Gig Preview: Ranjit Barot Teams with Young Talent as Contraband in Mumbai

Ranjit Barot is known for being the man behind the drumkit for everyone from A.R. Rahman to John McLaughlin and more, while also leading projects jazz-fusion projects like Slang and UnCommon. Also a composer for film soundtracks and the occasional actor (he was seen in Rahman-produced musical 99 Songs), Barot performs in Mumbai with his latest jazz project Contraband on January 25th.

Contraband comprises seasoned and young artists that Barot believes are the “future of jazz in India.” With the veteran drummer behind the kit and also taking on vocal duties, the band includes saxophonist Mark Hartsuch, vocalists Vasundhara Vee, Azamaan Hoyvoy and Malika Barot, keyboardists Rahul Wadhwani and Arka Chakraborty, bassist Avishek Dey, guitarist Harshvardhan and percussionist Emmanuel Simon.

Barot says about the setlist, “I’m playing a set of songs composed by me, some have been released on albums out by me earlier, though they’ve been completely re-arranged to suit this ensemble. Then there  are a couple of tributes to people like [Austrian jazz great] Joe Zawinul and Herbie Hancock.” The gig comes in the middle of Barot’s ongoing projects in the studio and on stage, backing musicians around the world. Following the pandemic-ensuing lockdowns, Barot believes that there’s now a “renewed sense of purpose” and it’s exhilarating to meet old friends on the road again. “The audiences too are hungry and so receptive to our return. It’s just a fantastic feeling to be back playing live music again,” he adds.

Whether it’s his own work or playing drums on other composers’ material, Barot believes it’s about serving the music that’s given to him. “In my own ensemble, I wrote music for the rest of the band. It’s not like I’m writing a bunch of notes that I get to solo over. So one can never really be indulgent in that sense while making meaningful music,” he says about his process when it comes to his solo material.

Barot noted on social media that the Contraband show at AntiSOCIAL tonight is the first of many more concerts he plans to do around the country in the new year. “I’m filled with hope and excitement as to what the future holds for all of us,” he added in his post on Instagram.

Outside of Contraband, there are shows with A.R. Rahman and an autumn tour later this year with John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension. “There’s a couple of things brewing at other local venues where I’ll be featuring Contraband in a more interactive setting. I’ve got some recording projects for films. So, all in all, a pretty busy year that I’m looking forward to,” Barot adds.

Ranjit Barot and Contraband perform at AntiSOCIAL, Mumbai on January 25th, 2023. Get tickets here.