Rajas is a nascent project that brings together contemporary musicians in the Indian classical idiom to experiment and explore new directions for composition and improvisation, stemming from this deep-rooted tradition. The ensemble is led by mrudangam artist and composer Rajna Swaminathan, who has been engaging intensively with New York's experimental jazz and creative music scene and incorporating South Indian rhythmic concepts in cross-cultural contexts.
The Hindu philosophical term "rajas" refers to the inner human energy that compels us to act, to pursue our passions, to create, and to preserve ourselves. Applying this concept to the state of Indian classical music in the global context, this project aims to highlight the innovative potential created by the situation of contemporary Indian musicians in the diaspora. Each of the artists in this project has been working on his, or her, own path to presenting Indian music in a contemporary and experimental context, from collaborating with jazz and R&B musicians to composing and arranging scores for dance and theater productions. Rajas provides a forum for them to come together and collectively contemplate new understandings and possibilities within Indian classical music.
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