January 27-February 2, 2005

musicpicks

Jaffna

World "We're like the Ramones of world music," says Roger Mgrdichian of his veteran quartet Jaffna, which blends Middle Eastern and Indian musical traditions into something unique. He also plays oud (a Middle Eastern lute) for a number of area world music groups, like Atzilut and Kabbalistic Kirtan, but Jaffna is his heart's delight. For over a decade now, he and another omnipresent world musician, Joseph Tayoun (dumbek), along with Raji Malik (guitar) and Branavan Ganesan (tabla) have been committed to the band, plowing all profits back into Jaffna. Somehow, despite Ganesan's move to North Carolina, the band has managed to play a few shows (with the mono-monikered Radha sitting in on tabla) and record a few albums, including 2003's Mandala. According to Mgrdichian, one should expect some audience interaction at a Jaffna show. "Joey can do four hours of interactive time signatures! We'll show them what playing in 17 or 19 feels like when you clap it out."

Fri., Jan. 28, 7:30 p.m., $13, World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St., 215-222-1400.

—Mary Armstrong