Thursday, May 29 / Noon / Free UCSB Music Bowl Garib Dass, Indian folk artist, will perform on dhol, sing folk songs, and explain the role of music in the life of his community at noon on Thursday, May 29 in the Music Bowl. He will also lead performers in a polished presentation of Punjabi folk dances as part of a "Visions of India" show at 7:00 P.M. on Saturday, May 31 in Campbell Hall. The performance will include singing of traditional Punjabi songs and a dhol solo by Dass. Garib Dass is an expert in the regional folk dances of Punjab, which he grew up performing with his family in a region of Punjab that is now Pakistan. He is best known however as a master player of the large double-headed barrel drum, dhol, the “heartbeat” of Punjabis. As a leading dhol accompanist for bhangra dance troupes throughout the genre’s developmental period, Dass has not only witnessed the changes in the genre, but also has had his own hand in contributing new steps and rhythms. Though today he lives in a small village home and speaks little English, Dass has nonetheless filled three passport books with visas with invitations from throughout Europe, Asia, and Canada to lead performances of the traditional bhangra. This speaks both to the prestige of Dass as well as the desperate need in Punjabi/South Asian diaspora communities to “import” their true folk artists. This event is cosponsored by UCSB Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Music, Department of Music, Department of Dramatic Arts, Department of Religious Studies, Interdisciplinary Humanities Center, Indus, and South Asian Cultural Heritage. Top of Page <<Back