Dhol Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Dhol Foundation is both a dhol drum institute in London
and a musical group playing bhangra music. The dhol
school was founded in 1989 by former Alaap member Johnny Kalsi
when several musicians asked him to be their teacher, and a first album was released by Kalsi and his students in 2001 .
Dhol drums are a traditional percussion instrument from the Punjab
province in the north of India
, from which Kalsi originates. In London he experimented with dance beats and electronic music, which he mixes with the traditional bhangra style in his albums.
They have had their music in Hollywood films such as Gangs of New York
and Incredible Hulk
also have done work on soundtracks with Peter Gabriel
on films such as Rabbit-Proof Fence
and The Last Temptation of Christ
. They opened the Commonwealth Games
in Melbourne in 2006.
TDF have a connection to Womad, as they own the copyright to all of their songs, and they have also performed at Womad many times of the past few years. In fact, in the past two years, they have played at Womad Reading twice, despite not being scheduled to appear either time.
Although officially released in 2005, 200 pre-release 'festival edition' copies the album Drum-Believable were available for those who attended Womad Reading in 2004 as a festival edition. These are now a rarity.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and a musical group playing bhangra music. The dhol
Dhol
Dhol can refer to any one of a number of similar types of double-headed drum widely used, with regional variations, throughout the Indian subcontinent and nearby regions. Its range of distribution in India and Pakistan primarily includes northern areas such as the Assam Valley, Bengal, Gujarat,...
school was founded in 1989 by former Alaap member Johnny Kalsi
Johnny Kalsi
Johnny Kalsi is a British Indian dhol drum performer residing in London. He rose to prominence as a former member of Transglobal Underground and the founder of the Dhol Foundation. He also performs with the Afro Celt Sound System and The Imagined Village....
when several musicians asked him to be their teacher, and a first album was released by Kalsi and his students in 2001 .
Dhol drums are a traditional percussion instrument from the Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
province in the north of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, from which Kalsi originates. In London he experimented with dance beats and electronic music, which he mixes with the traditional bhangra style in his albums.
They have had their music in Hollywood films such as Gangs of New York
Gangs of New York
Gangs of New York is a 2002 historical film set in the mid-19th century in the Five Points district of New York City. It was directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Jay Cocks, Steven Zaillian, and Kenneth Lonergan. The film was inspired by Herbert Asbury's 1928 nonfiction book, The Gangs of New...
and Incredible Hulk
The Incredible Hulk (film)
The Incredible Hulk is a 2008 superhero action film based on the Marvel Comics character the Hulk. It is directed by Louis Leterrier and stars Edward Norton as Dr. Bruce Banner. It is the second film to be released in the Marvel Cinematic Universe...
also have done work on soundtracks with Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
on films such as Rabbit-Proof Fence
Rabbit-Proof Fence (film)
Rabbit-Proof Fence is a 2002 Australian drama film directed by Phillip Noyce based on the book Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington Garimara...
and The Last Temptation of Christ
The Last Temptation of Christ
The Last Temptation of Christ is a novel written by Nikos Kazantzakis, first published in 1953. It was first published in English in 1960. It follows the life of Jesus Christ from his perspective...
. They opened the Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
in Melbourne in 2006.
TDF have a connection to Womad, as they own the copyright to all of their songs, and they have also performed at Womad many times of the past few years. In fact, in the past two years, they have played at Womad Reading twice, despite not being scheduled to appear either time.
Although officially released in 2005, 200 pre-release 'festival edition' copies the album Drum-Believable were available for those who attended Womad Reading in 2004 as a festival edition. These are now a rarity.
Discography
- 2001: Big Drum Small WorldBig Drum Small WorldBig Drum Small World is the first studio album from Johnny Kalsi and his students from the Dhol Foundation institute in London. It was released in 2001 by Shakti Records and produced by Johnny Kalsi.-Track listing:# "Eik Din"# "Eik Din II"# "Iridian"...
- 2005: Drum-BelievableDrum-BelievableDrum-Believable is the second album released by Johnny Kalsi's Dhol Foundation. It was released in 2005 by Shakti Records, and features special guests including Máiréad Nesbitt on fiddle, Ustad Sultan Khan on vocals and sarangi, Sonia Panesar and Bee2 on vocals, and Transglobal Underground as...
- 2007: Drums 'n' Roses
- 2010: Drum Struck
See also
- The Bollywood Brass BandThe Bollywood Brass BandThe Bollywood Brass Band is a brass band playing Bollywood and traditional Indian music, based in London, England.The band was formed in 1992 to perform with the Shyam Brass Band from Jabalpur, India, at the International Festival of Street Music in London...
- Afro Celt Sound SystemAfro Celt Sound SystemThe Afro Celt Sound System is a musical group which fuses modern electronic dance rhythms with traditional Irish and West African music...
- Asian Dub FoundationAsian Dub FoundationAsian Dub Foundation are a British electronica band that plays a mix of rapcore, dub, dancehall and ragga, also using rock instruments, acknowledging a punk influence...
- Transglobal UndergroundTransglobal undergroundTransglobal Underground is a London-based music collective who specialise in a fusion of western, oriental and African music styles...
- Peter GabrielPeter GabrielPeter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
External links
- The Dhol Foundation
- [ TDF on allmusic.com]