MUMBAI: Jodhpur RIFF, included amongst the leading international music festivals in the world, is back again this year from 17-21st October at the majestic Mehrangarh Fort and in the ‘blue city’ - Jodhpur, much to the delight of music lovers. This 5-day festival, now in its 7th year, continues to bring together interlinked and distinct musical strands to create a full programme around the exceptional variety of Rajasthani traditional and global roots music.

This genre-independent festival includes unique events from dawn to dusk, from devotional concerts to hip club nights and exciting collaborations between Rajasthani and Nordic, British, West Asian and Australian artists… serene folk and classical mornings, interactive daytime immersive sessions, unusual dances and beautiful evenings in the famous ‘Desert Lounge’… all under the full moon sky.

Announcing the 2013 edition of the Jodhpur RIFF, HH Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Jodhpur-Marwar and Patron of the Festival said, “Jodhpur RIFF is emerging as a fine example of an excellent confluence of music, cultures and heritage. This amalgamation reveals the richness of our musical traditions on a global platform. The beauty of Jodhpur RIFF lies in the fact that while it is musically extravagant, it maintains its rustic simplicity and commitment to its vision and ethos.”

Reflecting on the festival’s growth, Festival Director Divya Bhatia adds, “We’ve built confidence in Jodhpur RIFF amongst artists and audiences alike – here and abroad. And we aim to continue to be relevant to both. As we evolve, we will see more styles of traditional and modern performances at the festival… those that are inextricably intertwined with music.”

Jodhpur RIFF is a partnership project involving two of India’s leading heritage trusts Mehrangarh Museum Trust (MMT) and Jaipur Virasat Foundation (JVF).

Some of the highlights for this year are –

Daud Khan Sadozai, master and living legend of the Robab, an Afghani lute-like instrument, gives a virtuoso performance. Daud Khan then collaborates with the young classical Sarangi maestro Dilshad Khan and oud master Joseph Tawadros.

Gypsy Allstars: The ‘Gypsy Allstars” lead by Cedric Leonardi, Mario Reyes and Antonio Carmona presenting a special performance at RIFF this year – come to India for the first time on a project called “Return to Rajasthan”. Their repertoire will include collaborations with Rajasthani artists on new pieces, as well as new arrangements of some iconic and joyful familiar songs - Volare, Bomboleo, Un Amour and so many more..

The Manganiyar of Marwar: Jodhpur RIFF presents glimpses of the immense repertoire and varied skills of this prolific musician community throughout the festival... including a dawn concert featuring the vocal beauty of the brothers Barkat and Jalal khan Manganiyar singing bhajans to the folk deity Bananath; an interactive session with stalwarts of the community; Manganiyar musicians at the Desert Lounge; and the premiere of a new performance created by them.

Desert Lounge: What started as an experiment has become something quite special at Mehrangarh Fort. Jodhpur RIFF presented a Sharad Poornima, all-acoustic Rajasthani folk concert in the Rao Jodha Desert and Rock Park. Pradeep Krishen (filmmaker, environmentalist and the curator/ designer of the park) was inspired by the event and since then, has arranged all-acoustic Manganiyar artists’ concerts on every full moon night between March-September this year. Jodhpur RIFF 2013 will some of these and many more artists at its second Sharad Poornima midnight concert on the 18th of October this year.

Introducing the folk accordion - with Linda Gytri (Norway) and SPIRO (England): Jodhpur RIFF presents two groups from Europe, both featuring the accordion, the hallmark of much of the folk music of that continent, but set to very different music. One, lilting and melodic and the other, mesmeric and impassioned.

Jodhpur RIFF embarks on a new exploration of our relationships to traditional music by looking at “Jahaji Music” and “Bidesia in Bambai” - two documentary films by Surabhi Sharma exploring the movement of Bhojpuri music and a special performance on the Legacy of Bhikari Thakur by Kalpana Patowary.

Maru Tarang – collaboration between Jeff Lang, folk/jazz singer, guitarist and songwriter and Asin Langa on Sindhi Sarangi, accompanied by Bobby Singh on tabla and Bhungar Manganiyar on khartal.