What makes a band? A constant line-up? A vision? Maybe these questions warrant no answer. According to their website, Jaubi (pronounced: Jaw-Bee) are a Pakistani quartet. Yet, they are – on their albums at least – never to be heard in this constellation. Take their recent LP, »A Sound Heart«: It does not credit percussionist Quammar Abbas. Conversely, the band is incorporating other musicians in their creative processes.
No matter, one might object, if there is a core group that makes out a guiding idea. Yet, what does this idea entail? The absence of any guiding ideas. In both interviews and texts, Jaubi are quick to emphasize that they prescribe as little as possible. Rather, they begin improvising without any pre-mediation. »It was sincere.« That is how they described the recording process behind they debut in 2021. »All egos were left behind and hearts and souls were open and poured into the music. We had no idea what the music would sound like«. Indeed, none of their records sound like each other.
Neither a fixed line-up nor a composer nor a uniform effort – but, then, what does constitute Jaubi? The »band« seems like a prime example for Theseus’s paradox. Theseus owns a galley. Sometimes, a ship’s planks bust. The captain replaces them. He does that for a while. He does it for so long, at some point, he has exchanged all the ship’s components. Is he still sailing on the same ship? Or is it a new one?
Chicago, Hindustan
Let’s sketch Jaubi’s alterations. In 2013, the Austrialian-Pakistani guitarist Ali Riaz Baqar met sarangi player Zohaib Hassan Khan. They began frequently improvising. Together with table player Kashif Ali Dhani and percussionist Qammar Abbas, they recorded the EP »The Deconstructed Ego« in 2016. For the first time, the ensemble blended Jazz and ragas and smoothly inserted Hip-Hop beats. For the first – and the last – time, they make romantic acoustic guitars and Konnakol vocal percussion be heard. Never again Jaubi recorded as a quartet. »The Deconstructed Ego« is the »original« ship.
Der Trip war mehrmals kurz davor, zum Desaster zu werden. Während sie aufnahmen, hörten ihre Soundtechniker in voller Lautstärke YouTube.
It’s remodeling began when British Jazz producer Tenderlonius got scent of Jaubi’s talent. In 2019, he and keyboardist Marek Pędziwiatr took a leap of faith – a flight to Lahore. Together with Jaubi, the duo got engaged in completely improvised recordings. The trip came short of turning into a disaster several times. While recording, the sound engineers listened to YouTube at full volume. Repeatedly, their sessions were interrupted by call to prayers from the nearby mosque. Yet, the result speaks for itself. »Nafs at Peace« resulted in Jaubi’s international breakthrough, with, say, TheGuardian including it in its list of the best albums of 2021. »Nafs« sounds like Hindustan and feels like Chicago, that’s how smoothly it mixes up ragas, Jazz and Hip-Hop. Repeatedly, it ramps up into crescendi of unmatched intensity.
Inter-national, creative and open minded
Since then, as their process of recording has become less troublesome, Jaubi’s records have become more polished as well. In 2022, Jaubi went into a studio with Pędziwiatr’s Jazz quintet EABS. The resulting collaboration, the jazzy »In Search of a Better Tomorrow«, perfectly encapsulates Jaubi’s approach: it’s inter-national, creative and open minded.
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In 2024, their second LP, »A Sound Heart«, followed suit. It’s Jaubi’s most sensual release to date. The mix is softer and warmer still. It retained its Hindi-Jazz vibes, yet, the album oscillates between sexy rhythms and calming waves. Then, why should we call this »band« a band? It’s alterable like the Ship of Theseus and yet has an unmistakable style. Radical openness let’s Jaubi be Jaubi.
