50 Years of Bhangra Beats: Keeping Punjabi Traditions Alive and Grooving

Paul Chand is one of the UK's first Bhangra artists and has been performing for over fifty years. He started the Anjaana Group in 1970, just a year after moving from Jalandhar, India, to Bradford, England. Paul is passionate about traditional Punjabi music and wants to keep it alive. He recently performed at the first Bradford Lifestyle and Culture Show, where he talked about how important it is to remember and celebrate Punjabi folk music. Paul worries that many people who move to England forget how to speak and sing in Punjabi after a few years. He says that not many people can sing pure Punjabi and traditional folk music anymore.

Paul's band is known for mixing traditional and modern music. They use instruments like the dhol, tabla, and harmonium, which are common in Punjabi music. But they also add European instruments like the guitar, mandolin, and saxophone. Paul believes that combining these instruments creates a unique and brilliant sound. He says that their music is a mix of Eastern and Western styles, which makes it stand out.

When Paul first arrived in England, he did not know how to play Bhangra music with a band. He found a tutor to teach him how to play the harmonium and sing in pitch. It took him a couple of years to learn, but he kept practicing and performing. Paul says that keeping a band together for more than fifty years has been a challenge, but he has no plans to retire. He loves music and believes it keeps him young and happy. Paul thinks that playing music helps people forget their stress and sadness. He wants to keep improving and hopes to inspire others to enjoy and play traditional Punjabi music. The Bradford Lifestyle and Culture Show, where Paul performed, was organized by a community group and included food, a market, and art workshops for both children and adults.