A Beat Happening: Jaubi - Part 1

A Beat Happening

This week we welcome to the show Ali Riaz Baqar, a musician, composer, and producer who bridges North Indian classical music with jazz and hip-hop. Baqar is the driving force behind Jaubi, a quartet based in Lahore, Pakistan who first came to many people's attention with a cover of J Dilla's "Time: The Donut of the Heart" that reimagined the original using the Indian melodic framework of ragas. Working with the London-based, Polish label Astigmatic Records, Jaubi released their debut album earlier this year, Nafs At Peace, featuring collaborations with 22a's Tenderlonious and EABS' Marek Pędziwiatr. The album is the result of a short but intense recording session in Lahore that helped crystalize Baqar's approach and capture the freeform essence of the band.

This episode was edited and produced by Laurent Fintoni and Will Horrocks. Intro and outro music by Duke Westlake. Artwork by Kutmah. Design assistance by Paper Resistance and Brandy Flower. This show is a labor of love and if you enjoy what you hear and would like to support us in being able to continue, you can donate via PayPal at https://paypal.me/abeathappening.

In this episode we discuss...

• Growing up between Australia and Pakistan and discovering hip-hop
• How hip-hop shaped Ali's early musical journey
• Similarities between hip-hop and Indian classical music
• How Jaubi came together
• Jay Dee's influence and Ali's approach to creating covers

Tracklist:

• Ila Zair - Back on Track
• Jaubi - Time: The Donut of the Heart
• Jaubi - Dilla Taal (For J Dilla)
• Jaubi - Lahore State of Mind + Al Dobson Jr. remix

Links:

• Jaubi Bandcamp
• Interview with Ali in Pakistani magazine