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About

Introducing The Shonai Collective, an innovative initiative spearheaded by Shonai, a jazz pianist, composer, and educator based in Delhi, the vibrant cultural hub of India. This collaborative is a concept and an aesthetic which brings together artists and artists’ philosophy from diverse backgrounds to explore captivating concepts, styles, and mediums for conveying powerful messages through music.

At the heart of The Shonai Collective lies a commitment to creativity, collaboration, and social impact. Shonai and his collaborators embark on a journey of artistic exploration, brainstorming ideas that push boundaries and challenge conventions. Together, they craft compelling compositions that resonate with audiences on a profound level.

Through The Shonai Collective, artists transcend geographical barriers, drawing inspiration from their unique cultural perspectives to address pressing societal issues.

As a functioning idea, The Shonai Collective tries to serve as a catalyst for change, harnessing the transformative power of music to inspire individuals and communities alike. By fostering collaboration and innovation, they strive to create a world where art becomes a force for positive transformation.

Story of TSC

Originally from Kolkata, this creative group made its debut in 2017 with a release on the compilation album "The Foxtrot Project V2" under Amuze Records. Shonai worked with Premjit Dutta and Akash Ganguly on drums and electric bass in their first collaboration. Following this exciting start, they embarked on a nationwide tour. Teaming up with two horn players, they morphed into a quintet, gracing various venues and the esteemed "The Giants of Jazz" festival in 2017.

The second collaborative project was a trio with Shantanu Sudarshan on drums and Shifumi Saito on double bass, which resulted in a full album with 8 original tracks, released under a Belgian label called OFF Record Label. The album EPIPHANY falls under contemporary jazz genre. The collaboration included not only Delhi-based Shantanu and Japan-based Shifumi, but also a UK-based artist/scientist who designed the album art. The recording was done by Gaurav Chintamani from Delhi, and the mixing/mastering was handled by Robert Nappholz from Croatia, making the project truly a collaborative effort by creative people from around the world. This trio has been actively performing at various venues, festivals, and corporate events.

PROJECTS

The Foxtrot Project V2

Collab #1

[2017]

EPIPHANY

Collab #2

[2024]

Noise n Jazz

Collab #3 ( ongoing )

Off- Record label

link

"24 Best Indian Indie Albums of 2024"

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-The Revolver Club

"Shonai nailed it at The Piano Man last night. Shonai with his trio had made people swing to their tune last night...The show was pretty good.. Shonai was a hit last night"

-Amuze Records

" We’re introduced to Kolkata trio Shonai a bit late in the album, but their groovy piano-led tunes add a funky touch to Foxtrot Project V2 with ‘Walking on Air’ and a tribute to... legend Carlton Kitto with the sombre but gratitude-filled ‘An Ode to Mr. Kitto’. "

- The Hindu

"....impressive Jazz trio which features you playing jazz Piano, along with upright bass and drums, displays your fine musicianship, your command and technical piano keyboard skills, the rhythmic stability and your musical imagination, which all combined, allows the other fine musicians to combine and perform to a high and professional standard throughout all of the recorded/live performances. These improvisatory /arrangements and compositions are always very well scored, highly musically effective, whether they consist of exciting and upbeat pieces, or indeed pieces which require a much slower tempo and perhaps more reflective in style. The rich and effective jazz harmonic and dissonant textures and tonality, the form, structure and rhythmic interest /drive that you consistently display are always interesting to listen to and are musically very pleasing too. The melodies are always prominently and effectively placed within the harmonic textures within these impressive arrangements, plus the musical ensemble and balance are always excellent and very tight between the musicians and their instruments in these fine performances. "

- Dr. Ian Higginson (Principal: Three Counties School of Music)

"Arunava 'Shonai' Chatterjee's collective played tunes from its forthcoming album, Epiphany, which unspooled itself as an introspective journey mapped with care and finesse by Shifumi Saito's definitive phrasings on the double bass, and the contemplative, instinctively low-key stick work by Shantanu Sudarshan on his drum kit — particularly the cymbals. The Shonai Collective (he has since moved from Kolkata to Delhi) is a devoted messenger of straight-ahead classic jazz yet unafraid to explore and purposefully stray into territory it can then call its own. We will be looking forward to Epiphany."

- The Telegraph Online

"In a true show of global boundaries being blurred, New Delhi-based, West Bengal-origin pianist-composer Shonai teams up with artists from Japan and Kerala to release his collective’s album Epiphany via Belgian label Off. The Shonai Collective paint with intricacy across eight tracks, nodding to bebop, minimalism and modern jazz. “Absence” and “Hope” immediately catch any jazz listener’s attention, “One fo the Lil One” starts like a lullaby but gets playful. Drummer Shantanu Sudarshan shines on “No Dose,” while the tempo gets nostalgic on “Hymn of Dreams.” Shonai, who is also part of Kolkata jazz experimentalists The Bodhisattwa Trio, shows a different side on Epiphany, emoting brilliantly on the bebop-informed “The Reverend Man” and experimenting a bit on “Syogyo-mujo.” The best way to end a wide-ranging album called Epiphany, of course, would be to speak through the philosophy of Swami Vivekananda, sampled low and distorted on “Freedom Jazz Trance.”

-Rolling Stone India

The Shonai Collective

Trio

Shonai

P i a n o , C o m p o s e r

Shonai is a modern jazz pianist, composer, and educator based in Delhi and the founding member of The Shonai Collective.

Following a brief period of studying Western classical music, he turned to jazz. Shonai is a graded artist of All India Radio, and his jazz piano recitals are often broadcast. While traditional jazz being his main influence, his music also incorporates elements of other genres, including impressionistic music, R&B, soul, funk, and blues.

In addition to performing in and around India, he has given numerous performances in renowned venues and festivals throughout Europe and Asia. Shonai performs as a member of two jazz ensembles and also works as a music educator.

Divij Kapoor

U p r i g h t B a s s

Divij is a double bassist based out of Delhi. Born in a family of music lovers, he started his musical journey at the age of 6 when he picked up guitar, and went on to master the bass, while being primarily self-taught. He is currently working as a session musician with multiple projects and is the bassist for a Delhi based band ‘Kraken’. He has played all over India, at fests such as the NH-7 weekender alongside bands like Dirty Loops, Bloodywood, F-16s to name a few. He has also played with renowned artists like Aditya

Balani, Sentirenla Lucia, Hitesh Madan, Storyteller, Sumit Roy (Rolls Royce), Kashif Iqbal and continues to play in jazz trios/quartets with musicians in the circuit.

Divij being an avid learner is also a music instructor and aims to help his students develop an in depth understanding of how to creatively communicate their ideas through music wherein they learn about its functional aspects. To name a few of the accolades he has recieved, Divij has been an all-India topper in Grade 8, Trinity, has won many national level competitions in school and has also played at the Strawberry Fields music festival. Currently Divij is exploring the world of improvisational music through his newly found love for the upright bass and plans to release his own music soon.

Shantanu Sudarshan

D r u m s

Shantanu Sudarshan has been working as an active session musician for both stage and studio scenarios since 2017. Proficient in many styles of music, he has had the opportunity to work with/for LIFEFORM, Bollyjazz, Saby Singh, Senor Elephante, Syncopation, The Copycats, RollsRoy's, Angad Katari, Abhilasha Sinha, Rie Ona, Nathalie Ramirez Tovar, Jose Neil Gomes, Bowjob, Nik And Nat, The Lyric Ensemble of Delhi, Kamakshi Khanna, IOISH, Gaurav Chintamani/The Dirt Machine, Shadow and Light, The Rahul Misra Enquiry Commission, Ujwal Nagar, Grain and the Shri Aurobindo Centre for Arts and Communication.

Shantanu has been playing professionally since 2008 and was a member of the Delhi- based bands, October, Jester and Grammy Winning Effort.

In 2016, he completed his Bachelor's in Music(Honours) Degree from the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance, London and earned a Level 6 Teaching Licentiate Diploma from Rockschool, London.

Shantanu also works as an educator by teaching privately.