Pioneer Works will bring 24 hours of South Asian classical music and global musical traditions to Red Hook with the 15th annual Ragas Live Festival on Oct. 17-18.
The festival begins at 7:00pm on Oct. 17 and continues through the following day at Pioneer Works' Main Hall. More than 50 artists will perform, including South Asian classical musicians and contemporary artists representing traditions from Africa and the Middle East.
The program will also be broadcast live on Pioneer Works' YouTube channel, WKCR 89.9 FM and as a podcast through NYC Radio Live.
The festival has roots in a 2012 radio broadcast from Columbia University's WKCR and became an in-person event at Pioneer Works in 2016. Since then, the Red Hook event has developed into a recurring program connecting Brooklyn audiences with music rooted in the classical traditions of South Asia and other global cultures.
This year's lineup includes a tribute to Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum, a performance by South African guitarist Derek Gripper celebrating Malian kora master Toumani Diabaté and appearances by Carnatic vocalist Aditya Prakash, sitar player Indrajit Banerjee and tabla player Nitin Mitta.
Pakistan's Fareed Ayaz and Abu Muhammad Qawwal will close the festival with a Qawwali performance.
Saha Gnawa, led by Maâlem Hassan Ben Jaafar, will bring North African Sufi traditions to the midnight program.
Many performances will follow the Raga Samay system, which connects musical modes with particular times of day. The festival will also feature South Asian food in the Pioneer Works garden, curated by Karachi Kabab Boiz.
The event is produced by Pioneer Works in collaboration with NYC Radio Live, with community partnerships including Brooklyn Raga Massive and People of Rhythm Productions. Tickets are available for in-person attendance, while audiences beyond Brooklyn can follow the festival through its live broadcasts. The schedule is subject to change.
