Krosswindz: Bengali Rock-band,Where Folk Meets Fusion
Krosswindz with their unique “World-Rock” sound, have been urbanizing Indian folk music and taking it to new heights since 1990.They’ve recently returned from a critically acclaimed US tour. Their Grassroot Grammy wins for Best International Group and Best Asian Album have cemented their status as global music sensations! Mirchi Music Awards winners, their Krosswindz music has touched audiences worldwide.
With their mesmerizing vocals and guitar wizardry, Chandrani and Vikramjit “Tuki” are the perfect blend of traditional and modern.
Join us as we dive into the world of Krosswindz and explore their journey, music, and what’s next for this incredible band! Get ready to rock!
Khanak Magazine proudly presents… Krosswindz!
Q From 1990 till now; how have you stayed relevant as a band?
A We have always been curious about all forms of music and our tastes are eclectic; we have always studied various music genres and never frowned upon any one genre. Having such a vast palette of musical influences enabled us to mature as time went by and our musical output matured with time. I think this ever- evolving musical tone helped us to be relevant always.
Q Getting accepted as a rock band in the early years must have been quite grinding. How were the early years like?
A The early years were very difficult as gigs were far and between. Acceptance wasn’t an issue as Kolkata always had a sub-culture and following for Rock music and whenever gigs would take place there would be a huge gathering of music enthusiasts. What was difficult was making the band a financially viable entity as the pay was meagre. Nine out of 10 times we had to perform for free just to spread our music.
Q Where do you see Indian rock going from where it is now?
A Indian Rock at the present moment needs more support from the entertainment and event industry. The present scenario is very challenging for upcoming bands as there are very few opportunities to perform live in the Rock genre and with each passing year the number of venues promoting Rock seem to be dwindling. I would request corporate houses to support live Rock bands more via sponsorship and branding deals, I am hopeful that things will pick up soon.
Q What is the idea behind the name Krosswindz?
A The name Krosswindz symbolizes the coming together of various minds, ideas and influences, to create a new and unique sound. Our openness to our influences and coming up with an appealing mix is result of the collaboration and free sharing between band members.
Q Taking folk music and giving it an urban aura is one of your unique features as a band. How did you arrive at this identity?
A We’ve always been open to all forms of music and have studied many forms in depth, while listening to Peter Gabriel,Pat Metheny,Abida Parveen,Yossou N Dour, and various other World music artists. Seeking inspiration from these we also wanted to try and develop our own World Music sound; and it really appealed to our musical sensibilities. While developing this sound and experimenting with folk music we stumbled upon many songs that are sung in the paddy fields of West Bengal, Assam and Bangladesh. One of these tunes-Mahut Bandhu really struck a chord with us. We recorded a version with our own unique signature Krosswindz sound. It turned out great and upon release in 2003 we were approached by the Washington based record label Joe Anthony Productions who wanted to re-release the songs Mahut Bandhu and One World, under their banner on the CD- The Music of The Globe Vol1. We saw this as a vindication of our experiments with folk music and thus went full steam then on.
Q Given the fact that you have a female lead vocalist was pathbreaking in the time and rare even today. What has been the core thought process behind it?
A In 1999 our previous vocalist left for Chennai to try his luck in the entertainment industry down south thus we were left without a singer. That’s when we approached Chandrani who by then already had two releases under her belt via The Rock Street Journal and the celebrated Great Indian Rock album series. It was a natural transition. Knock on wood, things have just worked seamlessly since then, and we hope to continue this partnership for many years to come.
Q Your musical influences must have been truly eclectic. Can you talk about them? Have these kept evolving?
A Yes, our influences are eclectic indeed. From the folk music of Ireland to the mystic monks of Tibet and the Bebop Jazz of Charlie Parker to the screaming feedback of Jimi Hendrix we do have a ton of them. Modern Jazz and ambient music along with the folk music of India have had a huge say too. Guitarist Eric Johnson from Austin Texas has been a huge influence on my own personal guitar playing style and Singer Songwriter Joni Mitchell has been a huge influence for Chandrani.
Q Tell us about your popular number Jhiko Jhiko. Its compelling zing continues to strike a chord with fans even today?
A Yes, indeed that was a magical experiment, Jhiko Jhiko is an Assamese Goalpariya Lok Geet that we stumbled upon on our concert tours in Assam, it really appealed to us and the song had a particular mellifluousness that touched our hearts. Upon meditating on the song and working on it for weeks we stumbled upon this beautiful magical skimming across the ocean kind of vibe that we achieved through our interpretation which is since a unequaled standout. Our fans just can’t get enough of it and we get requests from all over the world for us to play it on all our concert tours from audiences far and wide.
Q What is your definition of rock music in terms of the deeper meaning you associate with it?
A Rock to me is an expression of freedom and a genre that really is wide and accommodating as it encompasses a general feeling of freewheeling, no holds barred communication. We have our own interpretation of this genre which we have named “World Rock”- it is a hybrid form of Rock music that taps on the vastness of folk with the immediacy of Rock music which in my opinion is unique to Krosswindz.
Q Can you take us through your ideation to recording routine?
A When we get together as a band, we often jam for long lengths of time playing over a short phrase of chords or melody until it resonates with all of us. Once it has solidified into a verse Chorus kind of structure Chandrani starts penning lyrics to go with the musical phrases. Sometimes the process is absolutely in reverse-the lyrics come first and then through jamming the lyrics are set to music. We sketch out a rough outline of the song and then transfer it to the DAW in our home studio where further ideation is executed. Upon solidifying the structure of the song, the drums are recorded to a click track and then one by one all the guitars are dubbed in the home studio. Lastly the lead vocals are added to the song to take it into the mixing stage. All of the sound engineering is done by me including mastering for digital distribution and CD duplication.
Q What do you think is the role of your performances in your success, and how does one cultivate this ability?
A Our success has definitely hinged on our live performances and over the last 30 years the major chunk of our visibility has been due to our global concert touring schedule as social media wasn’t around previously. It is through touring that we’ve managed to spread our music far and wide. It’s at shows that we have fans line up after shows to buy our merch, especially our CD’s that have been a cherished experience as regards fan connection. The ability to deliver a truly memorable show is key to the longevity and success of a band, we are truly grateful that our live concerts have been received so well by audiences worldwide.
Q What, according to you, is the key to connecting with diverse audiences, especially the youth? Is it the music content or the sound?
A The key to connecting with audiences is authenticity, playing to your true powers and abilities and showcasing them in an aesthetic way is key. The music has to connect with the listener at a very deep level which is often the most difficult part. We’ve been blessed to have innumerable songs and albums that have touched the souls of the listener.
Q What are the subjects close to your heart and why? What is it that keeps you churning out new stuff with such regularity?
A The environment and spirituality have been a big subject for us and our heartfelt compositions on these subjects have cut across all boundaries and touched global audiences.
Q Please talk us through one of the concerts among several that evokes strong memories in India or abroad? How different are the requests in India and say the US West coast?
A One of the concerts that we have very fond memories of is the concert at The Chabot College in San Francisco. The inhouse staff at the venue were one of the best that we have encountered on our travels globally. I remember how effortless our setup and soundcheck was with a wiz sound engineer. He knew exactly how to tune the speakers and gave us a beautiful stage mix and the audience was just out of this world-one of the most fun gigs we have ever played never to be forgotten. We were smothered by requests for our most played songs like Jhiko Jhiko and One World. It was truly a magical experience at the meet and greet with all of the audience after the show and signing autographs and posing for photos with such a warm group. Strangely enough the requests are no different when we tour here in India, in fact in Bangalore we had a similar experience recently and the audience were exactly like California.
Q Do you think that on the whole Indian bands have been able to make a mark and are not looked as a reflection of the West?
A I can speak for Krosswindz. We’ve been accepted by a global audience and keep getting called back to Europe and the US. And if we were not unique, I don’t think this would be the case. I do think, though, that there is room for more global exposure and I am hopeful that in the near future there will be a breakthrough of huge proportions for Krosswindz in the west.
Q Where do you see Indian rock going from where it is now?
A I think the west is waking up to the fact that there are great bands coming out of the Indian Sub-continent and I am hopeful that very soon bands from this region are going to make a huge splash in the global space.
Q You have arrived at what you call is a World-Rock Sound. Can you take us through this?
A Yes, we have coined a phrase to sum up our sound “World Rock”. It is basically World Music played from the perspective of a hard rocking band and giving folk music a wider spatial palette with the interplay of diverse genres like Space Rock and Funk Rock with the rustic tonality of Folk Music.
Q What are you planning to record in your next album, and when will it be released?
A We’ve been working on a full-length English language album for a while now. We‘re about halfway and hope to complete it by the end of the year. It is a diverse project with hard hitting songs and some delicate ballads too. I do hope that everyone will continue to support Krosswindz the way they have done over the last three decades. Thank you for having Krosswindz, we wish you the very best and continued success.
Vibhav Rao
