In the ravages of the recent arts cuts, and debates over the winners and losers, one estimable organisation tended to be overlooked in the coverage – the Asian Music Circuit, who have done more for Asian arts in the UK than probably any other entity. They have had their entire grant cut. The director of AMC, Viram Jasani, told me he was stunned by this unexpected savagery and took a week or two to gather his thoughts and mount a campaign. Sections of the media have started to swing behind it – in the last week an editorial in The Guardian simply said: “This is madness.”
As The Guardian put it, “A few months ago David Cameron called for different ethnic communities to find out more about each other. However flawed the Prime Minister's views on multiculturalism might be, this was an excellent suggestion. So why has the Arts Council cut all of its funding to one organisation that has done most to bring different cultures in contact with each other? For the past 20 years the Asian Music Circuit has been bringing over some of the best musicians and dancers from India, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Afghanistan and other Asian countries.”
Another editorial, by Simon Broughton in the leading world-music magazine Songlines, out this week, put it more personally, speaking for many, including me, when he says that AMC had been “life-changing for me in developing a love for, and understanding of, Indian music”. Broughton mentions assorted artists like Amjad Ali Khan and Afghani musicians in this context before pointing out the AMC’s “main focus has always been classical and traditional music – the sort of styles that need financial support”.
A petition has been launched at the AMC’s website in which they point out that, “The reasons given by Arts Council England for the total withdrawal of funding are subjective, irrational, unfair, biased and based on incorrect facts and assumptions.” Certainly, it would seem that the Arts Council have got their facts wrong in making their assessment. Letters of support are also appreciated.
I saw the AMC’s excellent small Museum of Asian Music a few weeks ago in Acton that houses a fascinating collection of Asian instruments as well as clever interactive computer music games. At the South Bank’s Alchemy Festival which finished last week they also co-produced an evening of Mumbai Jazz, a jazz/raga mash-up featuring guitarist Larry Coryell, flautist Ned McGowan and bansuri player Ronu Majumdar. Last week in a Modern Mela to celebrate Bengali New Year at the Clore Ballroom I caught the rich voice of Paban Das Baul singing pantheistic, healing songs and the impressively inventive debut of Shama Rahman’s band performing quirky, intelligent tunes. At the back of the room, between numbers, audience members were playing with the AMC’s Digi-Guru, a computer programmed to demonstrate ragas, and enable people to improvise along with them.
The AMC’s programme continues – with Beijing Opera, Chhau Dancers, and Bollywood/devotional songs from Anuradha Paudwal, as well as the usual lectures and workshops. On 18 September they have an Asia Rocks event at the Royal Albert Hall, which may feature the extraordinary Chinese rock star Cui Jian (pictured above right), the guy whose music created the anthems of Tiananmen Square in 1989. His dream was to play with the Rolling Stones, which he did in Beijing, after having laid low in the provinces for some years.
Events like these will be no more if the Arts Council cuts go ahead – so I’d urge you to sign the petition and write in support.
- Asian Music Circuit website
- While I have your attention, can I recommend the excellent monthly Outer India residency at Rich Mix in East London. The next one is on Thursday, 12 May and features Aziz Ibrahim, Susheela Raman, The Tamil Temple Drummers (hosted by Rich Mix artist in residence Shane Solanki)
