Alsarah is a singer, songwriter, bandleader and a somewhat reluctant ethnomusicologist. Born in Khartoum, Sudan, she relocated to Yemen with her family before abruptly moving to the USA, finally feeling most at home in Brooklyn, NY where she has been residing since 2004. She is a self-proclaimed practitioner of East-African Retro-Pop music. Working on various projects, she has toured both nationally and internationally. Accompanying musicians for this performance include Brandon Terzic, Oud and Rami Elaasser, percussion.
With her main outfit, Alsarah & the Nubatones, she has released 2 full-length albums titled Silt, followed by Manara (Wonderwheel Recordings, 2014 and 2016). She has also released 1 full-length album with French electronic producer Débruit titled Aljawal (Soundways Recordings, 2013). And she was featured on the Nile Project‘s debut CD, Aswan (named in the top 5 must hear international albums by NPR, 2014).
In between albums Alsarah also works with the Sudanese artist collective Refugee Club Productions on a variety of projects including the critically acclaimed documentary “Beats of the Antonov”.
Check out Alsarah & the Nubatone’s music here.
Simultaneously spiritual and rebellious, Sonny Singh’s music is a reminder that hope, love, and devotion are crucial to our struggles and our collective survival. Sonny's first musical outlet as a child of immigrant parents in North Carolina was singing Sikh devotional music in gurdwaras (Sikh houses of worship). His energy shifted to other types of music as he became a more serious musician: ska, reggae, funk, punk rock, bhangra, and more. As a singer and trumpet player, he has been central to the sound and raw energy of Red Baraat since the band's inception in 2008, touring globally and recording 5 studio albums.
Sonny’s debut solo album, produced by Wil-Dog Abers of Ozomatli, is entitled Chardi Kala, the Sikh concept of revolutionary eternal optimism. Chardi Kala is a return to Sonny’s Punjabi & Sikh roots, but with the lens he’s developed over the course of his life as a touring musician, educator, and activist. Sonny’s band has performed at the Brooklyn Museum, Carnegie Hall Citywide, MASSMoCA, O+ Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), and The White House for President Joe Biden’s 2023 celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage. Weaving in story-telling and political/spiritual education, the live show, which includes harmonium, electric guitar, tabla, and dhol, provides audiences with an uplifting space for reflection and action.
Check out Sonny Singh’s music here.
