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How
did you select the bands to play at the Mela?
I have a radio programme myself on BCB called Global Meltdown and
I play a lot of South Asian music. One of my favourite artists is
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and that's how Rizwaan Qawal came on board
because he's his nephew. I've been following South Asian and a variety
of music for many years and I used to run a record label putting
out people like Talvin Singh and Asian Dub Foundation so I'm very
up on what's going on in the Asian Underground and that's my passion.
I've worked with a lot of the traditional artists, but my idea of
Mela is to break boundaries, so I've deliberately gone for acts
that are doing something that appeals to the tradition of music,
but something that crosses over as well and gets other cultures
involved.
So
which other musicians are there here at the Mela this weekend?
A We've got all sorts: Indian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Irish, Serbia,
Polish, African-Caribbean.
Do
the acts approach you or do you try get them on board?
In some cases they come to us, but in many cases I research them
and approach them.
When
do you start planning and booking for the Mela?
I'm commissioned by Bradford Council in March to get it together,
but before that I'm already unconsciously working on it, so I make
links very early.
What
would make you think you had set up a perfect programme?
I want to see white, black, brown, pink and blue people communicating
through music because it's the one thing you can communicate through.
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Take
a look back at the 2004 Mela!
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MORE
PHOTOGALLERIES!
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If
it's happening, we'll be there...
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