Bass Camp

When multi-instrumentalist Nitin Sawhney began his set with Sunset a collaboration of Bengali folk and western vocals his guitar work layered with vocalist Nicki Wells voice had an interesting slow pounding rhythm by way of some regular slapping and popping on the bass.

When multi-instrumentalist Nitin Sawhney began his set with Sunset a collaboration of Bengali folk and western vocals his guitar work layered with vocalist Nicki Wells voice had an interesting slow pounding rhythm by way of some regular slapping and popping on the bass. Among Sawhneys ensemble of musicians on Coke Studio @ MTV,16-year-old Mohini Dey plucked the strings closer to the bridge,producing an array of nuanced harmonics that gave a pulsating tone to the complete song. Sawhney and Dey exchanged a glance and Dey knew she had done her job well.

A class 11 student at Mumbais MJ Pacholia Junior College for Commerce,Dey is one of the youngest bassists in the country and was filling in the large shoes of Rushad Mistry,the bassist from Indus Creed. A fixture in jazz percussionist Ranjit Barot gigs,she has also performed with Louiz Banks,tabla maestro Zakir Hussain and legendary guitarist John McLaughlin.

Dey began to hold a four-string Fender when she was three. I would sit on my fathers lap and he would try to teach me basics at an early age, she says about her father Sujoy Dey,who is a bass player himself. Since she grew up in a Bengali household,slides played by John Entwistle,Jaco Pastorious and pianist Bill Evans were accompanied by tones of Indian classical ragas by default. Jazz and Indian classical music are very similar when it comes to improvisation,so my influences are varied. I also want to be a versatile musician and sit with my guitar everyday for five-six hours to practice various combinations, says Dey,who now plays a five-string Ibanez.

She was also seen in Hitesh Soniks Coke Studio @ MTV episode,her bass tones sounding bright while in collaboration with the Noora sisters. I mostly look for clarity in bass notes when collaborating with any artiste and like to improvise accordingly, says a confident Dey,who is also busy giving finishing touches to her own instrumental album that will release later this year.

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories

Loading Taboola...

Bass Camp

When multi-instrumentalist Nitin Sawhney began his set with Sunset a collaboration of Bengali folk and western vocals his guitar work layered with vocalist Nicki Wells voice had an interesting slow pounding rhythm by way of some regular slapping and popping on the bass.

When multi-instrumentalist Nitin Sawhney began his set with Sunset a collaboration of Bengali folk and western vocals his guitar work layered with vocalist Nicki Wells voice had an interesting slow pounding rhythm by way of some regular slapping and popping on the bass.