Julipfz at 13:46, 21 January 2026

2026-01-21T13:46:26Z

New page

{{Short description|British Indian musician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist 
| name = Johnny Kalsi
| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| image = Johnny Kalsi of the Afro Celts (14851563443).jpg
| caption =
| origin = India
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1967}}
|birth_place = [[Leeds]], [[England]]
| genre = [[World music]]
| occupation = [[Musician]], [[songwriter]], [[Record producer|Producer]]
| instrument = [[Singing|Vocals]], [[Tabla]], [[Dhol]], [[Percussion instrument|percussion]]
| years_active = 1986 - present
| label = [[Narada Productions|Shakti Records]], [[Real World Records|Real World]]
| associated_acts = [[Afro Celt Sound System]], [[Dhol Foundation]], [[The Imagined Village]], [[Transglobal Underground]]
| website = [http://www.dholfoundation.com www.dholfoundation.com]
}}

'''Johnny Kalsi''' is a [[British Indian]] ''[[dhol]]'' drum performer residing in [[London]]. He rose to prominence as a former member of [[Transglobal Underground]] and the founder of the [[Dhol Foundation]]. He also is a member of the [[Afro Celt Sound System]] and [[The Imagined Village]].

==Biography==

===Early life===
[[File:Johnny Kalsi 5.jpg|right|thumb|Kalsi and [[Martin Carthy]] performing with [[The Imagined Village]] at the [[The Big Chill (music festival)|Big Chill Festival]]]]
[[File:Johnny Kalsi TIV Barking 08 1.jpg|upright|thumb|Kalsi performing with [[The Imagined Village]] in 2008]]

Kalsi was born in [[Leeds]], [[Yorkshire]] in 1967. His parents had emigrated to the United Kingdom from [[Kenya]]. His grandfather had earlier moved to [[Mombasa]] from [[Punjab, British India|Punjab]]. As a youth, he was interested in music, though his parents had other aspirations for him, hoping he would become a doctor or lawyer. Kalsi was self-taught as a drummer when he joined a school [[jazz]] trio and they performed at school concerts and assembly hall meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.realworldmusic.com/composers/johnny-kalsi|title=Johnny Kalsi: Ambassador of Love|publisher=Real World Publishing 2010|accessdate=4 January 2011|archive-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715163015/http://www.realworldmusic.com/composers/johnny-kalsi|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was also the drummer in the orchestra as well as in a rock band in school. His exposure to a variety of genres embraced both traditional Indian music and Western influences, and he began making Eastern drum rhythms using Western instruments; along the way he redesigned the traditional [[dhol]] drum to his own specifications.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/world/onyourstreet/dholhistory.shtml|title=World on your street|publisher=BBC Radio 3 June 2004|access-date=4 January 2011}}</ref>

===Early career===

In 1986, after leaving school and while in college, Kalsi joined a band called Mela Group for a few years and on the side he was also a session player for Wanjara Group & DJ Harvey. In 1989, he joined [[Bhangra (music)|bhangra]] band [[Alaap (band)|Alaap]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.houseofbhangra.co.uk/Artist-Profiles/Alaap-Profile.html |title=Alaap Profile |publisher=House of Bhangra 2008 |accessdate=4 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110126224236/http://houseofbhangra.co.uk/Artist-Profiles/Alaap-Profile.html |archivedate=26 January 2011 }}</ref> and assumed the role of lead [[percussion]]ist and dhol player for the band. In 1995, Kalsi joined an emerging [[world music]] organisation founded by [[Peter Gabriel]], based at [[Real World Studios]] in [[Box, Wiltshire]], England.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://worldmusiccentral.org/artists/artist_page.php?id=1932|title=Peter Gabriel|publisher=World Music Central.org 2010|accessdate=5 January 2011|archive-date=31 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100831192838/http://worldmusiccentral.org/artists/artist_page.php?id=1932|url-status=dead}}</ref>

He performed at a number of [[World of Music, Arts and Dance]] (WOMAD) festivals around the world.<ref name="womad">{{cite web|url=http://womad.org/artists/johnny-kalsi/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130416071621/http://womad.org/artists/johnny-kalsi/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 April 2013 |title=Johnny Kalsi |publisher=Womad.org 2006 |accessdate=4 January 2011 }}</ref> While performing at ceremonial weddings, Kalsi was encouraged to teach his techniques to others.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ethnotechno.com/dhol_drum-believable.php|title=Dhol Foundation :: Drum-Believable|publisher=Ethnotechno.com 2010|accessdate=4 January 2011}}</ref> He became the first dhol player to perform live with [[Disc jockey|DJ]]s, which appealed to younger audiences.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}

Kalsi's first dhol classes in Britain took place in 1989. No one had previously taught dhol as an [[Musical ensemble|ensemble]] instrument. Kalsi self funded his first tutorial classes in [[Slough]], England in 1990.<ref name="times">{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/new-straits-times/mi_8016/is_20050904/awakening-lion/ai_n44304118/?tag=content;col1 |title=Awakening the lion in us |publisher=New Straits Times, 4 Sep 2005 |accessdate=11 January 2011 }}{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> During 1991 he assembled lead drummers to perform in local charity events.

Kalsi took on the role of a [[sideman]] in addition to session work, and performed with the Afro Celt Sound System on their second album, ''[[Volume 2: Release|Release]]'', which also featured [[Sinéad O'Connor]]. During the time he was with [[Transglobal underground]] Kalsi and The Dhol Foundation provided support in a European tour with [[rock music]]ians [[Page & Plant]].

Kalsi worked as a [[session musician]] for Fundamental and [[Transglobal Underground]] during the early 1990s,<ref name="times"/> and later joined the [[Afro Celt Sound System]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.realworldrecords.com/catalogue/capture |title=Real World Records catalogue page for Capture |publisher=Realworldrecords.com |accessdate=2011-01-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110210214245/http://realworldrecords.com/catalogue/capture/ |archive-date=10 February 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> During 1997, Kalsi was touring with Fundamental performing at WOMAD festivals all over the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slantedmagazine.com/pop-culture/pulsate-to-the-music-the-dhol-foundation|title=Pulsate to the music: The Dhol Foundation|publisher=Slanted Magazine|date=17 November 2010}}</ref>

===Later career===
In 1999 Kalsi's drumming troupe, [[The Dhol Foundation]] recorded their first album. The album was recorded live at performances around the world, absorbing the differing musical influences of bands they toured with, and contributed to their sound. ''[[Big Drum Small World]]'', featuring a large photo of Kalsi on the [[album cover]], was released on [[Narada Productions|Shakti Records]] in 2001. The album received positive mention from critics.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?sku=138613#anchorSynopsis|title=Asian Music|publisher=HMV.com 27-08-2001|accessdate=11 January 2011}}</ref>
Kalsi drew upon his experience as a session player and his understanding of [[ethnic]] and western instruments to work as [[Record producer|producer]] for the album.<ref name="womad"/>

[[Peter Gabriel]]'s label, [[Real World Records]], recorded Kalsi's first album in 2002. [[Martin Scorsese]]'s movie, ''[[Gangs of New York]]'' featured one of his songs, as did ''[[The Incredible Hulk (film)|The Incredible Hulk]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.airstudios.com/technical/isdn.aspx |title=Air Studios - Technical - ISDN |publisher=Airstudios.com 2009 |accessdate=11 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110112022119/http://www.airstudios.com/technical/isdn.aspx |archivedate=12 January 2011 }}</ref> As a member of the Dhol Foundation and in a solo capacity, he also worked on Gabriel's albums [[Up (Peter Gabriel album)|Up]] and [[OVO (album)|OVO]], and his soundtrack for the album [[Long Walk Home: Music from the Rabbit-Proof Fence|Rabbit Proof Fence]].

Towards the end of 2002 Kalsi worked with the teenage [[pop music|pop]] singer [[Avril Lavigne]], when she recorded a [[cover song|cover]] of [[Bob Dylan]]'s "[[Knockin' on Heaven's Door]]". It was sung by Lavigne at a [[War Child (charity)|War Child Charity Concert]] covered by [[MTV]]. Kalsi was selected to give the track an ethnic Indian feel and add some light percussion. In early 2013 Johnny Kalsi took The Dhol Foundation to perform for Stand up To Cancer.
Johnny is a member of the Sikh Welfare Awareness Team (SWAT) and each week he donates some of his time to feeding and clothing over 300 homeless people each week and also people living below the poverty line in central London.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}

In July 2013, Kalsi was commissioned to curate a piece of music for HRH HM Queens' Coronation Gala Concert Festival, an event for Royal Crest Holders. That September, Johnny Kalsi & The Dhol Foundation performed for the Formula 1 Music festival in Singapore, performing on the same stage as [[Sir Tom Jones]].{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}

Kalsi received an Honorary Fellowship Degree from [[Leeds College of Music]] in 2015.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}

Just ahead of the release of the 5th album, ''Basant'', in 2016, Johnny Kalsi took The Dhol Foundation to USA for their debut tour.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}

In 2018, Kalsi was requested to open for a special concert for HRH HM Queens' 92nd Birthday.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}} This was also a collaboration track with Sir Tom Jones, who sang "[[It's Not Unusual]]" to Dhol drums. In June that year, Kaldi performed with [[Angélique Kidjo|Angelique Kidjo]] on stage in London.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}

In 2019, Johnny Kalsi & The Dhol Foundation performed the opening for the Royal Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in front of HRH HM Queen & the Royal Family.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}

In 2021, Kalsi once again led six of The Dhol Foundation elite to lead in the Commonwealth flag together with ACM Gospel Choir at Westminster Abbey in London for Commonwealth Observance Day.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}

==Discography (selected)==
*''Big Drum Small World'' (2001)
*''Drum-Believable'' (2004)
*''Drums 'n' Roses'' (2007)
*''DrumStruck'' (2011)
*''Basant'' (2017)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}


{{Afro Celt Sound System}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kalsi, Johnny}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1967 births]]
[[Category:20th-century British drummers]]
[[Category:21st-century British drummers]]
[[Category:Afro Celt Sound System members]]
[[Category:British Asian musicians]]
[[Category:British session musicians]]
[[Category:Dhol players]]
[[Category:English people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:English people of Kenyan descent]]
[[Category:English people of Punjabi descent]]
[[Category:Musicians from Leeds]]
[[Category:Transglobal Underground members]]

Johnny Kalsi - Revision history

Julipfz at 13:46, 21 January 2026