A conversation with Swami: Simon & Diamond and S-Endz

A brand new band that's been going since 1999

Two months back, I compiled a local YouTube chart. It's a labour of love, and I can miss things. Happily, I'm usually swiftly corrected. S-Endz duly pointed out that his band, Swami, had scored very decent views for their new video. So I fixed things, bouncing the bottom entry (sorry, lads) to present a revised 50. And started thinking about Swami. 

There's lots of Asian bands in the West Midlands. But normally they aim squarely at Asian markets; Swami are different. Malkit Singh may sell millions worldwide to Bhangra fans, but Swami aren't cut from that cloth, not remotely. For a start, they're cross-cultural, in the grand Birmingham tradition. The website is slick and impressive. 

A swift introduction by Sharnita Athwal at Shaanti, and I'm sitting with Simon and Diamond Duggal, joined later by S-Endz. Swami has been Simon and Diamond's project, since 1999.

Mendi and the Boys from Brazil... Ireland... Switzerland... Moseley....

World music, Reggae, Beats, Jazz, Folk and cross-cultural collaboration. It's never been better. Seriously.

Mendi and Luiz at SWC Birmingham 2011, from a video later  in this post

When we talk about Birmingham music of the 60s and 70s, we think Metal and Rock. 

By the 80s, Birmingham was a centre for UK reggae, and that still goes on now, with all sorts of urban styles spinning off the Roots base. 

But I think we’re seeing something else right now, something new, and it's hugely exciting: boundary-free musical experimentation, driven by savvy skilled musicians of all stripes and cultures, who simply work together on new projects. It's exciting and inspiring. 

I don’t know how it works for you, but I get a dizzy thrill from watching and listening to outstanding musicians live. For all the buzz from online music, disks and mp3 players – and I wouldn’t change any of that – it’s always topped when a musician does something magical, right in front of me. That's getting into sacred territory.  

I had a moment like that last year watching the performers above; you can see the full YouTube clip, shot on a smartphone at Songwriters Café last year.Tabla and Guitar. It's after the jump.