increasingly favoured, fewer musicians reach for traditional Hindi instruments, like the Sarangi, Cajon or Tabla. It’s a reflection of modern times, and the need for instant interaction and fast data exchange. Learning and mastering traditional Indian music is incredibly difficult and requires a lifetime of dedication. Fortunately, the quartet Jaubi appears to be preserving these ancestral musical roots, whilst boldly taking influence from modern sounds/artists, an example of this is their reconstruction of J Dilla’s beats. Jaubi (pronounced jaw-be) is an experimental ensemble based in Lahore, Pakistan. The band was founded in 2013 by Zohaib Hassan Khan (Sarangi), Kashif Ali Dhani (Tabla), Qamar Abbas (Cajon) and Ali Riaz Baqar (guitar). Jaubi is an Urdu word, roughly translating to ‘whatever’, which is their music philosophy, creating whatever sounds good and whatever feels good, as a goal. The musicians put a strong emphasis on incorporating the complex elements of Hindustani classical music and compose everything by ear. Nothing is ever written down, which follows the aural tradition of this type of classical music. Zohaib is an 8 th generation Sarangi player, hailing from Amristar Gharana ancestry. Kashif and Qamar also belong to musical families, whilst Ali is a self-taught guitarist and hip hop enthusiast. The diverse backgrounds of the members allow for an interesting amalgamation of musical ideas, creating a sound that is unique on a global scale. Jaubi’s musical philosophy suggests a relaxed approach though the band wants to follow their masters like Pandit Ravi Shankar, Hariprasad Chaurasia or Ustan Zakir Hussain, who promoted the fusion of Indian music around the world.