July 13, 2024

Last evening, SAZ, a folk music trio from Rajasthan, India, enchanted a crowd of roughly 150 at New York’s Lincoln Center.

SAZ, who are from the Langa community, sang songs in Marwari, one of the languages spoken in Rajasthan. Some of them were renderings of songs which are over 150 years old, including on water, which is scarce in the desert regions of the state; and Laal Vardi, a subtle song of protest against the then British rulers, where a woman tells her man that he was welcome back if he got rid of his English fashion, the British army uniform. They also sang their own compositions, including on the mix of anger and love between a husband and wife and unexpressed love.    

SAZ stands for Sadik Khan, on dholak, a double-headed drum; singer Asin Khan on Sindhi sarangi, a string instrument unique to the Langas, played with a bow and strummed with cuticles; and singer Zakir Khan playing khartal, a small wooden clapper percussion instrument, holding one in each hand.    

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