Arko Mukhaerjee

2021-07-07T08:55:28Z

49.37.37.121:

{{Distinguish|text = the [[Bollywood]] singer-songwriter [[Arko Pravo Mukherjee]]}}
{{short description|Indian singer}}

{{Orphan|date=May 2020}}

{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Arko Mukhaerjee
| honorific_suffix =
| image = Arko Mukhaerjee Live at Princep Ghat 01.jpg
| image_upright =
| image_size = 
| alt =
| caption =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| pronunciation =
| birth_name = 
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1987|6|5}}
| birth_place =
| residence =
| nationality = Indian
| other_names =
| awards =
| website = 
| module = {{Infobox musical artist
| embed = yes
| genre = [[Folk music|Folk]]
| occupation = Folk artist
}}
}}

'''Arko Mukherjee''', popularly known by his artist name, '''Arko Mukhaerjee''', is an Indian classical singer and an urban [[folk musician]] from [[Calcutta]], India. He sings folk songs in various languages including Bengali and Nepali.<ref>{{cite news |date=4 December 2017 |title=Soul Talk with Arko Mukhaerjee |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/showtime/2017/12/04/soul-talk-arko-mukhaerjee|work=Dhaka Tribune}}</ref><ref name="outlook" /> The singer can sing in more than 20 languages and plays five different instruments. He sings [[folk music]] to [[blues]], soul and several tribal music forms from different parts of the world. He researches on the roots of folk and contemporary music by travelling around different parts of the world as Europe, America, Bangladesh and Nepal.<ref name="auto3">{{cite news |date=7 February 2020 |title=Arko the Nepali Minstrel from Bengal |url=https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/arko-the-nepali-minstrel-from-bengal/ |work=Nepali Times}}</ref><ref name="Blowin' in the Wind" /><ref name="Journey to the Other Ego with Ziba">{{cite news |date=9 January 2018 |title=Journey to the Other Ego with Ziba |url=https://www.rsjonline.com/reviews/journey-to-the-other-ego-with-ziba---a-gig-review.html |work=The Telegraph}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=17 May 2019 |title=Kolkata musician Arko Mukhaerjee's new band explores the collective spirits of music |url=https://www.indulgexpress.com/culture/music/2019/may/17/kolkata-musician-arko-mukhaerjees-new-band-explores-the-collective-spirit-of-music-14883.html |work=The New Indian Express indulge}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indulgexpress.com/events/kolkata/2019/apr/13/folk-singer-arko-mukhaerjee-to-perform-live-at-first-flush-14157.html|title=Folk singer Arko Mukhaerjee to perform live at First Flush|website=indulgexpress.com}}</ref><ref name="The Telegraph">{{cite news |date=1 April 2019 |title=Life and beyond, in Harmony and Rhythm |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/west-bengal/life-and-beyond-in-harmony-and-rhythm/cid/1679963 |work=The Telegraph |location=Kolkata}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=2 May 2018 |title=Exclusive Release: Watch Ashram- Inside the Forgotten City |url=https://smokeinc.in/2018/05/02/watch-ashram-inside-the-forgotten-city/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/west-bengal/music-and-more-for-the-soul/cid/1311154|title=Music and more for the soul |work=The Telegraph |location=Kolkata}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.indulgexpress.com/culture/music/2019/jan/11/this-kolkata-based-acoustic-bands-soundscape-will-make-you-go-high-with-their-folk-repertoire-12113.html|title=This Kolkata-based acoustic band's soundscape will make you go high with their folk repertoire|website=indulgexpress.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bengali/music/arko-mukhaerjee-records-first-song-of-purbo-poschim-dokkhin-uttor-asbei/articleshow/70328319.cms|title=Arko Mukhaerjee records first song of 'Purbo Poschim Dokkhin Uttor Asbei' |work=The Times of India}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://photogallery.indiatimes.com/events/kolkata/band-mela-2018/Arko-Mukhaerjee/articleshow/63267380.cms|title=Arko Mukhaerjee|website=photogallery.indiatimes.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/dohar-and-arko-mukherjee-perform-at-university-fest/articleshow/74246343.cms|title=Dohar and Arko Mukherjee perform at university fest | Kolkata News |work=The Times of India}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bengali/music/the-fourth-chapter-of-river-festival-will-feature-manu-chao/articleshow/74209583.cms|title=The fourth chapter of River Festival will feature Manu Chao |work=The Times of India}}</ref>{{Excessive citations inline|date=November 2020}}

==Early years==
Arko Mukhaerjee was born on 5 June 1987 in [[West Bengal]]. He formally started practicing classical music from his parents from the age of two.<ref name="auto3"/> Later, he gave up his formal training at the age of ten and learned music by jamming and practicing.<ref name="auto3"/> He has played and collaborated with different folk and gypsy jazz musicians and traditional artists in France, England, Germany and Eastern Europe and has played in many music festivals around the world including India, Europe, America, Bangladesh and Nepal.<ref name="auto3"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scroll.in/reel/957580/documentary-if-not-for-you-finds-that-bob-dylan-is-like-a-local-resident-of-calcutta|title=Documentary 'If Not For You' finds that Bob Dylan is 'like a local resident of Calcutta'|first=Devarsi|last=Ghosh|website=Scroll.in}}</ref>

In the year 2013, his first solo, Bengali folk album called 'Ghater Kotha' was released. In 2015, he released another album, called 'FIVE', an experimental folk album, based on collaborations with musicians from India and around the world.<ref name="The Telegraph"/> In 2018, his first original instrumental album called 'The Lion and the Hamster' was released.<ref name="Blowin' in the Wind">{{cite news |date=14 May 2018 |title=Blowin' in the Wind |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/art-and-culture/band-arko-mukhaerjee-ziba-blowin-in-the-wind-5160644/ |work=The Indian Express}}</ref> It is a text-image-music relations based album. In late 2019, Arko released 'Bondhur Bari' a purely field recording based album.<ref>https://music.apple.com/jp/album/nishithey/1477756667?i=1477756670&l=en</ref> He was the co-founder of the Indo-Irish musical duo project called 'Crossover' with Anna Tanvir, an Irish Harp player. The soundscape incorporated Celtic, Madagascan, American roots, gypsy jazz, Nepali, Indian, Spanish, Afro-Cuban, Senegalese and East-Bengali songs. In this project, they collaborated with Yann Beaujouan, Laurent Zeller, Alex Vousin, Kevin Goubern, Ritoban Das, Ginny Murray David, Project Caragoss, Ben Krakauer, Diptanshu Roy, and several other musicians from around the world.<ref name="Blowin' in the Wind"/>

Mukhaerjee was the frontman and founder member of the folk band from Calcutta called 'Fiddler's Green' until 2019.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bengali/music/dipannita-samantak-join-fiddlers-green-after-arkos-exit/articleshow/72223927.cms|title=Dipannita-Samantak join Fiddler's Green after Arko's exit |work=The Times of India}}</ref> The Bengali folk band had the elements of bluegrass and Appalachian music along with Celtic, Afro Cuban, Middle Eastern, Jewish and gypsy soundscape.<ref name="auto"/> He also had a duo with Naomi Jean an Australian percussionist. In 2015, he played together as duo with [[Satyaki Banerjee]], a rabab, oud and dotara player and spiritual singer from Calcutta at several festivals.<ref name="dhakatribune.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/showtime/2018/03/14/arko-satyakis-song-matir-projar-deshe|title=Arko and Satyaki's song for Matir Projar Deshe|date=March 14, 2018|website=Dhaka Tribune}}</ref> Arko is an active part of an ethno-electronic musical collaboration called Ashram, a brainchild of veteran Berlin based Indian music producer Kanishka Sarkar and the two of them have extensively toured in England, France and East-Europe alongside recording and playing together at the Indian embassy in Berlin.<ref>https://www.whatshot.in/kolkata/groove-to-beats-by-arko-mukhaerjee-and-ashram-e-506129</ref> He was the vocalist and Ukulele player for Kolkata based world music outfit called Ziba, conceptualized by Indian guitarist Amyt Dutta.<ref name="Blowin' in the Wind"/><ref name="Journey to the Other Ego with Ziba"/>

In 2018 and 2019, he collaborated with Daniel Givone, a Gypsy Jazz Guitar Maestro and Hari Maharjan, a Nepali jazz guitarist<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/26096/|title=A Musical Journey From Folk To Jazz|first=Sonam|last=Lama|website=My Republica}}</ref> at the Nepal Gypsy Jazz festival. In 2019, he decided to leave all other bands and start his independent projects "The Arko Mukhaerjee Collective".<ref name="outlook">{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/outlooktraveller/explore/story/70321/rumble-in-the-jungle-at-ranthambore-music-and-wildlife-festival-2019|title=Rumble in the Jungle at Ranthambore Music and Wildlife Festival 2019 |magazine=Outlook India}}</ref><ref name="dhakatribune.com"/> Also, in 2020, he collaborated with [[Casey Driessen]], a grammy nominee and an American Fiddle player. Arko also has a duo with experimental jazz guitarist Nishad Pandey.<ref name="Blowin' in the Wind"/> This duo often features Romeo Natur and Naomi Jean as co-musicians to form a fresh world music quartet.

==Recognition==
Mukhaerjee has sung in various films, soaps and serials in Bengal.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.whatshot.in/kolkata/studio-live-fridays-with-arko-mukhaerjee-e-392557|title=Studio Live Fridays With Arko Mukhaerjee in Kolkata, Studio | What's Hot|website=Whats Hot}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/uncategorized/2015/11/11/dhaka-international-folk-festival-to-launch-today|title=Dhaka International Folk Festival to launch today|date=November 11, 2015|website=Dhaka Tribune}}</ref> He has been nominated for different music awards in India for some of his songs.<ref name="auto2"/> In 2004, a documentary called Bhorsha Thakuk Bangla Gaane was made in Bangladesh. The documentary depicts his stories of travelling with music where he is seen discussing the evolution and significance of Bengali folk music for the last four centuries.<ref name="Blowin' in the Wind"/> He was awarded a 'Gandharva Samman' ('Samman' meaning respect in Nepali) by the Gandharva community of Batulichor, Nepal for reviving the various songs of [[Jhalak Man Gandarbha|Jhalakman Gandharva]].<ref name="auto3"/> In 2019, he appeared in ''If Not for You'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10418976/|title=If Not for You (2019)|date=24 May 2019|accessdate=21 June 2020}}</ref> a documentary about [[Kolkata]]'s long lasting love affair with legendary singer-songwriter [[Bob Dylan]].

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://arkomusic.com/ Official Website]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mukhaerjee, Arko}}
[[Category:1987 births]]
[[Category:Indian classical singers]]
[[Category:People from West Bengal]]
[[Category:Living people]]

IndianPedia - User contributions [en]

Arko Mukhaerjee