Mix of genres wins it for blues band

Mumbai: The True School of Music at Lower Parel provided the platform on Monday for live performances from the three finalists at the Mahindra Blues Band Hunt. With veteran composers Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa as the judges, the bands battled it out for the trophy and the chance to play at the Mahindra Blues Festival 2016.
The contest had commenced on December 5, and received entries from across the country –both bands as well as solo artists.This year, the format got a slight tweak, with participants having to make it past two rounds, with voting via social media open until last month.
After the finalists –Lal and the People, Kanchan Daniel and the Beards, and the Kamakshi Khanna Collective performed—the winner was unanimously declared to be Lal and the People. The Bhopal-based band, just a couple of years old, describes their music as a “mix of all genres like R&B, soul, funk”. Their focus has been on keeping their sound as “authentic” as possible, as they feel not many blues bands in the country stay true to the genre’s original form. Formed by Rohit Lalwani, who’s on vocals and guitar, it has Aham on bass, Gaurav on drums and Shivam on the keyboard.
The event had been a memorable one, said the musicians. “It was a great opportunity to play with the other bands, share musical space,” said Kamakshi Khanna, of the Kamakshi Khanna Collective. “It was an exciting experience to meet people from across the country, and we loved playing for the blues’ hunt.”
The winner of the Mahindra Blues Band Hunt will perform at the Mahindra Blues Festival 2016, on February 13 and 14, at Bandra’s Mehboob Studio.