Jugalbandi

A little something from the Eastern front... A Jugalbandi or Jugalbandhi is a performance in Indian classical music that featured a duet of two solo musicians. The word literally means "Entwined Twins."

The duet can be either vocal or instrumental but what defines a Jugalbandi is that the two soloists are on an equal footing. While many Indian music performance may feature two musicians, a performance can only be deemed a Jugalbandi if neither is clearly the soloist or an accompanist. Both musicians act as lead players, and a playful competition often ensues between the performers. In short, a musical conversation...

In this video we see a Jugalbandi between a Mridangam and a Tabla.