Tassa is a bowl-shaped drum that is hung from the neck and played with two thin and very flexible sticks. In Trinidad, tassa is always accompanied by the dhol (a double-headed bass drum played with one stick and one open hand) and jhal (a pair of thick brass hand cymbals).

Tassa is a drum ensemble with ancient Persian origins, also known as Taash or Taasha drums. These drums disseminated to the Indian subcontinent with the Mughal migration, and from India spread worldwide with the Indian diaspora.

The tassa drum is a type of double-headed drum that originated in India and was brought to Trinidad and Tobago by indentured laborers in the 19th century (Mohammed, 2003). The drum is a key component of the Indo-Trinidadian musical tradition and is used in various religious and cultural celebrations.

Trinidad & Tobago Sweet Tassa is an international organization dedicated to the development and performance of Trinidadian tassa drumming. On our website, you can learn about the history of tassa in T&T and the history of our band, buy our CD and other merchandise, and get in touch so you can have us provide entertainment for your next event.

From Indian weddings to cricket matches and fetes, tassa drums are synonymous with the sound of celebration in Trinidad and Tobago. But the history of the instrument is much more solemn,...

Jan 22, 2018 · Trinidadian tassa is an offshoot of the North Indian dhol-tasha drumming tradition. Spread globally by the British indentureship system, vibrant dhol tasha styles have developed in nearly all places where workers settled, especially the Mascarenes, the West Indies, and Fiji.

When Carnival came, the Indian tassa drum - mers saw an opportunity to extend their music- making for the first time into a secula r affair. This practice has been re- tained in St James and in some parts of South and Central Trinidad.

Tassa is an Indo-Caribbean musical genre popular in Trinidad and Tobago characterized by a four-part ensemble comprising four instruments: two small kettledrums called “tassa,” a double-headed bass drum called dhol or simply “bass,” and jhal, a set of hand cymbals.

Tassa is an Indo-Caribbean musical genre popular in Trinidad and Tobago characterized by a four-part ensemble comprising four instruments: two small kettledrums called “tassa,” a double-headed bass drum called dhol or simply “bass,” and jhal, a set of hand cymbals.

Sweet Tassa: Music of the Indian Caribbean Diaspora details the history, repertoire, and socio-political significance of tassa drumming in Trinidad & Tobago. The film profiles the life and work of noted tassa drummer Lenny Kumar and his family while also developing the notion of tassa performance practice as a metaphor for Indian Trinidadian ...