What is a Tassa Band?

Tassa is a drum ensemble with ancient Persian origins, also known as “Taash” or “Taasha” drums. These drums disseminated to India with the Mughal migration, and from India spread worldwide with the Indian diaspora. Drummers in these ensembles are often amateurs, or specialists in other drum traditions.

What instruments make up a Tassa Group?

A typical tassa group comprises two tassa drummers (cutter and fulley), a bass drummer and a jhaanj man (brass player).

What is a tassa drum made of?

The tassa in fact refers to a small ensemble of one or two medium-sized kettledrums, traditionally made from a clay shell (now lightweight metal) with a goatskin head (now a synthetic material).

What year was hosay first introduced to Trinidad?

1845
Hosay is an Islamic festival observed by Shi’a Muslims throughout the world. The celebration was brought to Trinidad as early as 1845. Although referred to as a festival, Hosay really isn’t – at least, not in the strictest sense of the word.

What time of year is Hosay celebrated?

Generally, Hosay runs for four days either in April, May or June in accordance with the Islamic lunar calendar. Hosay is the commemoration of the martyrdom of the Prophet Mohammed’s grandsons Hassan and Hussein at the Battle of Kerbala in Persia.

What time of year is Hosay celebrated in Trinidad?

When does Hosay take place? Hosay takes place during Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. The date varies each year according to the moon, but the final day is expected to be on or around 30 August in 2020.

Who are the members of Trinidad and Tobago sweet Tassa?

Kumar’s musical heritage stretches back several generations, from his well-known tassa drumming father Boodoo “Uncle Joe” Singh all the way to drumming ancestors in India. In forming the group, Lenny recruited members from various backgrounds into the band, training them in the art of tassa as a professional discipline.

Who is the founder of T & T Sweet Tassa?

T Sweet Tassa founder Lenny Kumar. Trinidad & Tobago Sweet Tassa was founded by virtuoso tassaman Lenny Kumar in Princes Town, Trinidad in 2004. The organization is currently comprised of four separate ensembles: the Senior Band, Junior Band, and All Girls Band in Trinidad, and the Tampa/Orlando band in Florida.

Where did the style of tassa drumming come from?

In Trinidad and Tobago and other parts of the Caribbean, the term ” tassa ” refers to a drumming ensemble drawn from an amalgamation of various of North Indian folk drumming traditions, most importantly dhol-tasha, a style that remains popular today in many parts of India and Pakistan. Beginning in the 1830s and lasting until 1918,…

What do you call the lead player in tassa?

The typical tassa group is as follows: the lead tassa player is called the “cutter” or “cut-man”. The cutter plays the main, pulsating rhythm, or taal, or hand. The second tassa player is known as the “fulley” or “fuller”, as their role is to make the rhythm or “taal” sound more full.