Ragas, with a jazz twist… The Norwegian Grammy nominated Harpreet Bansal blurs the lines between the North Indian tradition and erratic, playful jazz in Parvat - the wildly free and musically outstanding three-piece movement.
37 minutes long, the body of work is a showcase of the Norwegian Radio Orchestra and Oslo Philharmonic soloist’s talents. With a strong and deep-rooted foundation in Indian’s classical music, the music is elevated by the rich well of Harpreet’s influences. Inspired by all, from Konnakol, her contemporaries, the finest gurus across Europe, India, and Asian, and even classic rock, Parvat is an epic and dramatic collection of movements. At times a billowing air of mystery with deep double bass and an encompassing soundscape, and at other times highly kinetic with thundering tabla and strikes of string, the album’s constant is a sense of the extraordinary.
The extraordinary is of course no stranger to the critically acclaimed artist. Beginning her musical journey at only two years old, Harpreet’s first guru was her father who moved to Oslo in the 70s. From there Harpreet’s journey has seen her tour extensively through Europe, India, and Asia, and studying under legendary Indian musicians such as Dr. L. Subramaniam and Kavita Krishnamurthi, trailblazing as the first to study North Indian classical music at the Norwegian Academy of Music, being nominated for a Norwegian Grammy for her second album, and playing 700 concerts for school children which she describes as “the toughest and best audience in the world”.
More recently, fans may recognise Harpreet from her placement in the band Combonations with BBC World Music artist the late, great Solo Cissoko, as well performances alongside the likes of Bugge Wesseltoft, Nils Petter, Svante Henryson, and Vahid Taj Ao.
Between being a composer, orchestra soloist, mother, and even having a Tae Kwon Do black belt, it is apparent that Harpreet Bansal is one of North Indian traditional music’s most exciting characters. With a universally praised radical approach to the genre, the artist carries the torch from the greats before her as she pushes the music into new and exciting territories altogether. Audiences can look forward to hearing Parvat on Feb 11th 2022.
