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.

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F l a s h b a c k . .

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.

"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