You know that feeling when you catch yourself with your jaw hanging open after watching something mind-boggling? That’s often the experience of countless people when they first hear and see bass virtuoso Mohini Dey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Still in the early stages of her career (though she started gigging at age 10!), she has accomplished bass guitar mastery few can reach. The depth and scope of her musical output and influences make her a unique artist on the global music scene. The sheer array of musicians she shares the stage with and musical styles she works in, from funk to Indian classical music, demonstrates her artistry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Child prodigy turned established pro, Mohini Dey continues to stretch musical boundaries. And, her collaborations read like a rock\u2019n\u2019roll hall of fame. Her playing seems phantasmagorical. However, when you look at her musical bringing, and the influences that continue to shape her musical journey, it\u2019s easy to see how she became so good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For someone whose destiny is music, Mohini Dey was fortunate to have the best foundation to nurture her extraordinary gift. Coming into the world in 1996, she is the daughter of a mother who is a classically trained singer and a session bassist father. Her father, Sujoy Dey, worked as a session bassist for Bollywood composers such as Laxmikant-Pyarelal and performed in jazz fusion groups around Mumbai. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dey\u2019s father noticed the first embers of her musical ability when she was around three years old. While he practiced bass, her father would give her headphones and watch her tap to the rhythms he played on the floor. Soon, he realized she had an ear for music and decided to teach her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Being a jazz fusion bassist, Dey\u2019s father exposed her to pioneering recordings by artists like Miles Davis, Weather Report and the great Jaco Pastorius, Chick Corea, the Yellow Jackets, and many others. Before handing Dey her first electric bass when she was 10, her father built her a small, makeshift bass guitar out of wood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even before getting her first professional bass, Dey would join her father at recording sessions, concerts, and even Bollywood functions. Dey was fortunate to have exposure to the inner workings of the music scene. She even had opportunities to contribute to songs, such as the time when her father was working for T-Series on a spiritual album and he asked her to play on the recording. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another turning point for Dey came when she met veteran musician, composer and producer Ranjit Barot. Once Barot heard Dey play, he took her under his wing, performing shows in Mumbai and featuring her on Barot\u2019s 2010 album, Bada Boom<\/em>. By 13, Dey was established in the Mumbai music scene, performing with keyboardist Louis Banks, renowned tabla player Zakir Hussain, sitar maestro Niladri Kumar and jazz musicians Floyd Fernandez and Karl Peters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next leap in Dey\u2019s journey was when she met renowned film composer, singer and producer AR Rahman. Not realizing it at the time, Dey did a recording session on one of Rahman\u2019s songs, and after sharing the experience with her father, she soon learned how much a big-name Rahman is in the Indian film music industry. A day after the studio session, Dey got a call from Rahman to join his band for Coke Studio. Since that call, Dey became a part of Rahman\u2019s band for eight years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Joining Rahman\u2019s group came about at a time when Dey faced three big life decisions. Despite her monstrous musical talents, Dey had dreams of being a fashion designer and was accepted into a well-known fashion college. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, she was offered a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music, and then the job with AR Rahman. Though she ultimately took the gig with Rahman, fashion design is still part of her life, designing most of the outfits she wears for her live performances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It was not long until Dey\u2019s playing made waves in the media, and she quickly developed a following. Not long after, leading musicians and producers began to take notice. She collaborated with other respected Bollywood composers such as Arijit Singh and Salim-Sulaiman. Before long, the world was taking notice of her bass-playing prowess. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2017, Dey started posting regularly on YouTube, and she soon caught the attention of many fans, bass players, and artists. It can be difficult to stand out as a female bassist<\/a> in the music industry, but Dey’s skills ensured that she would be noticed. It wasn\u2019t long until she was traveling all over the world to perform with a host of artists.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Being fearless in her pursuit of new sounds and pushing bass technique to the limits, Dey has explored many genres, from jazz fusion to metal and even pop. Yet, her Indian roots are where some of her greatest innovations have taken place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Her exposure to the various traditional music forms growing up and working with top Indian musicians gave her a language that she continues to transform and make her own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mohini Dey is herself a melting pot of influences and musical traditions. Growing up in India, she was exposed to the rich musical traditions of Hindustani and Carnatic music. Not to mention the jazz-fusion recordings she consumed as a child and all the studio sessions she attended with her father. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dey mentions in interviews how soul and feel, knowledge of harmony, and above all else, time are essential for any professional bassist. What better way to explore the limits of time and time signatures than delving into the tradition of konnakol. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Her 2022 video with drummer Marco Minnemann titled \u201cKonnakol Games\u201d brilliantly illustrates the use of this ancient technique in modern music. <\/p>\n\n\n\nAR Rahman<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The YouTube days<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Konnakol and learning bass guitar<\/h2>\n\n\n\n