Night
About the event
Nepal is the home of over one hundred ethnic groups, ninety-two tribe languages, a rich variety of beliefs, religions, cultures and unique traditions. It is also the home of a full-blown heavy-metal scene and numerous trash, symphonic, core, black, death, death core, brutal death, and groove metal bands. Night, a trio founded in 2006 in Kathmandu, started with avant-garde metal, but during their professional trips around the country, Jason Kuwar, the band leader, encountered the local traditional music, which fascinated him and prompted the band to expand their music horizons. The new passion translated into music experiments and creating modern compositions using classical Nepali instruments.
Today, Night is a five-person formation drawing from the rich traditions of Nepali music. The artists are passionate about traveling to remote Himalayan towns, searching for sounds and traditions on the verge of extinction. During their field trips, they meet with folk musicians, record their songs, learn about unique instruments, and create music together. Those romantic expeditions require a lot of persistence – hours of mountain treks, resistance to low temperatures, and often going without any comforts or electricity for days. This is where most of Night’s music comes to life – amidst breathtaking nature and the people of the towns they visit. After experiencing the melody, song, or drum rhythm in their natural context, the musician slowly begin to understand their deeper meaning, which they try to convey and share with others through their own compositions. The music of Night is filled with calmness, gentleness, and beauty. It is as natural as breathing, as spacial as the mountain landscape.
The instruments used by the band, just like the inspirations and languages used in their music, come from various parts of Nepal. The musicians use sarangi (a string instrument), piwancha (a Nepali chordophone), tungna (a type of lute), Nepali banjo, shahnai (a double reed wind instrument), mandal and dhimay (double-headed drums), nagara, tyamko, chatkauli (drums), and paluwa (a leaf).
The band passion, which goes beyond the music they play, are ethnographic studies – analyzing rituals and distinct cultural practices. The musicians also reconstructed several forgotten Nepali instruments based on images sculpted in the 14th century temples in Kathmandu. They even created a series of short documentary films in order to reintroduce the instruments into musical circulation.
Night released two enthusiastically received albums, “Ani Ukali Sangai Orali” and “Jhalka Raya Buka.” The third album is a part of a larger project “Ramite,” comprising ethnography, literature, film, and music.
The group’s outstanding performance at Womex 2017 opened their way to playing all around Europe. Night had already performed in the UK, France, Germany, Austria, Sweden, and at Crossroads festival in Cracow, Poland. The musicians also held concerts in China, India, and Uzbekistan. In December 2019, they will visit Warsaw for the first time.
NIGHT
TR Warszawa / Marszałkowska 8
December 6, 8 PM