Ajay Kumar at 23:58, 29 August 2023

2023-08-29T23:58:53Z

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{{Infobox Convention
| name = Mahindra Blues Festival
| image = Mahindra Blues Festival - 001.jpg
| caption =
| status = Active
| genre = Music Festival
| venue = [[Mehboob Studios]]
| location = Bandra, Mumbai
| country = India
| first = 2011
| last = 2020
| organizer = [[Mahindra Group]]
| filing =
| attendance =
| website = {{url|www.mahindrablues.com}}
}}

'''Mahindra Blues Festival''' (MBF) is an annual [[blues]] [[music festival]] that happens in February at [[Mehboob Studio|Mehboob Studios]], [[Bandra]], [[Mumbai]]. Living legends of the genre who have performed here at this festival over the past years include [[Buddy Guy]], [[Walter Trout]], and [[John Mayall]].

== History ==
Spearheaded by [[Anand Mahindra]], Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of the [[Mahindra Group]], with VG Jairaman, the co-founder of Oranjuice Entertainment serving as festival director, the inaugural edition of the Mahindra Blues festival took place on 5-6 February 2011, at Mumbai's Mehboob Studios.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Buddy Guy to Headline Mahindra Blues Fest|url=https://rollingstoneindia.com/buddy-guy-mahindra-blues-fest/|date=24 January 2011|website=Rolling Stone India|language=en-US|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=The meteoric journey of the Mahindra Blues fest|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/The-meteoric-journey-of-the-Mahindra-Blues-fest/articleshow/50703275.cms|date=January 24, 2016|first=Ayesha|last=Venkataraman |website=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=2020-05-18}}</ref> This first edition of the festival was headlined by [[Chicago blues|Chicago Blues]] legend Buddy Guy who is reported to have pledged his support to the endeavor without hesitation.<ref name=":0" /> At the culmination of his two-hour-long set, he invited the other musicians who had performed across the two days to join him on stage for an impromptu jam.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Balakrishnan|first=Ravi|date=2011-02-08|title=Buddy Guy at Mahindra Blues Festival: Straight from buzz heaven|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/buddy-guy-at-mahindra-blues-festival-straight-from-buzz-heaven/articleshow/7449493.cms?from=mdr|access-date=2020-05-18}}</ref> Since then, the festival is closed each year with an all-star jam featuring that year's headlining artists.<ref name=":0" />

Although the festival has attracted a number of prominent blues musicians and legends over the years, Buddy Guy remains an integral part of the festival. He has headlined several editions of the festival, including its 10th anniversary in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Buddy Guy, Keb’ Mo’ Set To Perform At the 10th Edition of the Mahindra Blues Festival|url=https://rollingstoneindia.com/buddy-guy-keb-mo-set-to-perform-at-the-10th-edition-of-the-mahindra-blues-festival/|date=3 December 2019|website=Rolling Stone India|language=en-US|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> One of the festival venue's three stages has also been named the "Polka Dot Parlour" in honor of the musician's iconic polka dotted guitar and shirts.<ref>{{Cite web|title=10 Years of Mahindra Blues|url=https://www.musicplus.in/10-years-of-mahindra-blues/|date=2020-02-10|website=Musicplus|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-18}}</ref>

Apart from the international musicians who grace the stage each year, local stalwarts including [[Blackstratblues]] and [[Soulmate (band)|Soulmate]] are regular features on the lineup.<ref name=":1" />

In 2015, for its fifth edition, the Mahindra Blues Festival inaugurated a new tradition - the Mahindra Blues Band Hunt. This annual competition recognizes local talent. The winners of the Band Hunt are given the opportunity to perform at the Garden Stage between the headlining sets in that year's edition of the festival.<ref name=":1" />

In 2020, for the festival's 10th anniversary, Oranjuice Entertainment teamed up with the Indian [[Non-governmental organization|NGO]] [[Project Nanhi Kali|Nanhi Kali]] for their "Blues in Schools initiative. The Mahindra Blues team taught school girls from underprivileged backgrounds how to play the harmonica. 11 of these students were chosen to perform at the festival at the Garden Stage.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Nanhi Kalis play their happy tune at the Mahindra Blues Festival|url=https://www.nanhikali.org/nanhi-kalis-play-their-happy-tune-at-the-mahindra-blues-festival/|website=Nanhi Kali|language=en-US|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref>

==Performers==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year !! International artistes !! class="unsortable" | Homegrown artistes
!Band Hunt Winner
|-
| 2020<ref>{{cite news|last=Gupta |first=Nidhi |title=Buddy Guy will headline the Mahindra Blues Festival for a fifth time |url=https://www.gqindia.com/personalities/content/buddy-guy-will-headline-the-mahindra-blues-festival-for-a-fifth-time |date=January 16, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Vatsalya |first=P |title=And, It Was All Blues |url=https://www.mid-day.com/articles/andit-was-all-blues/22532181?ref=component_relatednews |work=Mid Day |date=February 2, 2020 }}</ref>
||
*Buddy Guy
*[[Keb' Mo']]
*[[Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band]]
*[[Larkin Poe]]
||
* The Homegrown Blues Collective
|Quiet Storm
|-
| 2019<ref>{{cite news|title= The Mahindra Blues Festival 2019 lineup |url=https://eventraveler.com/blog/the-mahindra-blues-festival-2019-lineup/ |work=Event Traveler |date=December 17, 2018 }}</ref>
||
*[[Beth Hart]]
*[[Charlie Musselwhite]]
*[[Brandon Santini]]
*[[Sugaray Rayford]]
||
|Blue Temptation
|-
| 2018<ref>{{cite news|last=Sampat |first=Sunil |title= Festival Review: Mahindra Blues Festival, Mumbai|url=https://rollingstoneindia.com/festival-review-mahindra-blues-festival-mumbai-2/ |work=Rolling Stone |date=February 21, 2018 }}</ref>
||
*John Mayall
*[[Coco Montoya]]
*[[Walter Wolfman Washington]] & The Roadmaster
*[[Layla Zoe]]
||
*[[Blackstratblues]]
|Arinjoy Trio
|-
| 2017<ref>{{cite news|last=Tamboowalla |first=Ayesha |title= The blues are back in India with the Mahindra Blue Festival|url=https://www.festivalsherpa.com/blues-back-india-mahindra-blues-festival-2017/ |work= Festival Sherpa|date=December 13, 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title= Here’s Why You Must Attend Mahindra Blues Festival 2017 This Weekend|url=https://curlytales.com/mahindra-blues-2017/ |work=Curly Tales }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Sampat |first= Sunil|title= Mahindra Blues Festival 2017: With a stellar line-up, lively entertainment's guaranteed|url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/mahindra-blues-festival-2017-with-a-stellar-line-up-lively-entertainments-guaranteed-3278006.html |work=First Post |date=February 11, 2017 }}</ref>
||
*[[Quinn Sullivan (musician)|Quinn Sullivan]]
*[[Shemekia Copeland]]
*[[Supersonic Blues Machine]]
*[[Janiva Magness]]
||
|BLU
|-
| 2016<ref>{{cite news|last= Venkataraman|first= Ayesha|title= The meteoric journey of the Mahindra Blues Fest|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/The-meteoric-journey-of-the-Mahindra-Blues-fest/articleshow/50703275.cms |work=Times of India |date=January 24, 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Mahindra Blues Fest 2016|url=https://rollingstoneindia.com/mahindra-blues-fest-2016-lineup-band-hunt-announced/|date=22 December 2015|website=Rolling Stone India|language=en-US|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref>||
*[[Joss Stone]]
*[[Malina Moye]]
*[[Keb Mo]]
*The Heritage Blues Orchestra
*[[King King (band)|King King]]
||
* Soulmate
|Lal and the People
|-
| 2015<ref name=":1">{{cite news|title= Mahindra Blues Festival Announces Band Hunt|url=https://rollingstoneindia.com/mahindra-blues-festival-announces-band-hunt/ |date=January 16, 2015 }}</ref>
||
*Buddy Guy
*Quinn Sullivan
*[[Doyle Bramhall II]]
*[[Rich Robinson]] of [[The Black Crowes]]
*Nikki Hill
*Thorbjørn Risager
||
*Blackstratblues
|Aayushi Karnik
|-
| 2014<ref>{{cite news|last= Ancheri |first=Saumya |title= Lounge Preview, The Mahindra Blues Festival, Mumbai |url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/zgKDNQjP3GDQUvMbdma7yO/Lounge-Preview--The-Mahindra-Blues-Festival-Mumbai.html |work=Live Mint |date=February 1, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=The Mahindra Blues Festival is back |url=https://www.indiantelevision.com/mam/marketing/the-mahindra-blues-festival-is-back-140114 |work=Indian Television |date=January 14, 2014 }}</ref>
||
*[[Zac Harmon]]
*[[Lil' Ed Williams]] & The Blues Imperials
*[[Jimmie Vaughan]]
*[[Doyle Bramhall]]
*[[Tedeschi Trucks Band]]
||
*[[Soulmate]]
*Blackstratblues
| -
|-
| 2013<ref>{{cite news|title=The Mahindra Blues Festival 2013 |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/entertainment/the-mahindra-blues-festival-2013/when-blues-made-the-night/slideshow/18569062.cms |work= Economic Times|date=February 19, 2013 }}</ref>
||
*[[Popa Chubby]]
*[[Robert Randolph and The Family Band]]
*[[Walter Trout]]
*[[Dana Fuchs]]
||
*Big Band Blues
*Soulmate
| -
|-
| 2012<ref>{{cite news|title= Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal Trio Confirm Dates For Mahindra Blues Festival 2012|url=https://rollingstoneindia.com/buddy-guy-taj-mahal-trio-confirm-dates-for-mahindra-blues-festival-2012/ |work=Rolling Stone |date=December 21, 2011 }}</ref>
||
*[[John Lee Hooker Jr.]]
*Taj Mahal Trio
*[[Ana Popović]]
*Buddy Guy
*Robert Randolph
||
*Soulmate
*Blackstratblues
*Overdrive Trio
| -
|-
| 2011<ref>{{cite news|title= Buddy Guy to Headline Mahindra Blues Fest|url=https://rollingstoneindia.com/buddy-guy-mahindra-blues-fest/ |work= Rolling Stone|date=January 24, 2011 }}</ref> ||
*[[Jonny Lang]]
*[[Shemekia Copeland]]
*Buddy Guy
*[[Matt Schofield]]
||
* Soulmate
* Saturday Night Blues Band
* The Luke Kenny Mojo Jukebox
| -
|-
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Official website| http://www.mahindrablues.com}}

{{Music festivals}}

[[Category:Blues festivals in Asia]]
[[Category:Music festivals in India]]
[[Category:Annual events in India]]

Mahindra Blues Festival - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 23:58, 29 August 2023