Becoming a Dholaholic
Did not come from a Musical Family.
Johnnys parents wanted him to become a lawyer or a doctor as many Indian parents want for there kids. Johnny had other plans.
Drumming in School
Johnny became a drummer for a Jazz Trio and very quickly learned to perform for school concerts and assemblies. His skills developed to levels of variations in blending Eastern patterns on Western Instruments.
A Pioneering Bhangra Band
In 1986 Johnny joined a World Renowned Bhangra Band called Alaap and took the roll of the lead percussionist and dhol player for the band. He learned much from touring and performing as a front man for the band and soon became an integral part of this new wave.
Moved to the World Music Scene
1995 Johnny made the move to a World Music scene that was to springboard his career and expose his talent to Global Audiences. WOMAD festivals all over the World took Johnny and The Dhol Foundation on board. The British Council was also a major promoter for World Tours
The Rise of The Dhol Foundation
Completely self taught, Johnny played tabla, drums and progressed to what was to become his lead instrument the DHOL.
While playing weddings, Johnny was asked to teach lessons.
The first Dhol player to perform with DJs.
Appealed to the younger audiences.
Began classes in Slough in 1990 without the aid of any grant funding or council support.
First Dhol Classes in Britain
1989: No one taught Dhol as
an ensemble instrument
1991: Gathered up lead
drummers to perform local
charity events
1994: Began to expose his
talent to a non asian
worldwide scale
1995: Moved on to
performances with Bands
other than the Asian Scene
1996: Start of recordings for
other artists and collaborations
on albums.
World Music:
Fundamental & Transglobal Underground were the first bands to use Johnnys talent for recordings and live stage performances.
Maximum European exposure for individual artists such as Miguel Bose from Spain.
Joined the biggest World Music Band called Afro Celt Sound System.In 1997 Johnny was touring with Fundamental performing at WOMAD festivals all over the World. He was head hunted and was asked to play a session on Release the second album for Afro Celts featuring Sinead OConnor.
During the time he was with Trans Global Johnny & The Dhol Foundation landed the biggest European support tour at that time, with the all time rock legends Led Zeppelin.Recording Artist to Producer
In 1999 Johnny took the plunge and started a recording for his own album and involved his now established drumming troupe The Dhol Foundation. The album was recorded all around the world and his influences was from the bands he had played. Big Drum Small World was the debut album and was a storm for the global music scene. Johnny gained an immense amount of experience in the studios and his vision and pallet for gave him the ability to create and write great music. He now had the knowledge and know how in studios to produce. The advantage was that Johnny was a musician with an understanding of ethnic and western instruments. He knew the capabilities of the instruments he worked with.
Shortly after the recording had begun, he had an offer from film music producer David Arnold. Johnny's first experience of playing on a soundtrack for a Bond Movie, Tomorrow Never Dies.Recordings and Artists Worked with
Alaap
Malkit Singh
Balvinder Safri
DCS
Asian Dub Foundation
Fun^Da^Mental
Trans-Global Underground
Natacha Atlas
AfroCelt Sound System
Peter Gabriel
OVO Millennium Dome
Soundtrack
Michael McGoldrick
Evelyn Glennie
Ang Lee
Simon Emmerson
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
James McNally
Oyi Va Voi
Miguel Bose
Robert Plant & Jimmy Page
David Arnold
Michael Danna
Sumeet Chopra
Apache Indian
Cliff Richard
Patty Boulett
Lawrence Fishbourne
Avril Lavigne
Nelly Fatardo
Ted Baker/John RochePublished Artist
As Johnnys album is published
by Peter Gabriel's label Real
World in 2002 Martin
Scorseses Blockbuster Movie
Gangs of New York found a
track from Big Drum to be a
contender for the soundtrack.
Together with Afro Celts and U2,
The Dhol Foundation made a
breakthrough in Hollywood
films. Little did Johnny know but
this was the start of many.Incredible Drum
Soon after the success of the Gangs Movie, Johnny received a call from his management asking him if would be interested in recording a film score scene for another Hollywood film. A scene from The Incredible Hulk was the next project that Johnny and The Dhol Foundation took on. 11 High Bandwidth Internet Lines were connected from Air Studios in London to a film studio in San Francisco. While on a huge plasma screen the scene was running while on a smaller screen we could see the reaction of Ang Lee while he watched us via Web cam.Charity Recording
Towards the end of 2002 Johnny worked with the teenage pop star Avril Lavigne. A cover of Bob Dillons Knocking on Heavens Door was done by Avril at a War Child Charity Concert covered by MTV. Johnny was asked to give the track an ethnic Indian feel and add some light percussion. Please Note: The song is copy written and belongs to Virgin Records and is not for sale or reproduction from this presentation. Here is the song.
Another charity organisation that Johnny and The Dhol Foundation perform for is the London Parade. They organise events and precessions all over the World to raise money for SCOPE the charity for people with Multiple Sclerosis. Drummers from all the classes perform in the parade watched by a million people.Johnny is currently working on TDF's Third Album. This album like the 1st & 2nd, has many artists featuring on it.
The up and coming talent of Punjabi folk Singer Mr Kulwant Bhambra with a traditional PMC (Punjabi MC) sound.
From the fame of River dance and Lord of the Dance, the Fabulous Mairead Nesbitt lead fiddle player wrote a fast Irish Reel that is a major track on the Album once again.Tours and other projects are in the pipeline and besides the Recordings, Johnny will deliver The Dhol Foundations' new Album by Easter 2008 and further film work is also on the cards. Through the watchfull eye of Peter Gabriel and his hard working elves Richard Evans and David Rhodes, Johnny has played on a new IMAX Movie called Sea Monsters. Dhol Drumming in 6.0 surround sound wicked.
On 26th Oct Johnny, Dips, Jas B, Hardev & Rav played on stage with the Kaiser Chiefs for the BBC Electric Proms at the Roundhouse in Camden.
Click on the paypal link to buy a copy of the latest release from The Dhol Foundation 'Drums & Roses' Priced £10.99 inc UK & Ireland P&P
International please add £3.99 to the order.
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