MUMBAI: Dhruv Ghanekar, one of those behind the path breaking blueFROG, Mumbai, is making waves with his tunes across the country over a decade now. Honest and straight from the shoulder, that's how one would describe him. The self-proclaimed ‘gear junkie’ recently performed at Paddy Fields Festival on 16 October (2016) and in Bacardi Nh7 weekender at Shillong on 22 October (2016). In a conversation with Radioandmusic.com, he shared his music inspirations, musical distinctiveness, his method to fuse various styles in his music, his collaborations and upcoming projects.

You have been in this industry for quite some time now and your music is experimental in its approach. How would you describe your genre?

Progressive Indian Music. There you go! It’s catchy and perfectly sums it up. Though I hate labels, as they can be quite limiting, it’s a necessary evil. I think I am a musical schizophrenic; I love a lot of different types of music. Partially, this is due to my childhood years, even though I didn’t come from a musical family, my family enjoyed different types of music, my father on his trips abroad would buy the top 40  cassettes. My mother was into classical music and old Hindi film songs, ghazals and more traditional music. So, I landed up listening and absorbing a lot of different music between the age of 7-12. When I turned 13, I got turned on to Jazz music and that changed my world.

The genre world music is vast, how do you fuse various elements and styles? 

I guess we are victims of our upbringing. Since I had such a wide musical exposure, my grown-up life has been trying to make sense of all these influences and organise it into one cohesive sound.

I like the idea of fusing opposites. Mashing a culture against another that is diametrically opposite end of the spectrum. It’s challenging but when it works the results can be wonderful and surprising. ‘Dhima’, the song that I did with Ila Arun is one such example of fusing Rajasthani and West African blues. ‘Baare Baare’, which features Kalpana Patowary is another piece that fuses Assamese folk with a North African influence.

How do you carry out the creative process? According to you, what is unique about your sound? 

If you say it is unique, I’ll take the compliment! (smiles). I guess it’s the juxtaposition of various cultures into a single sonic identity, that’s what is exciting for me.

I spent a lot of time studying and playing purely single genres. However, eventually, you get to a point where you want to create your own identity. I guess that’s the mission that I am on now to create a modern Indian tapestry and present that to the world. Our Folk music is so rich and 100’s of years old and is timeless. Every country celebrates its own culture. In Spain – it’s Flamenco, In Brazil – its Choro and Samba and Bossa, and every African country has its own unique sound. I think in India due to the heavy marketing machinery of Bollywood, our culture has gotten sidelined. As an Indian musician and artist, I am determined to bring our folk culture to the foreground but in a modern avatar!

Independent artists and the music scene are booming in India over time, how do you escalate that?

I think it’s great, it’s very nascent, but it’s promising. We need certain infrastructural elements in place - venues, music schools, artist management, government grants, and lower entertainment taxes for the scene to flourish and eventually become mainstream.

Your live shows are full of the oomph factor, how do you incorporate so many things altogether?

I think again the whole endeavour is to keep it fresh and interesting for myself and to make the show unique so the audience feels that they were a part of something completely new and different from the last one.

I also am grateful that I have such incredible talent in the band, Kalpana Patowary – who is just a ridiculously talented singer. A new member, Illa Straight who is from Philadelphia has just joined us is a rapper and MC who can improvise just like a jazz musician. Artur Grigoyan, who is an amazing saxophonist from Armenia and can play Balkan folk, Jazz, Funk and anything in between adds an international colour. Then there’s Rohan Rajadhyaksha, who’s a young and talented keyboardist who has recently come on board.

It took you quite a long time to release your second album ‘Voyage', any particular reason that you want to share? How tough is it to be collaborating with so many different musicians?

I got really busy between 2009-2013. I moved studios, finished three feature films and was swamped with advertising projects. Also, I was finding the right musicians to collaborate which took time. So, I traveled to France to record with Karim Ziad and Linley Marthe, getting their dates also took some time. The collaboration part wasn’t that difficult, just a logistical challenge. Most of the musicians heard the tracks and agreed immediately to come on board.

Also, the mixing took about a year, due to my commitments. Since the album was totally self-funded and released on my own label Wah Wah Music, and since this was the first time that I had undertaken such an endeavour, a lot of decisions and tie-up’s took the time to close up. I also shot four music videos that had to be planned and shot and executed.

As a wise man said – “Making music is easy; it’s the people that are difficult.”

What’s your take on the youth who are inclined to electronic and disco music? Do you think people are growing their musical knowledge over time? 

I think diversity is a good thing. It’s not necessary for everyone to have the same interests. It’s also naïve to think that all Indians have the same exposure. Someone who grew up in Chennai will have a different take on one thing. That’s what is amazing about our country, that there is some much diversity. We should celebrate it. If someone is interested in becoming a DJ, great, go for it. But learn music. It will only help in making the music richer.

Bollywood conventional music takes the biggest piece of the pie and then comes regional music. How hard does it become being a music producer who incorporates sound for his originals to accomplish something?

Back in the day, in Bollywood, the most successful composers were the ones who had their own unique sound and identity. Being successful and being original is not mutually exclusive. One has to still introspect and find oneself to create any music. We tend to be dismissive of successful people. But, everyone has their own arc and journey. If you are really talented you will run the 55 km marathon, if you are a fly by night guy, your career will be over after 100 m.

You have performed throughout the nation, and abroad too Which is your favourite venue?

It will always be The Blue Frog, Mumbai. It was very close to my heart.

Music influences you all would like to mention? Any favourite artist you’re currently listening to?

This is currently on my playlist: Laura Mvula, The Roots, Coke Studio Pakistan – Season 9, Songhoy Blues, The Witch – Soundtrack, Band of Gypsies, Kaushiki Chakraborty – anything from her, she’s incredible and Mozart’s Lullabies, to put my kids to sleep (wink).

As you are the man behind the path-breaking blueFROG; do you think it will be the unchanged after heading towards different location/s?

Of course, it will be different. But, that’s life, change is inevitable. We had an amazing run at Lower Parel, Mumbai. However as it is with all good things, they have to evolve.

What are the five things that we absolutely don’t know about you? (Smile) 

I am a closet drummer.

I love stand up comedy.

I am borderline O.C.D.                                                

I actually love good electronica.

I am a gear junkie.

In the summer of 2006, Ashu Phatak and I began the tedious task of looking for a new space to expand Smoke Music, our music production company. It was whilst searching for a new home for our studio that we stumbled upon a 6,000 sq ft textile mill in Mathuradas Mill compound in Mumbai. It was love at first sight.

A few days later, when we were hanging out at Mahesh Mathai and Srila Chatterjee’s home, shooting the breeze, we began discussing the interesting space that we had seen. As the conversation got animated, we decided to step out, make a night of it — get some dinner, drinks, maybe listen to some music. In that moment, we realised that such a place did not actually exist! A place where one could hang out and listen to music that “we” liked. In a city that was supposed to be the financial capital our options were, well, zero.

With a working title — Sound Garden — we began discussing a blue print for what was to become BlueFROG. Soon, Simran Mulchandani came on board as our CFO — he became the acting CEO for most of BlueFROG’s course. Our mission was simple: To build a place that we’d like to hang out at, and more importantly, play the music that we wanted to listen to. Where music wasn’t playing second fiddle to diners but was the real hero. We set out to create a 360-degree music venture, comprising a state-of-the-art studio, a music label, artist management and supported by a performance venue. We needed a kick-ass design and world-class acoustics, so we got Kapil Gupta of Serie Architects on board; he delivered an iconic Spanish L’Scala-inspired design. Andy Munro of Munro Acoustics was brought in to design the acoustics of the club and the studios adjacent to it. Rahul Akerkar (of Indigo fame) and the Degustibus team came on board as our F&B partners.

With that simple mandate we set out to build BlueFROG. The music that we programmed in the first few years reflected our vision and tastes — jazz in all its forms, blues, Afro-Cuban, lots of African sounds, South American, Cuban, flamenco, electronica — the list stretched wide and stopped short at Bollywood.

At the time, the music scene in India had faded away into obscurity, Bollywood playlists featured at almost all night clubs and karaoke and classic rock cover bands were the norm. As I was heading the programming in the early days, the brief I gave myself was this: “Look for artists that excite you, inspire you, make you want to sling your guitar and jump on stage”. The task was arduous given the fact that the local music scene was not yet mature; there was a scarcity of good local acts. So to offset that, we set ourselves the arduous challenge to programme one international act a week. We had to work two months in advance to line-up approximately 40 nights of music. So off I went calling and emailing everyone I had met on my travels, friends made over the years, musicians that I hung out with and even a few cold calls. On almost every count, I was greeted with warm, affirmative responses: “India, wow we’d love to play there!”

BlueFROG opened to the public on December 12, 2007. Shaa’ir n Func and my band Kromazome-i played on opening night and in the months to follow, we had some heavyweights coming through our doors — Zakir Hussein with Bela Fleck, Richard Bona, Bugge Wesseltoft, John McLaughlin, Bauchklang, Imogen Heap, Infected Mushroom, Bob Belden, Mike Stern, Raul Midon, Sylvan Luc, Angelie Kidjo. Within a few months, BlueFROG was listed as one of the top 10 best live venues in the world; the word had spread and those cold calls were now met with enthusiastic “yes-s”.

Slowly but surely, the local music scene changed. Bands from across the country emerged and we began receiving demos and videos from Shillong to Pondicherry, Jaipur to Cochin — a scene was brewing.

Soulmate, an established band in the Northeast, but still relatively unknown in Mumbai, played their first gig at the Frog in 2008, and they kept coming back every few months — we just couldn’t get enough of them. The programming team also created an early set to accommodate and showcase many talented singer songwriters, some of whom have now become stars such as Nikhil D’souza, Vasudha Sharma, to name a few.

One of BlueFROG’s shining moments came in 2009. The Jazz Utsav was scheduled to take place on November 21 at the Priyadarshini park in south Mumbai. I was in Kolkata, about to leave my hotel and perform at the Kolkata leg of the festival. As I was about to step out of the door, an old friend, the late Amit Saigal, called. He was involved with the festival and was in trouble. The authorities had shut down the Mumbai event because of some “technicality”, and the situation looked rather grim. There were several international artists scheduled to perform in a matter of hours and Amit asked if the festival could move to the Frog.

We had artists scheduled to play for that night and the following nights as well. Moving an entire festival in a matter of a few hours was a logistical nightmare! After some frantic consultation over the phone with Mahesh and the managers, we pulled off the impossible and BlueFROG hosted the Jazz Utsav for over two nights.

Despite all the glory, we attracted some criticism for the exorbitant cover charge and drinks. The Frog was labelled too “bourgeoisie” by social media critics and we were called “a music venue for townies”. We listened. To bring in students and a younger crowd, we created free entry before 9 pm and lowered our F&B prices.

The blood, sweat and tears in those first few years reaped rich dividends. By creating a platform for musicians to showcase their wares, BlueFROG pegged local talent against the best in the world. Soulmate, Shaa’ir n Func, MIDIval Punditz, Jalebee Cartel, Avial, Bombay Basement are just a few names that were hosted at the Frog and have since gone on to become forerunners in the Indian indie music scene.

A few months short of its ninth birthday, BlueFROG will hang its boots up and relocate to a new location. High rents and a change in the dynamics of the business have played a role in the decision to relocate. The venue will feature a month-long programme culminating in a three-day festival ending on August 28, featuring its favourite artists.

BlueFROG changed my life and my relationship with music. It brought me closer to the root of why I began making music in the first place. Back then, a typical day was spent composing music for a film through the day at the studios, and then casually strolling into the club and being invited to jam with the band that was playing that night.

Some of these experiences are indelibly etched in my mind, of which playing with jazz bassist Richard Bona ranks as one of my favourite memories. Then, there was the incredible Raúl Midón, who I got to jam with on his second night; we collaborated on my album too. The lessons weren’t restricted to just the stage, as my understanding of the music business grew wider and came from firsthand experience of running a live venue.

I cannot count the number of times the music fraternity has thanked us for BlueFROG. To me, that is the greatest reward a musician can ask for.

Dhruv Ghanekar is a Mumbai-based composer, music producer and founding partner of BlueFROG.

Dhruv Ghanekar dons many hats. The most interesting of which is that of a music sojourner. The Mumbai-based musician, music director and songwriter has constantly driven himself and his genre-bending music to the limits and beyond in seasoned proficiency both in the studio and on stage. Giving his songs a listen can easily convince you why the multi-instrumental artiste endeavours to keep moving across the music soundmark to conquer new highs in his song offerings.

Making music since he was nine, Dhruv has a career spanning across ad films and alternative movies with over 3,000 projects in his kitty. The feather in his cap as an accomplished artiste is the range of collaborations he dabbles in, be it in his albums or in his repertoire of music projects. Following his debut album Distance in which he invites listeners to traverse space and time, Dhruv traverses space and time in Voyage where he himself goes on a journey, both literally and musically, across the soundscape of India.

Voyage is global and Indian at the same time as it seamlessly blends North and West Africa, jazz, pop, Assamese folk and Rajasthani folk and classic rock into a singular sonic voice in the nine-track compilation. Featuring award-winning international artistes like New York-based Raul Midon, French/ Cameroonian bassist Etienne Ma Bappe, Algerian drummer Karim Ziad, Mauritian bassist Linley Marthe and percussionist Trilok Gurtu. Rajasthani folk singer Ila Arun, Kartik Das Baul from West Bengal, and singer-songwriter Vasuda Sharma give the album its eastern touch.

Launching into a cacophony of people noises, ‘Zawi D’ kicks off in a very colloquial feel. Rhythmic intros, synthesized vocals and a classical touch of keyboard patches backed by saxophone sonnets leads to a triumphant blend of Eastern and Western chops.

Dhruv really opens up in ‘Baare Baare’ in emphatic vocal tenacity accompanied by Kalpana Patowary on vocals. The improvised, consistently patterned rhythms continues from where it left in ‘Zawi D’ accompanied by explosive percussive chops and a spectacular bridge.

Meandering to a waltzy calm serenade, vocalist Vasuda Sharma joins the bandwagon with Dhruv and they create a magical ballad of pop sonic bliss. The whispering singer’s ethereal voice and the enigmatic cello floating in the background over clapped beats builds to an exhilarating climax in the dual-lingual ‘Sway With Me’. ‘Dhima’ will catch you totally off guard with a very typical South Indian beat blazed by some thrilling processed guitar work. Ila Arun sings away calling out “Dhima Dhima” in this mind-blowing fusion of western instruments in a very exuberant Indian song that exudes dance frenzy. Foot-tapping keys, acoustic guitar soundscapes and vibrant drums lead the way in ‘Chilli’ which is more tangy than spicy. It’s the kind of street vibe song you will hear off the radio on a sunny evening by the coast. What makes the song stand apart is the virtuosic violin lead by Ginny Noel Luke that rampages in and holds you captive till the final screeching bow stroke.

Male enigmatic vocals dominate the title track with Raul Midon, Etienne Mbappe and Trilok Gurtu voicing their tonal proficiency backed by a full-fledged orchestral set-up with guitars, cig fiddle, percussions, keys, bass, drums and piano in the loop for the song. A very melancholic turn happens in ‘This India’, that soon establishes a solemn violin and viola instrumental-backed sonic lament. The sarang blends in harmoniously in the skillfully composed offering. Water ripples in the Voyage in ‘The Boatman’s Song’ as singer Katik Das Baul calls out in typical riverman fashion as the track effortlessly sways you to the tug of the aqua vibe. The triumphant Voyage ends on a perfect tribute to a journey across the country with ‘Anthem’, a solo rendition of the National Anthem by Dhruv bringing curtains down on a sonic expedition of epic proportions.

Artiste: Dhruv Ghanekar

It's been a few years since Berklee-trained guitarist/composer Dhruv Ghanekar last crossed AAJ's radar. That was at the Borneo Jazz Festival 2011, where his quartet powered through a jazz-fusion set of the highest order. For his second recording as leader the Mumbai guitarist—who has performed with sarangi maestro Sultan Khan, Zakir Hussain and Scott Kinsey—shows off his hefty compositional strengths. With Etienne Mbappe, Trilok Gurtu,Ranjit Barot and Karim Ziad heading an all-star cast, Dhruv explores the nexus of Indian and African music in a fusion that's alternatively as intoxicating as Mumbai bustle and as soothing as a Ganges sunset. 

Much of the music is filtered through a jazz-fusion prism, no more so than on "Zawi D" where the babble of a market scene and Mbappe's vocorder pay clear tribute toJoe Zawinul/Weather Report. Bassist Linley Marthe and Ziad's propulsive rhythms underpin snaking ensemble and individual lines, with soprano saxophonist Carl Clements and then Dhruv stretching out. A riveting soloist, Druv's vocabulary draws on traditions stemming from John McLaughlin and Indian classical music in a heady, melodious fusion. ThroughoutVoyage Dhruv doubles on keyboards and his six-string chops are released sparingly, according to the music's demands. 

Indian vocals feature prominently throughout, with varying intensity and tone. On "Baare Baare" Dhruv's smoky tenor and Kalpana Patowary's honey-smooth vocals provide striking though complementary textures. Washing keys and subtle percussive pulses gain in potency as the vocal narrative grows; bursts of electric guitar and baritone saxophone add meat to the bone. The more radio-friendly "Sway with Me" pits Vasuda Sharma's angelic, Indian vocal against Dhruv's English response, which is evocative of Dave Matthews at his most anthemic; cello, violin and viola lend a suave orchestral sub-plot. The stripped down churning rocker "Dhima" foregrounds Ila Aruns' darkly bewitching sung/spoken vocal; Dhruv's grungy riffing gives way to searing runs as the tempo quickens on this feisty gem. 

The instrumental "Chilli" trots with a lovely, bluegrass gait. Ravi Kynpstra's bass, spoon (?) percussion and Dhruv's banjo-like cigar-box fiddle form the backdrop for Ginny Noel Luke's untethered violin; it's a tremendous tune evocative of Jenny Scheinman's mischievous country-blues. The mostly acoustic title track brings together Barot, Mbappe and Gurtu, though surprisingly, rhythm almost plays second fiddle to vocal melody. Mbappe shares soulful vocal duties with Raul Midon while the extraordinary bassist Sheldon D'Silva—a longstanding Dhruv collaborator—and Barot ply a steady course. 

A veteran of Indian film and television scores, Dhruv invests cinematic lustre on the lyrical tone poem "Is This India." Dhruv and Neuman Pinto harmonize as Jeetendra Thakur (violin and viola) and Sabir Khan (sarangi) infuse this plaintive, wordlessly sung ballad with their orchestral blues. Khan's sarangi dovetails with Katik Das Baul's stirring Indian vocal on "The Boatman's Song," which weds tradition and ambient textures in atmospheric union. The unaccompanied acoustic guitar lullaby "Anthem" rounds out the set in delicate mode. 

Instantly gratifying, Voyage combines serious musicianship with commercial appeal. Though its traditional Indian roots are strong, Dhruv's contemporary flair seamlessly navigates other cultures, beautifully blending various folkloric colors with driving rock muscle, jazz-fusion elasticity and vocal sophistication. It's a blast from start to finish.

To simply describe Dhruv Ghanekar as “one of the founders of blueFrog” hardly does him justice. To only refer to him as a music composer for films such as the indie-cool Bombay Boys or numerous award-winning jingles would also feel like short-sell. And to point out that, before all this, he was part of the band Chakraview, one of Mumbai’s earliest rock heroes, just might have the effect of slotting him as a one of the old guard.

But here’s the thing about Ghanekar — he’s stuck around long enough and wears multiple hats with seasoned ease. Which means that, fortunately or unfortunately, some of these endeavours grab more eyeballs than his ever-evolving relationship with the guitar.

On Voyage, his latest solo album and the second in his catalogue, he returns to the basics — and the beginning. Inspired by the sounds of North Africa, the compilation features a bunch of interesting, even unexpected collaborations with guest musicians from around the world. GQ chats with Ghanekar about music, life and his love for strings.

Read full story on gqindia.com

RSJ Director and musician, Bann Chakraborty, recently took the opportunity to speak to guitarist Dhurv Ghanekar about his upcoming album, Voyage, and his experience as a musician in the Indian independent music scene. Check out the first of the three part conversation with Dhruv.

Bann Chakraborty: Tell us a little about the journey you’ve had so far, since you started with Chakravyuh. How have you seen the scene evolve since then? As a musician, are you positive about it, or are you not that sure?

Dhruv Ghanekar: I am positive. I don’t have anything negative to say. See, honestly the scene has just started now, like seven or eight years ago. A lot of people credit Blue Frog, NH7, and OML; all these things have been happening. Those kind of things, I think, happened around the same period. They’ve all taken off in varying degrees. So, all that has happened in these last few years has been a sort of renaissance. So honestly, it's very young, and nobody should pass judgement on it. That’s my opinion. Because it's just six or seven years old, you can’t judge anything in such a short period. It takes time, it's going to take ten to fifteen years. There’s going to be a generation that is going to come up that has been listening to all the stuff that’s happening now. I think we are also becoming a little more comfortable in our skin, so to speak. Whether it's writing your own music or composing, whatever, I think all those things will start happening after ten years or so because it takes as much time for things to settle down. My only concern is that there aren’t enough venues. Fortunately we have schools now, that’s happening. Festivals are there; I don’t want to get into whether they’re good or bad, but they’re happening. We don’t have enough venues in Bombay, we don’t have enough venues in any other city for that matter. For any scene to flourish there have to be a lot of venues, that is like a hundred per cent requirement. Without that it's not going to happen. I think, for it to accelerate and go into the next level, there will have to be a lot more venues.

Read full story on rsjonline.com

Dhruv Ghanekar is the sort of quiet, unassuming man who, by his own admission, has an aversion to money and fame. He is rather content just making the kind of music he enjoys. And, if it garners an appreciative audience, it works out perfectly in his scheme of things. The passionate musician founded the rock band Chakraview, and although 1996 saw the end of Chakraview, Dhruv’s tryst with music remains a never-ending affair. Along with business partner Ashutosh Phatak (Ashu as Dhruv calls him), he set up Smoke Music Production and composed for scores of ad films over the years. He is also the CEO of Wah Wah Music Productions.

Read full story on magnamags.com

Having composed for a dozen Bollywood films and performed live at concerts across the globe from Norway to USA, Dhruv Ghanekar has worn many a musical hat with elan. With virtuoso arrangements, peaceful orchestration and an ability to bridge Jazz and contemporary Indian sounds, Dhruv is a guitarist, musician and songwriter.

The Mumbai-based artiste began studying Indian classical music from the age of nine. He went on to study under sarangi maestro Sultan Khan. His permanent love affair with the guitar began in school and in a few years, he founded the rock band Chakraview. The mid-90s 1996 saw the beginning of his working relationship with rock musician Ashutosh Phatak and they went on to become music-makers for ad films and alternative movies, with over 3,000 projects delivered to date.

Read full story on timesofindia.indiatimes.com

When you take time off for travel, you seldom want the journey to end. Guitarist Dhruv Ghanekar explains that mak­ing an album is no different. It’s no wonder then that his second album is named Voyage. “One of the problems with doing your own music is that you never actually finish it. You can continuously keep working on it; it’s one of those things,” says the composer, guitarist and singer, when we meet him at his record­ing studio in Khar. A dozen glistening guitars are neatly stacked in one corner and several hard-cased pieces of what looks like a large percussion set-up have just arrived, informs the staff, from Taufiq Qureshi’s group. Now that the album is done and dusted, Ghanekar looks relieved and stage ready even.

Read full story on rollingstoneindia.com

But now, they are Dhruv Ghanekar’s biggest assets. The music composer and producer, who is all set to release his second album Voyage, tells Deepali Dhingra how capturing an idea for him is akin to catching a butterfly as the more he chases it, it runs away

Dhruv Ghanekar’s first album Distance released in 2009. And now, the music composer, guitarist and singer is ready with his second album Voyage, which he plans to release soon. A seamless blend that brings together music from North and West Africa, jazz, pop, Assamese and Rajasthani folk and even classic rock, Ghanekar has got award-winning international artist Raul Midon, French/Cameroonian bassist Etienne M’Bappe, Algerian drummer Karim Ziad, Mauritian bassist Linley Marthe, percussionist Trilok Gurtu, Ila Arun, Kartik Das Baul from West Bengal and Vasudha Sharma to lend their musical prowess to this collaborative effort.

Read full story on mid-day.com