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KROSSWINDZ

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Hometown	KOLKATA, India
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KROSSWINDZ are a world music band from Calcutta India.Krosswindz is just back from a hugely successful 42 day concert tour of USA in September and October of 2009,the band played 11 gigs over 9 cities-New York,San Fransisco,Dallas,Austin City,San Diego,Tampa,Sacramento,Boston and Delaware.The Grammy winning Guitar Legend Eric Johnson was guest of honor at the Austin City tour and a Krosswindz tour featuring Eric as co-headliner is planned for 2010. Krosswindz toured 6 cities in the US in October 2007- Los Angeles,San Fransisco,Seattle,Atlanta,Chicago and Jersey City.Kroswindz played 7 concerts and one Live Radio Broadcast 2 hour unplugged concert for Sandusky Radio Seattle-Kevin Mc Donald Presents.Krosswindz have been nominated in 2 categories in the JPF Awards 2009(The Grassroot Grammys) being held in NASHVILLE TN USA along with co-nominees A R Rahman and Illayaraja,Krosswindz have been nominated for Best Indian Song and Best Indian Album.The ceremony is kicking off in BB King's pub Nashville with a performance and Krosswindz have been invited to perform at both their events the 2nd event -the main ceremony is at The Wild Horse Saloon Concert Hall in Nashville on 29th August.Primarily a Classic Rock/folk-fusion band,focusing on world music with soulful songs,lyric oriented.Professionally performing concerts all over the world for the last seventeen years. Krosswindz is the music of Bengal and India with a blend of folk music traditions from around the world.The result- a potpouri of sounds deeply rooted in the soil that touches the heart and speaks the common language of humankind.Music Style-world/Rock,folk,ambient environmental fusionMusical Influences John Mc Laughlin,Santana,Eric Johnson(AUSTIN TEXAS),Jimi Hendrix,Pink Floyd,The Beatles.Miles Davis,Indian Musical influences-Padmashree Protima Barua Pandey(Goalpariya-Assamese Folk Exponent and singer),Rabindranath Tagore,Kishori Amonkar,Bhupen Hazarika,Purno Das Baul,Shubha Mudgal,Abida Parveen,Runa Laila,SD Burman,Abbasuddin Ahmed,Lalon fokir, etc.Similar Artists-Yossou n Dour,Sting,Cranberries,Joni Mitchell,Jimi HendrixArtist History -The band was formed in 1990,has toured all over the sub-continent and 6 cities in the USA playing at major festivals,concerts and clubs and has officially released 12 albums.Two of the most famous Bangla songs of Krosswindz are "Prithibita Naki Choto Hote hote" written by Gautam Chatterjee performed by Krosswindz in the album Abar Bocchor Kuri porey and "Jhiko Jhiko"-from the album Jhiko Jhiko Krosswindz.Krosswindz is renowned for the musical dexterity and virtuoso skill of legendary guitar player Vikramjit Banerjee(tuki)and the unique and mellifluous vocals and gayaki of Chandrani.The band is busy performing all over the world along with recording new material for their forthcoming album.KROSSWINDZ is an accredited and empaneled band with the ICCR(INDIAN COUNCIL FOR CULTURAL RELATIONS NEW DELHI)and are officially enlisted as a premier band ofINDIA and they call us when they need us to represent INDIA in festivals abroad.The band has performed and collaborated with internationally reputed names like HERBIEHANCOCK(USA),SKY HIGH(SWEDEN),RAG FOUNDATION(ENGLAND WALES),TIZIAN JOST(GERMANY),PANDIT RAMESH MISHRA(INDIAN SARENGI PLAYER OF INTERNATIONAL REPUTE),SANJAY MISHRA(CLASSICAL GUITARIST USA),THE JAZZ AMBASSADORS(USA),DAVID DYKSTRA(THE BAUTISA BAND SAN-FRANSISCO),Fred Hamilton Jazz guitarist USA.The album TRIBUTE TO ERIC JOHNSON USA(GRAMMY winning guitarist from Austin Texas)features the dazzling guitar work by Tuki(KROSSWINDZ) on the track SPACE GUITAR.Available in USA and at the Val Serrie productions site.The album THE MUSIC OF THE GLOBE features two tracks by KROSSWINDZ namely ONE WORLD and MAHUT BONDHU which was re-released in USA by independant Washington based label JOE ANTHONY PRODUCTIONS,this album has gone onto become a hot seller from amazon , itunes and other online merchants apart from being popular at conventional music stores like TOWER.Krosswindz has been a pioneer in the band movement in West Bengal and the first bengali project/collaboration with GAUTAM CHATTERJEE(MONIMAMA)of MOHINER GHORAGULI yielded the anthemic hit Prithibita Naki Choto Hote Hote.Released in 1994 the album AABAR BOCHOR KURI POREY has become a staple amongst music lovers.The collaboration happened when Gautam suggested KROSSWINDZ record and perform one track he had written and set tune to in 1993 and eventually the studio sessions yielded the astonishing new bengali side of KROSSWINDZ.This song has now been remade by Bollywood in the movie GANGSTER and a hindi version is doing the rounds on all music channels.Krosswindz has evolved over the early years from being a rock band to a world/fusion band and has gained repute all over the world for its pathbreaking new sound and fresh approach to music.In the early years the band created a tremendous fan following of loyal fans who followed the band and are still avid listeners/audiences, the reputation of the band as being a stupendous live act spread and gigs picked up by the mid nineties and nowadays on an average the band has ten to twelve shows a month.The music of krosswindz has been featured in numerous documentary films and commercials.Recently the international multi-award winning film THE WAY BACKHOME by film maker SUPRIYO SEN featured the vocals of CHANDRANI(KROSSWINDZ) in the song Ghore Pherar Gaan(written by Gautam Chatterjee from the album Khyapar Gaan) prominently as the Title track and backgroundscore for the film.The music of KROSSWINDZ is being aired bymajor FM stations around the world-BBC in UK, in CALCUTTA RADIO MIRCHI,RED FM,AAMAR FM and ALL INDIA RADIO.In AUSTRALIA pbs FM in MELBOURNE is playing the song ONE WORLD by KROSSWINDZ on their show GLOBAL VILLAGE hosted by ROGER HOLDSWORTH.KROSSWINDZ has been on many major national and international TV shows and reputed production houses like the BBC and MTV have covered KROSSWINDZ on innumerable occasions.Krosswindz has acted for a feature part in the tele film called "Aamra Ebong" by noted Calcutta actor/director Parambrata Chatterjee where even the soundtrack of the film has songs from the album-MISIKI MISIKI(FOLK-FUSION)KROSSWINDZ.The song "Morihe Shyam" from this album is the title song of this tele-film.The band also appears regularly on game shows and interviews on popular Indian TV channels like zee bangla(hau mau khau),Tara Muzik-Take a break and Bandemonium,Sangeet Bangla(metro music and Shudhu Gaane Shudhu Shongeete)etc.Channel S in the UK has telecast a documentary featuring KROSSWINDZ.GAAN BEDHE DOLBAJEE on CTVN PLUS channel.KROSSWINDZ has one of the highest record sales in the regional market and has had superhit albums like ONE WORLD,JHIKO JHIKO and MISIKI MISIKI selling lakhs of units.Presently Krosswindz is signed to Indian label SAGARIKA MUSIC.KROSSWINDZ has been on the charts at broadjam.com numerous times and a huge number of people have downloaded the band's music from free sites like mp3.comONE WORLD has entered the Earth Top 10 at Broadjam!ONE WORLD has entered the Production - Mid Tempo Top10 at Broadjam!ONE WORLD has entered the Pop Top 10 at Broadjam!ONE WORLD has entered the Broadjam #1 Songs Top 10 atBroadjam!ONE WORLD has entered the Production - Female VocalsTop 10 atBroadjam!Krosswindz's rendition of the song TANGRA TOBU KATON JAYE from the album JHIKO JHIKO was been nominated by an AMERICAN company called JPF(CD BABY) in the BEST FOLK SONG category of their music awards in 2006http://www.jpfolks.com/MusicAwards/2006/SongNominees.htmlKrosswindz has one of the largest amount of fans in the Indian music scene that spread all over the sub-continent and even to other parts of the world like in the USA,UK,MEXICO,IRELAND following the band avidly and listening with admiration.Tower records,cdbaby and apple i tunes also stock a healthy quota ofthe music of KROSSWINDZ and the number of fans is growing each day.Group Members -Vikramjit(tuki)lead guitar,dotara,khamak backingvocals/songwriter producer Chandrani-lead vocals/songwriter,percussion Ratanjit-keyboards/guitar Rajiv-rhyhm guitar Osi-bass Jeff-drums Guest musicians perform with the band from time to time keeping the sonic spectrum diverse and eclectic.Instruments guitar,nylon string guitar,mandolin,dotara,dhol,djembe,khol,drums,congas,timbales,cabasa,guiros,triangles,shakers,bass guitar,keyboards, Albums(discography)krosswindz singles- bmg crescendo india,1994 krosswindz poth geche benke-sagarika,1996 krosswindz one world-kosmic music,2002krosswindz bhebe dekhecho ki-kosmic music,2002krosswindz jhiko jhiko-sagaika,2004krosswindz misiki misiki-sagarika,2005KROSSWINDZ DHOWA-Sagarika,2006Compilation albums- aabar bochor kooree porey mohiner ghoraguli,1994khyapar gaan mohiner ghoraguli,1999moni chara shunno laagey various artists,2002THE MUSIC OF THE GLOBE-JOE ANTHONY PRODUCTIONS(USA),2003Tribute to Eric Johnson various artists, produced-VALSERRIE TEXAS USA,2004GIR-VOL1 andGIR VOL2 RSJ Records DelhiSmokin guns-RSJ RECORDS DelhiPress Reviews-Krosswindz rings in new year 2007 with 20,000 strong audience in shillong-The Telegraph,krosswindz goes global on world music ship,-the Telegraph.Krosswindz song Jhiko Jhiko being played down under in Australian FM-The Times Of India.Prithibi goes to Bollywood-Hindustan times"the first band from the eastern region of india to come out with an album of original English compositions"-The Telegraph Calcutta"one world tops local charts"times of india calcutta "The evening of January 16 was electrifying, with JUST, a band formed by JU students, belting outpopular numbers. But it was Krosswindz, playing to the galleries of over 4,000, that was a smash hit with a two-and-a-half-hour gig."the Telegraph Calcutta Winds of cross culture-Krosswindz has absorbed jazz,Irish folk, hip-hop, funk and Indian music to create astyle of their own which they call 'World Rock'. A few copies of their recent release One World are available in big music stores in Bangalore, writes Michael Patrao"I don't want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all lands to be blown about my house as freely aspossible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any." These words of Mahatma Gandhi (said in a different context) may well be the description of the Kolkata band Krosswindz.The album "ONE WORLD" is doing very well in Kolkata and a few copies did manage to land in Bangalore. Priced at Rs 125 a CD you may find it in one of the bigger music stores in Bangalore.-DECCAN HERALD Additional Info email the band at-- tukiguitarman@yahoo.com,tukiguitarman@gmail.comwww.krosswindz.comwww.cdbaby.com/krosswindzwww.soundclick.com/krosswindzLocation calcutta, west bengal - Indiacontact-vikramjit banerjee flat 1b kanak apartments,174/10 nsc bose road,calcutta 700040.India

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Space Guitar-Tribute to Eric Johnson

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Losing my Head

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KROSSWINDZ Live in Shillong

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Achievements

Top 10 in All Instrumental, August 2014

Top 10 in All Instrumental, July 2014

Top 10 in All Instrumental, June 2014

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Press Coverage

It was a melodious evening by KOLOROB-IN-THE-CITY
KOLOROB-IN-THE-CITY

Bangla band returns to rock roots by The Telegraph
Bangla band returns to rock roots - Puja release for album Krosswindz in performance. A Telegraph picture It?s the annual musical treat from the melody-makers, but with a difference this time. Krosswindz, one of the oldest city bands, is readying its new album for a Puja 2006 release. The latest offering sees the band move away from the folk flavour and return to rock roots. ?The music of the new album is world rock. There?s a strong influence of rock but other sounds from around the world as well, like Irish folk and Afro,? says Bikramjit Banerjee, founding member of Krosswindz. There is also a focus on the live element this time around, with a lot of live guitar work, Bikramjit adds. The nine-track album features the regular line-up of Bikramjit, Chandrani and Ratanjit, along with Nigel Gomez on drums and OC on bass. ?Around 50 per cent of the work is complete. Some guitar solos and few Chandrani final vocals are left,? says Bikramjit. Chandrani has author ed and sung all the songs. ?The songs are in Bengali and deal with a variety of things, including the times in a day when a person feels meaningless and introspective,? she offers. Her personal favourite is Duto Kotha, a song about a somewhat-bewildered person looking for hope and optimism. ?Duto Kotha? is also in contention for the album title. ?There are some folksy tracks like Padmapatar Majhi but the sound is more rock compared to our last album Misiki Misiki,? Chandrani adds. Like most Krosswindz albums, the recording is being done in Bikramjit and Chandrani?s Tollygunge home studio. ?There are several advantages of working at home. You can move at your own pace, not have to compromise due to lack of time and the comfortable atmosphere allows you to get more done,? feels the duo. Besides working on the album ? slated to come out just before the Puja ? and playing their weekly set at Someplace Else, the band is touring regularly. ?We had a fantastic time in Bhutan recently, where we played for the royal family,? says Bikramjit. Also on the cards is an album of original English compositions, which will be taken up ?as soon as we complete this one?.

Band it like Bangla by The Telegraph
The Krosswindz song Tangra tobu katon jaye has been nominated for Best Indian Classical/Traditional Song Nominee Writer at the Just Plain Folks, a music awards in the US parallel to the Grammy, this November.

Gigs galore to ring in New Year by The Telegraph
Gigs galore to ring in New Year - Calcutta band Krosswindz takes 20,000-strong Shillong crowd into 2007 OUR BUREAU It was music for a cause for Zubeen Garg when he performed at the Sishu Shanti Samaroh in aid of children from violence-hit families in Assam on Saturday. Picture by Eastern Projections Dec. 31: In Shillong, music rolls along. And how! The Meghalaya capital lived up to the title and theme song of a musical New Year bash as a 20,000-strong crowd let its hair down for one last time in 2006. As dazzling fireworks lit up the first hour of 2007, Police Bazar Square played host to a heady fusion of music, food and, well, some more music. “This is awesome! We are in our 16th year of some very memorable performances, but we have not seen anything like this,” said Vikramjit Banerjee, lead guitarist for Calcutta-based rock band Krosswindz, after an exhilarating opening act. Organised by the Meghalaya Tourism Development Forum with support from the Meghalaya Tourism Development Corporation, the show began at 8.30 pm as local bands Felixis and Snow White got the crowd into the groove with some oldies and classic rock ’n’ roll numbers. They strummed the right chord, which Krosswindz then tuned to a “rock”-solid crescendo with some breathtaking renditions of everything from The Beatles and Pat Metheny to Pink Floyd. Guwahati faced some good old music too, though not from the vigilante Asom Sena, with bands belting out foot-tapping numbers to take the city into the New Year. Despite a stern warning from the moral policing unit of the All Assam Students’ Union, the city’s party scene ranged from the traditional to the funky. Fashion shows, DJ nights and buffets — leading hotels, lounge bars and discotheques dished out an array of options for Guwahatians. Mizoram heralded 2007 with roof-top performances at Millenium Centre, a local mall. Youths also gathered at the Temple Square to celebrate under the open skies. Amidst the revelry, church bells tolled to mark the first moments of the new year. In Manipur, Imphal’s Bheigyachandra Open Air Theatre resounded with the notes of The Great Two Nights, another concert. The programme, which will continue till tomorrow, is being organised by Sana Konung Semgat Lup. Proceeds from the show will go into the renovation of the Manipur Palace. In Nagaland, a diktat by the NSCN (I-M) banning all late-night entertainment led to virtually no celebrations at all.

Of music, energy and connection by The Telegraph
The American musician?s daytime job brings him to India twice a year and very often to this city. After a few trips from San Francisco to Calcutta, he decided to explore the music scene here. Searching for local bands on the Internet, the music of Krosswindz finally made the connection with David Dykstra. With another Calcutta trip looming on the horizon, he emailed the band, asking if he could make some music with them. ?That was 10 days ago. And here I am now,? smiled the soft-spoken and extremely polite Dykstra, sitting on a sofa at Krosswindz duo Bikramjit and Chandrani?s home-cum-studio on Tuesday afternoon. Dykstra is a jazz keyboardist who has made albums of his own, played with Latin funk bands back home and opened for greats like Carlos Santana. But at the session with Krosswindz, things are more freewheeling. ?I really want to start with a jam. Music is all about energy and connection. I want to see if there?s a connection here. If there is, that?s great. If not, that?s okay too,? offered the man who works in a financial company by day. What followed was a jam in the Krosswindz studio that carried on for the next few hours. It took Dykstra the first few bars of the opening piece to get into the groove. A few minutes into the number, he was branching out into solos. ?The connection is definitely there,? agreed both Dykstra and Krosswindz, taking a breather a while later. As a teenager, Dykstra had started out with the saxophone but soon shifted to the keyboard. ?I arranged, recorded and produced my first album in 1991, called A Gazelle Hunter?s Weekend.? He then joined the funk rock Bautista band and later founded La Ventana. Dykstra?s first tryst with India was at 19, when, on a ?quest for the truth?, he made a trip to India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. ?I read the Upanishads and the Gita and felt I had to visit this country,? Dykstra recalled. Things have changed since, but there?s something ?truly special? about rural India that takes Dykstra back to the villages almost every time he?s here. That and a trip to a Buddhist monastery in Karnataka, ever since he converted to Buddhism. But the jam with Krosswindz is certainly the highlight of this trip. ?It was really nice of him to get in touch and come and play with us,? said Bikramjit. The band is recording the jam for possible inclusion in its next album, due in Puja 2006.

Ready for change, not switchover by The Telegraph
Jamshedpur, April 22: After mesmerising the country with their rock, blues, Bengali and folk numbers, Calcutta-based band Krosswindz is all set to take experimentation to a new level. The band, which has been experimenting with Bengali and Assamese folk music, is now ready to experiment with other contemporary folk styles. Mostly known as a folk rock group, Krosswindz is perhaps the oldest band in the rock circuit of Calcutta. The band was here to perform at United Club during a Poila Baisakh programme on Saturday. The band comprises Chandrani (vocals), Vikramjit Banerjee (guitar and production) and and Ratanjit Banerjee (keyboard). Chandrani said although influenced by Bengali and Assamese folk music, she has recently come across some Bhojpuri songs. “We are a folk rock band though we have tried almost everything else. I recently came across some Bhojpuri songs and would like to work on it,” she said, adding that they are ready to experiment with all kinds of folk music though they concentrate on Bengali and Assamese. “We did many songs which had both Assamese and Bengali lyrics. The advantage was that we catered to the audience of both cities. At the same time, we are also open to all other folk music,” she said. While Chandrani is influenced by singers like Purnadas Baul, Prataima Baul and Abida Parveen, Vikramjit is influenced by Jimi Hendrix. The band has been selected by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations to represent India on overseas musical concerts. The band has also collaborated with reputed international and national artistes on projects. The band also came out with an English album and are working on another. Band members said it was very difficult to come out with anything else other than Bengali music while based in Calcutta. The record companies are just not ready to bring out an English album though we are trying our best to do it again, said the members. At the same time, the band does not have any immediate plans to switchover as done by many other bands. “Right now we do not have any such plans as our band has a carved out a definite niche in the Bengali circuit. Maybe sometime later we would be able to switchover,” said Chandrani.

Blowing in the windz by The Telegraph
Blowing in the windz Their journey has continued through numerous line-up changes for 15 years. Their sound in the past few years has been refreshing in its blend of Bangla folk and Western rock. Now, Krosswindz (in performance at Someplace Else pictured right) is gearing up with its sixth studio album, Misiki Misiki, scheduled for release next month. ?The title comes from michki michki hashi (a mischievous smile) spoken in a dialect,? explains Bikramjit Banerjee, guitarist and a founding member of the band. The 11-track album was recorded in the home studio of Bikram and Chandrani (his wife and vocalist of Krosswindz) and will be released by Sagarika. ?There is baul, jhumur and goalbari songs on Misiki Misiki, done in a way that Krosswindz would approach folk, incorporating world music elements,? offers Chandrani. Besides 10 traditional tunes ? five on the love between Radha and Krishna ? the album features a song penned by Chandrani, called Jajabor Pokkhhi. Jhiko Jhiko, Krosswindz?s last album released in 2004, was one of the most successful ones for the band. ?We?re actually getting royalty for the first time from an album,? exclaims Bikramjit. The mix of contemporary feel and exotic instruments like the Assamese dotara worked, he feels. Tracks from Jhiko Jhiko were even played on Australian radio. ?They probably heard the songs over the Internet or from people carrying the sound back from Calcutta,? says Chandrani. Krosswindz music has also featured in international compilations with One World and Mahut Bondhu finding a place on 2003?s Music of the Globe, released by American independent label Joe Anthony Productions. The current line-up of Krosswindz ? Nitin on bass, Ratanjit on keyboard, Avinash on drums and Dwaipayan on vocals ? is just over a year old, though the band was formed in 1990 in St Xavier?s College and released its first single in 1993. Recording the new album was quite a different experience for the kinds of sounds that Krosswindz experimented with ? from Peruvian folk to Indian violin. ?While we were recording, we heard this Indian violin seller playing on the street. We invited him in and asked him to play for the album? it was great,? recalls Bikramjit. ?A video of the title track is scheduled for September. And we are also planning to put together a celebration album on the 15th year of Krosswindz with unreleased material. Let?s see how soon we?re able to do that.?

Fun fest for femme force by The Telegraph
Krosswindz in performance; Babul Supriyo; Mir with actress Rimjhim on stage; participants in the Most Beautiful Hair contest; kids match steps with the band’s tunes at the Dabur Anmol Coconut Jasmine Hair Oil Sananda Carnival at Nalban. Krosswindz in performance; Babul Supriyo; Mir with actress Rimjhim on stage; participants in the Most Beautiful Hair contest; kids match steps with the band’s tunes at the Dabur Anmol Coconut Jasmine Hair Oil Sananda Carnival at Nalban.

Staying in tune by The Telegraph
Staying in tune Tuki and Chandrani Banerjee’s shared passion for all things musical keeps their relationship on just the right note They are one of the most visible couples on Calcutta’s music scene today. Of course, the long flowing hair ? both his and hers ? helps. But ultimately if it’s anything that makes one sit up and listen to Vikramjit ‘Tuki’ Banerjee and wife Chandrani, it’s their music ? soul-searching, gut-busting and always tuned into the times. Married for 12 years now, the two spend most of their time hitting the high notes for Krosswindz, one of Calcutta’s big rock successes. Tuki has been the band’s lead guitarist and frontman ever since it first exploded on to the city’s fledgling music scene about 15 years ago. Endless gigs and five successful albums later, Krosswindz has just launched a new album, Misiki Misiki, a work rooted in world music. But while the melodies may be global, the band sticks to its roots having kept the lyrics in Bengali. “We may have started out as a typical rock band. But somewhere along the way, we became caught up in the whirlwind that is world music,” says Tuki. “It’s all about offering music lovers something new and exciting,” he says. So, today Krosswindz plays what Tuki calls ‘world rock’. A former journalist with The Rock Street Journal, wife Chandrani signed on to become the full-time lead vocalist of the band in 1999. By then, she had already earned quite a name for herself as an underground singer to reckon with. Today Tuki and Chandrani, as also their bandmates, are busy doing gigs. But when husband and wife are not rocking hard in Someplace Else or at yet another jam session, the two spend most of their time at their Tollygunge home and studio doing, what else but making sweet music! TUKI: I remember being quite impressed the very first time I met Chandrani. It was back in 1992 at the Marine Engineering College at Taratala, which was holding its annual fest. Chandrani was participating in the Western music competition and was looking for a guitarist to accompany her on stage. Someone suggested my name and before I knew it, she approached me. What impressed me about her then was the song she’d selected to sing ? not some soppy Mariah Carey number but Vincent by Don McLean, a celebrated folk anthem. She won the first prize that day and I guess, my smitten heart as well. After that, we kept bumping into each other at various college events and I remember doing all the chasing. One thing led to another and within a year, I proposed marriage. I was just 22. Yet, I knew I couldn’t imagine a life without a partner who wouldn’t be able to share the pure joy of music. Chandrani was passionate about music, and I knew I had found ‘the one’. Besides my initial awe at her voice, what struck me about Chandrani early on was the fact that although a free spirit, she was a traditional Indian woman at heart. We also share a lot in common and our appreciation of various things are startlingly similar. For instance, perhaps there’s this particular jazz piece which would appeal to nobody, and both Chandrani and I would derive extraordinary pleasure from listening to it. That’s how we are ? always in sync! Professionally, I think the world of my wife. She’s been blessed with a voice that can effortlessly glide from genre to genre. So while in one breath, she can sing a sweet Bangla folk song, in the next, she can hit out hard with a Janis Joplin track. That’s why she’s such an asset to our band. I also really value her advice when it comes to production and mixing as she has a brilliant ear for music. Now I’m a pretty moody person but Chandrani has always been compassionate to my mood swings. I’m terribly impatient too. I need to get to the crux of the matter and fast. Thankfully, Chandrani understands all my little quirks. I also know that no other woman would tolerate a man playing the guitar for 12 hours at a stretch, or accept that I become oblivious to all else when in the studio. No one but Chandrani understands that I wake up thinking of music and fall asleep doing the same. CHANDRANI: I was nervous when I first approached Tuki at the fest. There I was, this small town girl from Chandannagar, and there he was, one of the city’s hottest guitarists. Yet when we joined forces on stage that day ? with not even one rehearsal, mind you ? it was magic! Ours was a whirlwind courtship. I had just completed my Part I exams, when Tuki proposed. I was very young but Tuki’s belief in us was unflappable. It was this that made me accept. What drew me to Tuki was that he’s a simple-hearted person. He’s not at all complicated. Of course, his mind-blowing sense of music also attracted me. I’ve always wanted to sing. And being with Tuki has taught me that you don’t need to be an engineer with a huge house to be happy. The two of us are walking down a different road and while we’re not filthy rich, we’re happy. Regards my take on Tuki professionally, I must say he is a complete musician. He’s a brilliant guitarist of course, and even his song-writing abilities are superb. The song Silences, which he penned for our One World album, reads like poetry. He’s a well-rounded musician in that he even does his own mixing and sound engineering. While many believe that living with a creative person is very difficult, I beg to differ. In my opinion, it’s an uncommon journey. I understand Tuki better because I too am a musician. He’s always in a different time zone, but I understand that, as I get that way too. We musicians are a weird race all right! Photograph by Rashbehari Das

‘LET’S BRING KOLKATA INTO THE GLOBAL MAP by Times Of India Kolkata Special
Publication:Times Of India Kolkata; Date:Apr 3, 2009; Section:Special Report; Page Number:26 ‘LET’S BRING KOLKATA INTO THE GLOBAL MAP OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY' Growing up in Calcutta in the 70's and 80's, I remember standing in line and buying tickets for mega international bands like Wishbone Ash, Shakti, Ritchie Heavens, Woody Shaw, Dizzy Gillespie, etc. I still remember feeling the adrenaline rush as I walked down Southern Avenue and I heard Wishbone Ash sound checking. I was running to get to OAT now called Nazrul Manch. The show left me speechless and the venue was bursting at the seams, there were people literally falling out of the stands. That was the level of interest an international Rock concert generated in those days. Sadly now there are hardly any sponsors who want to come forward and sponsor a real mega international act and Kolkata is getting sidelined. I wish sponsors would support live music more and get international bands to Kolkata just like Bangalore and Mumbai get all the big names. In cities like Edinburgh, Austin (USA), London and San Francisco, music festivals/fairs are a common phenomenon. I have been to the Kolkata Book Fair from childhood and have often felt it's a missed opportunity for musicians. I have been left with a sense of loss at what could be achieved from a musical standpoint. With a little bit of support and organisational ability on the part of local event managers, the Kolkata Book Fair could take on a different colour like the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with parallel music concerts in and around the fair. A festival along the lines of WOMAD held in the UK or South by South West in Austin USA could easily be organised in Kolkata and it would be so nice to have continuous music performances, seminars on music and technology happening all across the city for an entire week like abroad. It would give a platform for new artists and experimental music performers to showcase their talent. One problem I face quite often is getting my guitars repaired or modified to suit my playing style. I miss the fact that Kolkata does not have a dedicated custom guitar craftsman. The only one I know lives in Pondicherry and I cannot afford to leave my instruments in a far off town. An indigenous custom guitar/instrument manufacturing company would be a welcome addition to the musical landscape of Kolkata. I also miss the fact that Kolkata does not have a modern performance based music school like the Berklee College of Music in Boston or the Julliard School of music. I think performance as an art form has moved on and modern elements of the art form should be taught like in universities abroad that teach music production, music marketing, etc along with standard music theory and grammar. I believe Kolkata has the heart of a truly magical cultural city that can blossom into an epic centre of the creative arts. I think people should come forward and nurture this special magical facet of the city and chip in our own ways to bringing Kolkata into the global map of the music industry. We are all in this together let us help each other bring our best facets to the front and help Kolkata rise to be a truly international city. (Banerjee is the band leader of Krosswindz)

A very distinguished guest-list by Kuensel Newspaper Bhutan
A very distinguished guest-list home 3 November, 2008 - The President of India, Mrs Pratibha Patil, will be the guest of honour during the Coronation and Centenary celebrations, which start from November 6. India’s external affairs minister, Pranab Mukherjee, will also attend the function. According to foreign ministry officials, the Gandhi family, close friends of the Royal Family, will attend the coronation ceremony of the King. Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi, daughter Priyanka Vadra and her children will attend the function on November 6 and 7. The visit of the Gandhi family coincides with the 50th anniversary of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s visit to Bhutan in 1958. Fifty years after Jawaharlal Nehru rode a yak on his way to Bhutan for a five-week long visit. Official guests at the Coronation function also includes Ambassadors from 20 countries. Meanwhile, the Citizen’s Initiative for Centenary and Coronation Celebrations (CICCC) say that two bands, KROSS WINDZ from Kolkata and PARIK RAMA from New Delhi, along with two Thai bands, will perform on alternate days from November 21 onwards.

Noon to moon by The Deccan Herald
Leave it to Opus to turn a lazy Sunday afternoon into a fun day. As part of their Holi edition, Opus recently hosted the launch of a new wine, Four Seasons. To bring in a traditional touch, guests were asked to roll up their jeans and to get involved in a wine-stomping session. The first five guests, who volunteered, even won themselves a bottle of wine. “This is the harvest season and the fun part of wine-making is the stomping. So we thought, “why not bring that to the people out here?” said Abhay Kewadkar, business head and chief wine-maker of Four Seasons. This was not all, guests at the launch also enjoyed a therapeutic therapy after the stomping sessions. Apart from the launch, the place also had their monthly Bizare Buzzaar. Giving the feel of a Goan flea market, the Bazaar, hosted many new designers and artists along with their creations. “A must-visit stall is the psybabas, which has freaky neon t-shirts and accessories that glow in the dark,” informed a guest. In between the stalls one could see a potter, who without a care about his surroundings, was busy on his wheel and churning out as many as 20 pots, diyas and candle-stands in a matter of one hour. Within no time, he managed to draw a lot of curious onlookers. While the children got tattoos painted by an artist, young girls queued up at the tarot card reader. As soon as Krosswindz, the band from Kolkata started performing, everyone rushed to get a seat. From classics to their original compositions, Krosswindz gave a great start to the noon to moon party. The afternoon then made way to a Goan buffet, where each course was teamed up with five types of wine. This was then followed by a Sun-down Holi party, minus the colours. Guests came and left, but one thing that remained constant was the spirit of the party. DHNS

Krosswindz at CCFC 2013 by Club Sandwisch
Sprinklers and a mini dance floor were set up for a splash bash with KROSSWINDZ rocking it with Waka Waka,Gimme Hope Jo anna,La Bamba, and Lady hear me tonight.Adding some desi flavour were Sadher Lau and their own hit Jhiko Jhiko.My rain song is listen to the falling rain,an acoustic kind of song from the woodstock era smiled Krosswindz guitarist Vikramjit Tuki Banerjee,whose favourite footballer is Messi.Currantly keeping Tuki busy is Kolkatar King,Judhajit Sarkar's second film.I have done six songs for that and the background score too,It is down my lane,Acid Rock! I dont really care what the recedption will be because i am playing what i love,he smiled.This is also Vikramjit's second film after the yet unreleased Ujaney Padma Bhashey.

Bands to strum chords of solidarity by The second annual music-for-peace concert, “Peace.
Bands to strum chords of solidarity India Blooms News Service Kolkata, Dec 13 (IBNS): The second annual music-for-peace concert, “Peace. Love. Music: Rocking The Region” will be staged in Kolkata on Saturday which will feature leading musicians from India, Bangladesh and Nepal. This was announced at a press conference on Friday at the American Center, Kolkata, collaborating the event with Banglanatok.com. The multi band concert will feature Arnob and Friends from Bangladesh, Joint Family International from Nepal and Kolkata’s own Krosswindz. Speaking on the occasion, American Center Deputy Director Rachel Sunden said that the Center’s venture for the first Kolkata peace concert was a huge success last year comprising bands from India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, as she hoped the endeavour to continue its legacy. The Deputy Director said that there will be live streaming of the concert on US Consulate and Embassy Facebook pages throughout India as well as in Bangladesh and Nepal and on Kolkata TV along with radio coverage partnered by Power 107.8 FM. Joint Family International, the Nepal based Reggae band expressed gratitude in performing at Kolkata for the first time. The band will perform for about 50 minutes. Krosswindz said that the opportunity will create new vistas for greater collaborations, adding that chances are ripe that there will be surprise impromptu performance of the three bands together. (Reporting, Image by Shubham Dasgupta)

Expand

Stage Specs

Technical Requirements

Main PA
foldback monitors and Lights to adapt to actual situation

Sound
Equipmen
Quantit
Descriptio
JBL VRX800 compact lin
array syste
JBL SRX 800 Bas
management system
Requisite amplification an
array management system
2 Tops a Side. 4in all
2 Bins a Side. 4 in al
As required
Main sound Array
JBL Mpro415 floor wedge*
Requisite amplification
8 stage monitors
As required
Stage foldback
32 Channel live consol
with a minimum of
auxiliary sends
One
Mixing console
Effects rack
4 x Stereo, 31 band graphi
equalizers
2 x SFX units
4 x Stereo Compressors
4 x Noise gates
Sound processors for enhancin
and optimizing the final mix an
stage monitoring
Page
Equipmen
Quantit
Descriptio
Microphones
4 x Shure SM58 Handhel
vocal microphones.
1 x Shure Beta58A Handhel
vocal microphone.
1 x Shure Beta52 Kik Dru
microphone
2 x LD/SD condense
microphones
6 x Shure SM57 microphones
Sound Broadcast
Instrument amplification
1 x SWR/Trace Elliot or Hartke Bass amp
2 x Marshall/Fender Guitar amp
1 x Roland keyboard amp
6 x DI Boxes
One 5 piece Drum Kit-Tama/Pearl/Yamaha with all hardware/stands and zildjian cymbals -2 crash and 1 ride + hi hat
Miscellaneous
As required
32 channel balanced snak
cable and other connectors
* Or equivalent equipment
Page
Lights
Equipmen
Quantit
Descriptio
1. SGM/Gein
2 nos
550 watts HMI- moving hea
scanner
2. SGM-Victory
4-6 nos
600 watts moving mirro
scanne
3. Par Can-6
As required
Light
4. Smoke machin
2 nos
SF
5. Electronic dimme
1 nos
Light control panel
Appropriate sized stage
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Notes
- Sound and light requirements subject to change in accordance with the venue. This proposa
is an overview
- Confirmation of above stated requirements is mandatory.