Punjabi By Nature

[bONES]

anyone know what ever became of PBN?

Sunday, July 7, 1996

Punjabi By Nature part of new face of Canadian

EDMONTON (CP) -- Trying to define Punjabi By Nature is like trying to define a Canadian.

You've got an Indian-Canadian lead singer who sings in Punjabi, a Rastafarian rapper, a South African keyboardist, and a white guitarist with pink hair who plays a wicked South-Asian riff.

Along with rising acts such as Base is Bass and the Dream Warriors, the Toronto-based band reflects the country's multi-ethnic makeup with a rich mixture of North American club sounds and worldbeat grooves.

Punjabi By Nature, performing in Edmonton, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Hamilton and Toronto this summer, has a style that has often been passed off as bhangra, a mixture of hip-hop and traditional Indian music.

But lead singer Tony Singh says the band has a flavor all of its own.

"People who are really hard-core into bhangra will say, 'Oh, that's not bhangra,' and people into dance will say this isn't dance," said Singh, his voice betraying a slight Indian lilt.

"It's all those styles and none of them."

Singh, 34, formed the band in 1993 as a pet project with a fellow percussionist in Toronto, after being blown away by a bhangra band he saw perform in the United Kingdom.

Their first cassette, Goonda Gardi, was only supposed to be "for fun", says Singh, but went on to sell 4,000 copies.

"We always spoke Punjabi at home and my parents didn't really like the other music I was playing, so taking up this style came naturally," said Singh. "It's my roots."

Within a year the band was opening for rap superstars the Beastie Boys.

They came out with their first CD, Jmpn for Joy in 1995. In March, the band received a Juno nomination for best global recording.

Performing at Edmonton's Jazz City festival recently, PBN's eclectic rhythms found an eager, energetic audience of every culture and walk of life.

Singh's fluid treatment of the Punjabi lyrics, thrown up against Lazer Curent's reggae rap and an infectious dance beat, begs to be grooved to.

A week earlier, the band played in the central Alberta town of Red Deer, a gig which Singh had been warned about beforehand.

"People kept saying Red Deer was red-neck, but we still managed to move 8,000 to 10,000 people to their feet," Singh said with satisfaction.

But Punjabi By Nature has always drawn a relatively mainstream crowd, contrary to what their name and style would suggest.

Singh, who works as a computer analyst in the heart of Toronto's banking sector, flinches at the label 'Asian band'. He says Canadians are finally embracing the vast multicultural scene.

"We're not an Asian band -- we're a band, period.

"People are opening up to different cultures, colors and races. It's something we're really pushing for."

[bONES]

??

[mark tonin]

I'm almost positive that "Chili" from Jukejoint used to play with this band. I'm trying to get to the Jukejoint web site to check for sure but I can't access it for some reason.

Hope that helps.

Mark

[secondtube]

quote:

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As well, for over 2 years, Steve was the guitarist with Toronto Bhangra/ Reggae/ Dance faves Punjabi By Nature. He not only helped define PBN's live sound, but also was integral in the arrangement of several songs.He also played on their popular CD,"Jmpn For Joy".

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Oh how i miss you boys....

Chili, you still ARE the man!

[bONES]

hey thanks for the info...

i really dig their sound and was hoping they're still out there making music somewhere...

cheers