Kuljit Bhamra
Encyclopedia
Kuljit Bhamra MBE Hon DMus (born 1959) is a British composer
, record producer
and musician
whose main instrument is the tabla
. He is best known as one of the record producers who pioneered the British Bhangra sound and for his many collaborations with musicians from different genres and continents. His MBE
was awarded in the Queen's Birthday Honour's List 2009 with the citation For services to Bhangra and British Asian Music. In July 2010 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate
by the University of Exeter
.
, Kenya, in 1959, His grandfather was an Indian artisan sent to Kenya by the British Raj
.
Bhamra contracted polio when he was one year old, which affected his left leg. This disability eventually led him to play the tabla whilst seated (similar to a drummer playing a drum kit) rather than seated on the floor – the usual practice for tabla players.
Bhamra’s father had gone to England to study civil engineering and in 1961 Kuljit and his mother joined him there. In 1968 they settled in Southall
which has been Bhamra’s home town ever since.
Bhamra taught himself to play the tabla at the age of six and accompanied his mother, Mohinder Kaur Bhamra, who was a popular singer at weddings and public functions. Later, with Bhamra's two brothers playing accordion and mandolin, Mohinder Kaur recorded a number of albums that became successful - being sold through a network of corner shops in the Asian community.
On the insistence of his father, Bhamra trained as a civil engineer at Middlesex University
and then worked for Richmond Council for a while.
). Using multitrack recording
techniques whilst combining Indian percussion with western instruments and live orchestral violins, Bhamra went on to produce numerous albums for both British and Indian artists. Some of his productions became internationally successful and included songs such as 'Rail Gaddi' (by Chirag Pehchan); 'Pyar Ka Hai Bairi' (by Sangeeta); 'Giddha Pao Haan Deo' (by Mohinder Kaur Bhamra); 'Peer Tere Jaan Di' (by Gurdas Maan); 'Aj Tenoon Nachna Pao' (by Mahendra Kapoor); 'Patel Rap' (by Bali), 'Nachdi Di Gooth Khulgaye' (by Premi) and Jag Wala Mela (by Heera).
In 1986 Bhamra established Keda Records, an independent record label committed to producing high quality cassettes and LPs.
Bhamra was profiled in the 1992 movie Confusion a Black Arts Video Project funded by the Arts Council of Great Britain
.
Bhamra finally gave up his career as a civil engineer in 1994 to concentrate on music. He purchased The Yard recording studio (situated in the Westar music complex in Southall) and renamed it Red Fort Studios. Later in 1999 he became the owner of the whole complex.
Bhamra started a long history of collaboration with jazz saxophonist Andy Sheppard
in 2000 when they worked on the album Dancing Man & Woman and went on to produce many joint compositions, performances and recordings including his debut album for ECM Records in 2010 Movements in Colour. During this time, Bhamra further developed his playing styles and extended his tabla kit to include other percussion instruments such as snare drum, cymbals and various hand-held percussion.
In 2001 Bhamra composed and directed the music for a production of the Ramayana
which debuted at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre
and went on to the Royal National Theatre
London.
From 2002 to 2004 he performed as on-stage percussionist in Andrew Lloyd-Webber's musical Bombay Dreams
at The Apollo Theatre
, London. He also was 'dialect coach' for the production. Occasionally, audience members came to the front of the auditorium and danced to his drumming at the end of the show.
Bhamra provided the Indian music for the musical The Far Pavilions
based on the novel of the same name by M.M. Kaye. It ran from 14 April 2005 till 17 September 2005 at the Shaftesbury Theatre
in London. He continued his involvement in British Asian theatre productions and wrote the music for shows including Layla Majnun (Midlands Art Centre, July 2003); Deranged Marriage (Theatre Royal Stratford, Riverside Studios and Theatre Royal Windsor, 2005 to 2008), and Lion of Punjab (Watermans Art Centre, 2009).
In 2009 Bhamra was featured artist at Salisbury International Arts Festival and curated six events during the 16 days of the festival, including a musical event at dusk at Stonehenge
, bringing together dancers, musicians and a shamanistic singer.
Bhamra was the last Artistic Director of the Society for the Promotion of New Music
before its merger and renaming to Sound & Music – the first British Asian to hold this post in its 60-year history. Projects included Bhangra Latina, the creation of a tabla notation system called Tablature!, Folk From Here with Kathryn Tickell
, Raga Mela with BBC Concert Orchestra
at Royal Festival Hall
and an ongoing educational projects to demystify Indian music and teaching - making learning and playing of Indian music more accessible.
In April 2009 Bhamra, along with film director and playwright Shakila Maan and photographer Ammy Phull launched the Southall Story - a project based around a website that celebrates the achievements of the people of this area of West London. The Southall Story exhibition was opened by film director and Southall
resident Gurinder Chadha
OBE at the Southbank Centre as part of the Alchemy Festival (April 7, 2010 to 11 May 2010). On 17 June 2009 the British Library
hosted a discussion evening entitled Southall: Music and Life.
Bhamra led the musical finale of the Liberty Festival in Trafalgar Square
on 5 September 2009. This event was created to showcase the breadth of artistic work and performance being created by deaf and disabled people and was supported by the Mayor of London
Boris Johnson
and the Arts Council England
.
In 2010 Bhamra wrote a number of specially commissioned pieces of Indian music for Trinity Guildhall (Trinity College London
), for their grading examinations in electronic keyboard. This was the first time that Indian pieces have appeared in the syllabus. Pieces included Ghazal and Bollywood Love Song
The University of Exeter
awarded Bhamra a Doctorate
in Music in July 2010.
(saxophones), Sheema Mukherjee (sitar), Simon Thoumire
(concertina) and Bhamra (tabla). Cascade premiered at the London Jazz Festival
on Sunday 19 November 2006 in the Purcell Room
and then toured around the UK. The project was commissioned with funds from the PRS Foundation, Esmée Fairbairn Charitable Trust
and Scottish Arts Council
.
Bhangra Latina - mixing bhangra music with Latin American rhythms this project with Alex Wilson (musician)
also brought Latin dancers and Sikh
dancers together on stage at the Queen Elizabeth Hall
on 21 September 2008.
Raga Mela - With the BBC Concert Orchestra
, Bhamra created a multi-cultural programme blending sounds of India with the spirit of the West. A set of workshops that culminated in a live event at the Royal Festival Hall
(6 May 2009) and featured renowned Bollywood playback singer Kavita Krishnamurty and a 350 piece choir of school children. The performance was also broadcast on BBC Radio 3 (19 May 2009)
With composer and pianist David Braun-White, Bhamra formed the Ku-Da-Mix Orchestra which debuted at the Scala (club)
in December 2006. This global orchestra, featuring instruments and musicians from all over the world, took part in the South Bank's Overture programme in June 2007 celebrating the re-opening of the Royal Festival Hall
. In November 2009 the orchestra celebrated The Stables
40th anniversary with a concert opened by young musicians who had taken part in workshops held the month before.
Mantra - a collaboration with the Orlando Consort, Jonathan Mayer (sitar) and Shahid Khan (vocals) which toured the UK. An album Mantra was produced along with a set of learning resources for the National Centre for Early Music
.
From Hollywood to Bollywood with conductor Robert Zeigler and the BBC Concert Orchestra for Radio 2's Friday Night is Music Night. The show was broadcast twice in 2010.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
whose main instrument is the tabla
Tabla
The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
. He is best known as one of the record producers who pioneered the British Bhangra sound and for his many collaborations with musicians from different genres and continents. His MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
was awarded in the Queen's Birthday Honour's List 2009 with the citation For services to Bhangra and British Asian Music. In July 2010 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
by the University of Exeter
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
.
Early life and influences
Born in NairobiNairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, Kenya, in 1959, His grandfather was an Indian artisan sent to Kenya by the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
.
Bhamra contracted polio when he was one year old, which affected his left leg. This disability eventually led him to play the tabla whilst seated (similar to a drummer playing a drum kit) rather than seated on the floor – the usual practice for tabla players.
Bhamra’s father had gone to England to study civil engineering and in 1961 Kuljit and his mother joined him there. In 1968 they settled in Southall
Southall
Southall is a large suburban district of west London, England, and part of the London Borough of Ealing. It is situated west of Charing Cross. Neighbouring places include Yeading, Hayes, Hanwell, Heston, Hounslow, Greenford and Northolt...
which has been Bhamra’s home town ever since.
Bhamra taught himself to play the tabla at the age of six and accompanied his mother, Mohinder Kaur Bhamra, who was a popular singer at weddings and public functions. Later, with Bhamra's two brothers playing accordion and mandolin, Mohinder Kaur recorded a number of albums that became successful - being sold through a network of corner shops in the Asian community.
On the insistence of his father, Bhamra trained as a civil engineer at Middlesex University
Middlesex University
Middlesex University is a university in north London, England. It is located in the historic county boundaries of Middlesex from which it takes its name. It is one of the post-1992 universities and is a member of Million+ working group...
and then worked for Richmond Council for a while.
Career
In 1983 he produced and arranged an album for Premi – a Southall based singer who introduced Bhamra to another new band Heera. The band’s debut album, produced by Bhamra, was played back to back with Premi’s, 24 hours a day, on the Asian pirate radio station Sina Radio (now Sunrise RadioSunrise Radio
Sunrise Radio is the United Kingdom's first Independent Local Radio station to cater specifically for the Asian community. Dr Avtar Lit is the chairman and chief executive of this media group which also operates kismat radio,buzz asia,punjabi radio as well as sunrise tv-Transmission:It initially...
). Using multitrack recording
Multitrack recording
Multitrack recording is a method of sound recording that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources to create a cohesive whole...
techniques whilst combining Indian percussion with western instruments and live orchestral violins, Bhamra went on to produce numerous albums for both British and Indian artists. Some of his productions became internationally successful and included songs such as 'Rail Gaddi' (by Chirag Pehchan); 'Pyar Ka Hai Bairi' (by Sangeeta); 'Giddha Pao Haan Deo' (by Mohinder Kaur Bhamra); 'Peer Tere Jaan Di' (by Gurdas Maan); 'Aj Tenoon Nachna Pao' (by Mahendra Kapoor); 'Patel Rap' (by Bali), 'Nachdi Di Gooth Khulgaye' (by Premi) and Jag Wala Mela (by Heera).
In 1986 Bhamra established Keda Records, an independent record label committed to producing high quality cassettes and LPs.
Bhamra was profiled in the 1992 movie Confusion a Black Arts Video Project funded by the Arts Council of Great Britain
Arts Council of Great Britain
The Arts Council of Great Britain was a non-departmental public body dedicated to the promotion of the fine arts in Great Britain. The Arts Council of Great Britain was divided in 1994 to form the Arts Council of England , the Scottish Arts Council, and the Arts Council of Wales...
.
Bhamra finally gave up his career as a civil engineer in 1994 to concentrate on music. He purchased The Yard recording studio (situated in the Westar music complex in Southall) and renamed it Red Fort Studios. Later in 1999 he became the owner of the whole complex.
Bhamra started a long history of collaboration with jazz saxophonist Andy Sheppard
Andy Sheppard
Andy Sheppard is a British jazz saxophonist and composer. He has been awarded several prizes at the British Jazz Awards, and has worked with some notable figures in contemporary jazz, including Gil Evans, Carla Bley, George Russell and Steve Swallow.-Biography:Sheppard was born in Warminster,...
in 2000 when they worked on the album Dancing Man & Woman and went on to produce many joint compositions, performances and recordings including his debut album for ECM Records in 2010 Movements in Colour. During this time, Bhamra further developed his playing styles and extended his tabla kit to include other percussion instruments such as snare drum, cymbals and various hand-held percussion.
In 2001 Bhamra composed and directed the music for a production of the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
which debuted at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Birmingham Repertory Theatre is a theatre and theatre company based on Centenary Square in Birmingham, England...
and went on to the Royal National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
London.
From 2002 to 2004 he performed as on-stage percussionist in Andrew Lloyd-Webber's musical Bombay Dreams
Bombay Dreams
Bombay Dreams is a Bollywood-themed musical, with music by A. R. Rahman, lyrics by Don Black and the book by Meera Syal and Thomas Meehan,and produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The London production opened in 2002 and ran for two years...
at The Apollo Theatre
Apollo Theatre
The Apollo Theatre is a Grade II listed West End theatre, on Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster. Designed by architect Lewin Sharp for owner Henry Lowenfield, and the fourth legitimate theatre to be constructed on the street, its doors opened on 21 February 1901 with the American...
, London. He also was 'dialect coach' for the production. Occasionally, audience members came to the front of the auditorium and danced to his drumming at the end of the show.
Bhamra provided the Indian music for the musical The Far Pavilions
The Far Pavilions
The Far Pavilions is an epic novel of British-Indian history by M. M. Kaye, first published in 1978, which tells the story of an English officer during the Great Game. The novel, rooted deeply in the romantic epics of the 19th century, has been hailed as a masterpiece of storytelling...
based on the novel of the same name by M.M. Kaye. It ran from 14 April 2005 till 17 September 2005 at the Shaftesbury Theatre
Shaftesbury Theatre
The Shaftesbury Theatre is a West End Theatre, located on Shaftesbury Avenue, in the London Borough of Camden.-History:The theatre was designed for the brothers Walter and Frederick Melville by Bertie Crewe and opened on 26 December 1911 with a production of The Three Musketeers, as the New...
in London. He continued his involvement in British Asian theatre productions and wrote the music for shows including Layla Majnun (Midlands Art Centre, July 2003); Deranged Marriage (Theatre Royal Stratford, Riverside Studios and Theatre Royal Windsor, 2005 to 2008), and Lion of Punjab (Watermans Art Centre, 2009).
In 2009 Bhamra was featured artist at Salisbury International Arts Festival and curated six events during the 16 days of the festival, including a musical event at dusk at Stonehenge
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks...
, bringing together dancers, musicians and a shamanistic singer.
Bhamra was the last Artistic Director of the Society for the Promotion of New Music
Society for the Promotion of New Music
The Society for the Promotion of New Music was founded in London in 1943 with the intention of promoting the creation, performance and appreciation of new music...
before its merger and renaming to Sound & Music – the first British Asian to hold this post in its 60-year history. Projects included Bhangra Latina, the creation of a tabla notation system called Tablature!, Folk From Here with Kathryn Tickell
Kathryn Tickell
Kathryn Tickell is an English player of the Northumbrian smallpipes and fiddle. She has recorded over a dozen albums, and toured widely.-Life and career:...
, Raga Mela with BBC Concert Orchestra
BBC Concert Orchestra
The BBC Concert Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London, one of the British Broadcasting Corporation's five radio orchestras. With around fifty players, it is the only one of the five which is not a full-scale symphony orchestra....
at Royal Festival Hall
Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,900-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected...
and an ongoing educational projects to demystify Indian music and teaching - making learning and playing of Indian music more accessible.
In April 2009 Bhamra, along with film director and playwright Shakila Maan and photographer Ammy Phull launched the Southall Story - a project based around a website that celebrates the achievements of the people of this area of West London. The Southall Story exhibition was opened by film director and Southall
Southall
Southall is a large suburban district of west London, England, and part of the London Borough of Ealing. It is situated west of Charing Cross. Neighbouring places include Yeading, Hayes, Hanwell, Heston, Hounslow, Greenford and Northolt...
resident Gurinder Chadha
Gurinder Chadha
Gurinder Chadha , OBE, is a British film director of Indian origin. Most of her films explore the lives of Indians living in the United Kingdom. She is best known for the hit films Bhaji on the Beach , Bend It Like Beckham , Bride and Prejudice and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging...
OBE at the Southbank Centre as part of the Alchemy Festival (April 7, 2010 to 11 May 2010). On 17 June 2009 the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
hosted a discussion evening entitled Southall: Music and Life.
Bhamra led the musical finale of the Liberty Festival in Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of...
on 5 September 2009. This event was created to showcase the breadth of artistic work and performance being created by deaf and disabled people and was supported by the Mayor of London
Mayor of London
The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...
Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
and the Arts Council England
Arts Council England
Arts Council England was formed in 1994 when the Arts Council of Great Britain was divided into three separate bodies for England, Scotland and Wales. It is a non-departmental public body of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport...
.
In 2010 Bhamra wrote a number of specially commissioned pieces of Indian music for Trinity Guildhall (Trinity College London
Trinity College London
Trinity College London is an international examinations board based in London, England. TCL offers qualifications across a range of disciplines in the performing arts and arts education and English language learning and teaching...
), for their grading examinations in electronic keyboard. This was the first time that Indian pieces have appeared in the syllabus. Pieces included Ghazal and Bollywood Love Song
The University of Exeter
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
awarded Bhamra a Doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in Music in July 2010.
As Performer
- A S Kang - Jawani (1976)
- Hans Raj Hans - Jogian De Kannan Wich (1982)
- TV Personalities - Seminal Twang /Closer To God (1992)
- Luke Haynes (Auteurs) - Baader Meinhof (1995)
- Anne Dudley - A Different Light (2001)
- Andy Sheppard - Dancing Man and Woman (2002)
- Sarah Brightman - Harem - Love's Never Easy (2003)
- Ringo Starr - Ringo Rama (2003)
- Mike Lindup (Level 42) - Conversations with Silence (2004)
- Enrique Inglesias - Driving (2005)
- Britten Sinfonia & Joanna MacGregor - Bach Meets Moondog (2006)
- Andy Sheppard - Glossolalia (2007)
- Xavier Crochet (2007)
- Andy Sheppard & Kuljit Bhamra - Live at St George's Bristol (2007)
- John Heavens - (2007)
- Andy Sheppard - Movements in ColourMovements in ColourMovements in Colour is an album by British jazz saxophonist and composer Andy Sheppard recorded in 2008 and released on the ECM label.-Reception:...
(2009) - Shakira - Gypsy live for television (2010)
- Sugababes - About a Girl Radio 1 Live Lounge (2010)
As Producer/Composer
- Azaad Group - Nachdi Jawani (1986)
- Mohinder Kaur Bhamra featuring K Deep - Punjabi Geet (1978)
- Mohinder Kaur Bhamra featuring C Bawa- Kuri Southall Di (1981)
- Bhujhangy - BHujhANGy(RA) (1989)
- Sangeeta - A Breath of Fresh Bhangra Air (1991)
- Bittu - Dhol Attack (1992)
- Reshma & Mangal - Gentle Touch (1993)
- Maqbool Sabri - Awargi (1995)
- Pandit Jasraj - Pandit Jasraj
- Anup Jalota - Classical Mood (1995)
- Singh Bandhu - Gavo Sachi Bani
- Anu Malik - Eyes
- Sultan Khan & Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Pukaar (2001)
- Alex Wilson - Inglaterra (2007)
- Kuljit Bhamra - Subterfuge Invitro (2007)
- Kuljit Bhamra - Bhangra Latina (2008)
- Various artists - The Birth of Southall Bhangra (2010)
Platinum Disc Awards
- Heera - Jag Wala Mela (1984)
- Premi - Nachdi Di Gooth Khulgaye (1986)
- Sangeeta - Flower In The Wind
- Chirag Pechan - Rail Gaddi (1989)
- Kuljit Bhamra & Shan Chana - Himalaya Dawn (2006)
Gold Disc Awards
- Mahendra Kapoor - Bhabi Gal Na Kari (1987)
- Gurdas Maan - Peer Tere Jaan Di (1988)
- Bali - Patel Rap (1989)
- Mohinder Kaur Bhamra - Giddha Pao Haan Deo (1991)
- Sangeeta - Flower in The Wind (1992)
Notable Collaborations
Cascade - A jazz collective formed of Aidan O’Rourke (fiddle), Andy SheppardAndy Sheppard
Andy Sheppard is a British jazz saxophonist and composer. He has been awarded several prizes at the British Jazz Awards, and has worked with some notable figures in contemporary jazz, including Gil Evans, Carla Bley, George Russell and Steve Swallow.-Biography:Sheppard was born in Warminster,...
(saxophones), Sheema Mukherjee (sitar), Simon Thoumire
Simon Thoumire
Simon Thoumire is a Scottish musician and a concertina virtuoso.Thoumire has played all over the world. A winner of the BBC Radio 2 Young Tradition Award in 1989, Thoumire has always been keen to explore different genres of music, releasing many records over the years delving into folk, jazz,...
(concertina) and Bhamra (tabla). Cascade premiered at the London Jazz Festival
London Jazz Festival
The London Jazz Festival is a London-wide music festival held every November. It takes place in a variety of London venues, including larger concert halls—such as the Barbican and the Royal Festival Hall—and smaller jazz clubs, such as Ronnie Scott's and Vortex...
on Sunday 19 November 2006 in the Purcell Room
Purcell Room
The Purcell Room is a concert and performance venue which forms part of the Southbank Centre, one of central London's leading cultural complexes. It is named after the 17th century English composer Henry Purcell and has 370 seats....
and then toured around the UK. The project was commissioned with funds from the PRS Foundation, Esmée Fairbairn Charitable Trust
Esmee Fairbairn Charitable Trust
The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation is a registered charity founded in England in 1961. It is one of the largest independent grantmaking foundations in England, making grants to organisations which aim to improve the quality of life for people and communities in the UK, both now and in the future.The...
and Scottish Arts Council
Scottish Arts Council
The Scottish Arts Council is a Scottish public body that distributes funding from the Scottish Government, and is the leading national organisation for the funding, development and promotion of the arts in Scotland...
.
Bhangra Latina - mixing bhangra music with Latin American rhythms this project with Alex Wilson (musician)
Alex Wilson (musician)
Alex Wilson is a pianist, composer, producer, arranger, and educator. He is a respected British Latin jazz recording artist and composer.-Biography:...
also brought Latin dancers and Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
dancers together on stage at the Queen Elizabeth Hall
Queen Elizabeth Hall
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is a music venue on the South Bank in London, United Kingdom that hosts daily classical, jazz, and avant-garde music and dance performances. The QEH forms part of Southbank Centre arts complex and stands alongside the Royal Festival Hall, which was built for the Festival...
on 21 September 2008.
Raga Mela - With the BBC Concert Orchestra
BBC Concert Orchestra
The BBC Concert Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London, one of the British Broadcasting Corporation's five radio orchestras. With around fifty players, it is the only one of the five which is not a full-scale symphony orchestra....
, Bhamra created a multi-cultural programme blending sounds of India with the spirit of the West. A set of workshops that culminated in a live event at the Royal Festival Hall
Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,900-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected...
(6 May 2009) and featured renowned Bollywood playback singer Kavita Krishnamurty and a 350 piece choir of school children. The performance was also broadcast on BBC Radio 3 (19 May 2009)
With composer and pianist David Braun-White, Bhamra formed the Ku-Da-Mix Orchestra which debuted at the Scala (club)
Scala (club)
Scala is a nightclub in London, England, near King's Cross railway station.-History:The Scala was originally built as a cinema to the designs of H Courtney Constantine, but construction was interrupted by the First World War and it spent some time being used to manufacture aircraft parts, and as a...
in December 2006. This global orchestra, featuring instruments and musicians from all over the world, took part in the South Bank's Overture programme in June 2007 celebrating the re-opening of the Royal Festival Hall
Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,900-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected...
. In November 2009 the orchestra celebrated The Stables
The Stables
The Stables is a music venue situated in Wavendon, a small village on the south-east edge of Milton Keynes....
40th anniversary with a concert opened by young musicians who had taken part in workshops held the month before.
Mantra - a collaboration with the Orlando Consort, Jonathan Mayer (sitar) and Shahid Khan (vocals) which toured the UK. An album Mantra was produced along with a set of learning resources for the National Centre for Early Music
National Centre for Early Music
The National Centre for Early Music is an educational resource located in York, England. It is based in the converted and extended medieval church of St Margaret, Walmgate....
.
From Hollywood to Bollywood with conductor Robert Zeigler and the BBC Concert Orchestra for Radio 2's Friday Night is Music Night. The show was broadcast twice in 2010.
As Producer/Composer
- A Nice Arrangement (1991)
- Bhaji On The BeachBhaji on the BeachBhaji on the Beach is a 1993 film by director Gurinder Chadha with a screenplay by Meera Syal.-Plot synopsis:A diverse group of British women of South Asian descent go on a day trip to the beach in Blackpool; despite their differences—the older women are more traditional and conservative,...
(1993) - Bend It Like BeckhamBend It Like BeckhamBend It Like Beckham is a 2002 comedy-drama film starring Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Myers, Anupam Kher, Shaznay Lewis, and Archie Panjabi first released in the United Kingdom. The film was directed by Gurinder Chadha...
(2003) - Winter Of Love - (2001)
- Burger King - TV Commercial (2003)
- Halifax Building Society - TV Commercial (2004)
- Who Do You Think You Are? - BBC Television (2005)
- Domino (2005)
- The Night Listener (2006)
- Boogie Beebies - Children's Songs for CBBC Television (2008)
As Performer
- A Little Princess (1995)
- Wings of A Dove (1997)
- Madhur Jaffrey's BBC Christmas Special
- The Four Feathers (2002)
- Love & Hate (2002)
- The Guru (2003)
- Halifax Building Society - TV commercial (2003)
- Bend It Like BeckhamBend It Like BeckhamBend It Like Beckham is a 2002 comedy-drama film starring Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Myers, Anupam Kher, Shaznay Lewis, and Archie Panjabi first released in the United Kingdom. The film was directed by Gurinder Chadha...
(2004) - Bond (strings) - pop video (2005)
- After The Wedding (2006)
- Space Pirates - CBBC (2009)
As Composer
- A Song For A Sanctuary - Kali Theatre Company (1991)
- Cloud Watching - Half Moon Young People's Theatre (1998)
- The Ramayana - Birmingham Repertory Theatre (2000)
- The Ramayana - The National Theatre (2001)
- Mapping The Edge - The Crucuble Theatre Sheffield (2001)
- Layla Majnun - Midlands Art Centre Birmingham (2003)
- The Deranged Marriage - National Tour (2004–2006)
- The Far Pavilions - The Shaftsbury Theatre (2005)
- The Twelfth Night - Aubrey Theatre (2005)
- Lion Of Punjab - Punjabi Theatre Academy (2006)
- The Snow Queen - Pantomime Theatre Royal Stratford East (2006)
- King Cotton - Manchester Lowry & Liverpool Empire (2007)
As Performer
- The Ramayana - Birmingham Repertory Theatre (2000)& The National Theatre (2001)
- Bombay Dreams - Apollo Victoria Theatre (2002 to 2004)
- The Far Pavilions - The Shaftsbury Theatre (2005)
- Lion Of Punjab - Punjabi Theatre Academy (2006)
- King Cotton - Manchester Lowry & Liverpool Empire (2007)
Awards
- 1986 Best Musical Director - Asian Pop Awards
- 1987 Best Musical Director - Asian Pop Awards
- 1989 Top Musical director - The Mrs Kaur Trophy
- 1992 Nomination for Men Of Achievement award
- 1993 Most Consistent & Prolific Producer - The Music Industry Accolade UK
- 2001 Outstanding Contribution to the Music Industry - Matra Annual Award
- 2002 Ramgharia Sabha Appreciation Award
- 2007 Outstanding Contribution to Bhangra - Sikh Media Award
- 2009 Best Pioneer Music Producer - The UK Bhangra Music Awards
- 2009 MBE - For Services to Bhangra and British Asian Music
- 2010 Honorary Doctorate of Music DMus - Exeter University
External links
- BBC Saturday Live - Kuljit Bhamra profile
- British Airways Business Life - A week in the life of Kuljit Bhamra
- BBC Ouch! - 13 Questions:Kuljit Bhamra
- Disability Now - Kuljit's Cultural Mix
- Kuljit Bhamra on the Internet Movie Database
- Material in the Kuljit Bhamra Collection in the salidaa archive - part of VADS the online resource for visual arts
- website of the Ku-Da-Mix Orchestra
- website of Keda Records - Bhamra's record company
- website of Pat Tynan Media
- website of CHUTNEY in the Street by Kuljit Bhamra
- website of Kuljit Bhamra