Johnny Kalsi

Johnny Kalsi is a British Indian Dhol drum performer residing in London. He is a former member of Alaap and Transglobal Underground and the founder of the Dhol Foundation. He also performs with the Afro Celt Sound System and The Imagined Village.

Becoming a Dholaholic

Johnny Kalsi originates from the Punjab state in India. Kalsi did not come from a musical family. Johnny's parents wanted him to become a lawyer or a doctor as many Indian parents want for their kids, but 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 role 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

In 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 Johnny's 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 Roche

Film scores

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 Dylan's 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. 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.

Current projects

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.

Discography

*Big Drum Small World,
*Drum-Believable
*Drums 'n' Roses