SWARAJ HISTORY
For the past decade the legendary Swaraj clubnights – promoted by music impresario ASH CHANDOLA - have played a huge part in the global development of the British Asian music scene and have made an indelible mark on UK clubland history. The Swaraj name has become synonymous around the world with quality, innovation and originality.
After a brief hiatus, in which time the versatile Ash re-invented himself as both band manager and artist as one half of SONIK GURUS, Swaraj is back - stronger and more original than ever - with a fresh, more urban sound for 2007 set to reach a whole new audience.As a natural progression after ten years of club promotion and band management Ash launches the SWARAJ MUSIC artist management agency. First signing, NATHAN ‘FLUTEBOX’ LEE is set to take the UK music scene by storm (see biography below) while Swaraj returns to the clubscene by co-promoting a new quarterly with DJ Pathaan at the Big Chill House - Pathaan's Musical Rickshaw - with the Swaraj clubnights set to return to London later in the year.
Since it’s inception in 1997 at the legendary BLUE NOTE club in Hoxton, London, Swaraj’s list of resident djs and bands - past and present - reads like a who’s who of the cutting edge of the British Asian music scene. Swaraj provided the launchpad for the careers of ex-residents and Swaraj 'alumni' DJ BOBBY FRICTION (BBC RADIO 1), DJ PATHAAN, NERM and SHIVA SOUNDSYSTEM (featuring Orifice Vulgatron from FOREIGN BEGGARS), SONIK GURUS, THE DUM DUM PROJECT (feat. NIRAJ CHAG & THE 1 SHANTI), JUTTLA and the NASHA CREW as well as playing host on numerous occasions to ADF SOUND SYSTEM, AZIZ IBRAHIM, STATE OF BENGAL, FUN-DA-MENTAL, JOI, INDIAN ROPEMAN, THE DHOL FOUNDATION, DJ ZAKHM (Mutiny NYC) and TRANSGLOBAL UNDERGROUND among many others.
Swaraj has directly and indirectly inspired a generation of djs, promoters and artists fusing global club sounds at home and abroad with it’s emphasis on cutting edge leftfield music, live collaboration and a rich history of staging groundbreaking events. The Swaraj branding – created by STUDIO MOGUL - with it’s distinctive attitude, artwork and presentation has always stood the collective apart from their peers and, while reflecting the famous energy and exuberance of the Swaraj nights, has played a vital role in creating Swaraj’s impressively high media profile.
Never afraid to push back boundaries, another one of Swaraj’s incarnations, AIR SWARAJ at Brixton’s MASS club, took London by storm in 1999, bringing together two of the country’s leading clubnights - Swaraj and ALI B’s AIR under one roof. Unquestionably ahead of it’s time, this year-long residency and the subsequent residency at 93 FEET EAST in 2002 …regularly attended by 800 people…cemented Swaraj’s reputation.
Swaraj is also in that elite band of UK clubnights to have a high international profile, including a residency abroad.The Swaraj event in Cape Town in 2000 was the first of it's kind in South Africa while the Swaraj monthy at Brancaleone in Rome ran for for 18 months in 2000 - 2001. Ahead of it's time, Swaraj also led the British invasion of the Indian club scene back in July 2003 when the MTV sponsored Swaraj clubnight at Club Mikanos was attended by 2000 people and broadcast to 23 million homes across the country. Similar success followed in 2004 when the British Council – funded Swaraj night in Caracas, Venezuala attracted 1500 people and was broadcast to the whole of South America on the Sony Entertainment channel.
ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
NATHAN ‘FLUTEBOX’ LEE & HANIF KHAN
Nathan Lee and Hanif Khan are true 21st Century musical pioneers, taking live acoustic performance to the next level and urban music into uncharted waters. Their hi-octane, hyper-percussive show combines the raw energy and attitude of Hip Hop and Jazz beats with the intricacies and musicianship of classical Indian music.
NATHAN ‘FLUTEBOX’ LEE
West London’s best kept secret is set to go public in 2007 with his trademark live FLUTEBOXING where he beatboxes and plays the flute at the same time - making Hip Hop, Drum ‘n bass and Ragga beats with his mouth while playing Indian classical, Jazz and Funk melodies on the flute.
He has recently collaborated with THE PRODIGY, ED RUSH & OPTICAL, FOREIGN BEGGARS and RICKY RANKING (Roots Manuva) and is currently in the studio with self-styled Urban Blues outfit MATTAFIX.
After leaving school and working as a labourer for five years Nathan Lee put down his shovel and picked up a flute…not your average path to musical success but then again Nathan Lee is not your average musician. Half Indian and half Scottish, this former pirate radio Jungle MC has a musical education in Hip Hop, Jazz and Tchaikovsky, complemented in recent years by a love of Eastern music inspired by frequent visits to perform in India.
HANIF KHAN
Mumbai-born tabla maestro Hanif Khan was born into Indian musical royalty. His father is the renowned tabla player USTAD HIDAYAT KHAN. His musical career has taken an international route and he has performed all over Europe, the Middle East and North America. An accomplished classically trained Indian percussionist, he is a versatile performer and has accompanied Indian classical legends such as USTAD FATEH ALI KHAN, USTAD NISHAT KHAN and GHULAM ALI
This is live music equally at home in a sweaty London club or the Royal Festival Hall.
Jump up or stroke your chin – the choice is yours !
