Late evening “adda” with Avi at the local cigar bar. In the previous post, I was mentioning how I do not understand anything about Western music. Got a good history lesson of Western music from Avi. I can even now enumerate the top few genres. The discussions continued to Sufi music from the middle east and the different kinds of folks music – especially “palligeeti”, “baul sangeet” and the fishermen’s music from Bengal in India.

The discussions interestingly covered what money as done to music (single source like kings in the olden days and multi source like today’s audience). And how the vagabonds/wanderers – gypsy tribes like Roma in Europe or Kalbeliya in Rajasthan – often have great music since that is the best form of culture they can carry with them. All other – paintings as an example – will add to their luggage when they have to move.

I have never heard the music of the gypsies from Eastern Europe. Will put that in my list. Do you know of any good source?