Photos: Kanchan Daniel and The Beards at Blue Frog, Mumbai

Kanchan Daniel live at Blue Frog, Mumbai. Photo: Bryan Daniel/© Rolling Stone India

If there was anyone who could do the greats like Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix justice, it would be Mumbai based soul rockers Kanchan Daniel and The Beards. On Thursday night the band took over Blue Frog to perform some of rock and blues’ greatest hits including Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart,” and Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child.”

The band [Kanchan Daniel on vocals,  Kush Upadhyay on lead guitar, Mukesh Lobo on keyboards Varoon Aiyer on drums and Anand Kamath on bass] were joined by several guest artists including saxophonist Amar Sukhi [who has previously performed with the likes of Mumbai acoustic band Dischordian], bassist Nathan Thomas [who has previously played with Kolkata guitarist Tajdar Junaid] and ace keyboardist Karan Joseph aka Madfingers.

Daniel’s soul-drenched vocals during Joplin’s famous cover of Sixties blues song “Cry Baby” and the band’s electrifying rendition of Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” were some of the biggest highlights of the the night.  Daniel brought Joplin back to life onstage because of her ability to oscillate between clean, soft vocals and controlled raspy climbs to higher notes, much like Joplin. However, the star of the night was Upadhyay, dishing out smooth and fiery guitar solos in equal measure.

Sukhi and Upadhyay took center-stage when the night peaked with a psychedelic duet on Hendrix’s 1970 hit “Foxy Lady,” each artist taking turns to pump out tremendous solos while the rest of the band and the crowd cheered them on.

Watch the band perform “Foxy Lady” 

Photos: Bryan Daniel

[nggallery id = 308]