Algoza, Mattian, Punjabi Music, Jugni, Gurmeet Bawa Bava

Please leave comments if you like it. About algoza: This musical instrument called Algoza comprises of two flutes with only 5 tones of the musical octave. It is popular in deep rural Punjab, India and Punjab, Pakistan. It is played by farmers during crop harvesting season. It can also be heard from great distances on farms along with barks of stray village dogs during dusk. It is decorated with colorful strings and is played while wearing typical punjabi farmer colorful attire.

This instrument is getting out of fashion, hard to buy even in punjab,India, even harder to find a coach to get training. Though some UK based bands have used it in their albums in recent years. I was obsessed with it since my childhood, 15 years ago had a chance to find a teacher. My coach- Tara Chand, was a frustrated man living a hard life unable to make a living out of playing the instrument. He taught me the technique of circular breathing vital to supply continuous stream of air to two flutes. The beauty of the instrument is resonance and beats created by flutes emitting sound at different pitches. I am proud I am able to preserve the legacy. The song I was playing-Jugni is very touching. It is about an innocent village girl, who is wowed and confused when she happens to visit a city. She sees other girls wearing western dresses, shunning traditional values, sees tall sky scapers, she is confused between the values she has teen taught and values she sees people practising in cities. This song was written in 1960s, various singers redefined the song according to prevailing social context.
Gurmeet Bawa is one of the first punjabi singers to incorporate its tones in her songs especially-Jugni.