MUMBAI: The Mahindra Group’s newest cultural initiative, the Mahindra Percussion Festival, seeking to celebrate various percussion sounds from Indian and around the world, has finally unveiled an uber-talented line-up of homegrown and international percussion artists for its most-awaited debut edition. With this, the festival - in association with The Hindu and co-sponsored by Carlsberg Smooth Soda - is set to bring forth local and global street-style percussion music in a unique setting and spark a mainstream cultural conversation around it.

The Mahindra Percussion Festival’s line-up is a remarkable range of artists on a stage that will foster never-seen-before interesting collaborations with ensembles from around the globe. This includes Ranjit Barot, a world-renowned percussionist, composer, and producer known for his exceptional musical talent and versatility. He will be seen as the festival's curator as well as a performing artist. With over three decades of experience working with a diverse range of artists and contributing to numerous film scores and albums, Barot is a highly accomplished and respected musician. He is also a talented music educator and has conducted workshops and masterclasses around the world, inspiring and nurturing the next generation of musicians.

The event will also see one of the most prominent multi-percussionists, A Shivamani (World Percussions), who has played the drums for several Kollywood and Bollywood films, such as Rang De Basanti, Swades, Dil Se, Guru, Lagaan, and Rockstar and contributed to hits like Chaiya Chaiya and Nadaan Parindey. Likewise, legendary percussionist V. Selvaganesh - a musician of Carnatic tradition and a leading kanjira player of his generation - will mesmerise the audiences with his impeccable style and innate creativity.

Sharing the stage with these legends is the Chemmeen Band, one of the most promising up-and-coming bands, bringing their unique style for an everlasting spell of percussion rhythm alongside Aattam Kalasamithi, one of the popular Chenda percussion brands from Kerala. Meanwhile, the trio of Pulse Conversations ft. Gino Banks, Vinayak Pol and Jai Row Kavi will surely set the attendees’ pulse racing with a dose of powerful percussive sounds. At the same time, the Ta Dhom Project by Viveick Rajagopalan will blend Konnakol - a unique vocal percussion derived from the sounds of Mridangam - and rap to awe the audiences with a sound that respects its cultural origin while having an identity of its own.

Additionally, renowned international artists, like multi-avant-garde instrumentalist Arto Tuncboyaciyan (of Armenian descent), Spanish percussionist Paquito Gonzalez as part of the Paquito Ensemble ft. Spanish guitarist Jose Quevedo “Bolita” and Flamenco dancer Antonia Molina “El Choro” will also enthral the audiences with their riveting performances.

An extraordinary culmination of food, fun, festivity and culture with percussion at its heart, the one-day festival is coming to Bengaluru’s iconic Jay Mahal Palace on 18th March 2023.

Ranjit Barot, renowned drummer and music composer, added, “The talented and exceptionally diverse line-up for this year’s Mahindra Percussion Festival will surely break creative boundaries, making the festival truly an unprecedented platform to traverse various music genres led by resounding percussion beats. This celebration of the heartbeat of music by combining timeless rhythm with contemporary sounds will surely push the percussion movement as a mainstay in India’s sonic landscape.”

Each of the talented performers forming the lineup will bring their own style and creativity, rooted in their respective cultures, to create a diverse and dynamic range of percussion rhythms and melodies. This festival is not just a showcase of individual talent, but a celebration of the rich and varied traditions of percussion music from around the world. The event also provides a platform for both established and emerging artists to collaborate, explore, and inspire each other, making it an invaluable contribution to the world of music. The Mahindra Percussion festival is a testament to the power of music to connect and unite people across cultures and borders. It extends beyond music - to give audiences a wholesome, sensorial and immersive experience with larger-than-life spectacles of art, interactive installations and photo-ops, food and beverage experiences, and much more.

Registrations for the festival are open - log on to bookmyshow.com to book your tickets now!
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