Dya Singh World Music Group are the best example of
contemporary multicultural music for TV program
"MISTAKEN IDENTITY" which celebrates
"cultural diversity in America and worldwide."
The phenomenal impact of the major music in "MISTAKEN IDENTITY: Sikhs in
America" is attributed to the highly acclaimed Dya Singh World Music
Group, to whom the filmmakers are most grateful for the generosity of
Dya Singhji to permit the use of his recordings. Working with most of
the top selling musical CDs, Phillip Marshall, 4-times Emmy Award
Winning Editor and Host Amanda Gesine felt "...it was like a global
musical voyage with Dya Singh as the spiritual singer represents a true
example of multiculturalism". Producer & Director Vinanti Sarkar
stated: "Dya Singhji blends Punjabi spirituality with modern and
contemporary trends to awaken the soul of the listener, especially the
young and restless to appreciate Gurbani sangeet. "
With his three highly gifted daughters, Gurbani is the central theme as
they sing shabads (with English translations) and offer entrancing
meanings to popular and semi-classical tunes (bandash) played by the
musicians. The musicians firmly believe that "Gurbani kirtan should
enhance the spiritual message of Gurbani and induce a mood of meditation
and spiritual equipoise (sehaj anand)."
Today, Dya Singh World Music Group is successfully taking the message of
Guru Nanak to the first-second-and third generation Sikhs and the
multicultural music lovers all over the world, amazing music experts and
critics alike.
With Dya Singh seated center stage, the highly talented orchestra:
Dheeraj Shresta, a classical tabichi from Nepal with the beat of various
drum instruments (table, Mardang, dhois, drums, etc), the versatile
player of instruments, Keith Preston with his Greek bouzouki (related to
the ancient Sikh rabaab or rebeck), electric guitar, santoor and
bohdran, and Andrew Clermont, specialized in violin and the Australian
didgeridoo (a sacred deep sounding Australian Aboriginal wind
instrument) perform worldwide. The Group has special permission from
the elders of the Aborigines to play this forty thousand years old
instrument in their spiritual music.
For one man to single-handedly take the traditional Sikh spiritual music
of his ancestral Punjab and mold the sound for the world music stage has
been a unique challenge. Collaborating with some of the leading
musicians in Australia, his choice of musical instruments reached out to
maintaining his deep desire of Sikh traditional indigenous music at the
roots, and then sensitively fusing it with music from other parts of
the world.
Twice awarded "instrumentalist of the year" by SAMIA (South Australian
Music Industry awards, Dya Singh and his group travel widely throughout
the world - highly acclaimed by both Sikh and alternative mainstream
audiences. Formed in 1992, Dya Singh's "World Music Group" has emerged
as one of the most sought after music groups in Australia, Southeast
Asia and western countries like USA, Canada and Japan. Press write ups
the impact and range of Dya Singh's music:
InFOLKus Magazine, Barbara Roberts: "Dya Singh's incredible voice amazed
me, at times quietly sensitive, at others ... overwhelming powerful, and
always with the purest melody."
"In the space of two hours, Dya Singh's material ranged from
incantations to ... Sikh hymns, ragas and Asian classical music. The
talent of the performers, the range of the music they played, the deep
spirituality which infused their performance, all made this a memorable
evening..." Sydney Morning Herald (Australia).
Dya Singh CD’s available for sale now at www.ethnicisland.com