Search - Dhol Foundation :: Big Drum: Small World

All Hail the Drum Master

DJ ProFusion - WorldFusionRadio.com | Evanston, IL | 04/04/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bottom Line: A solid solo debut from a consumate musician. An excellent introduction to bhangra fusion music and the dohl drum.Johnny Kalsi is one of the giants of the Asian Underground scene in London. His impressive resume includes stints with Alaap, Transglobal Underground, and Afro Celt Sound System. Kalsi is in great demand because he is the master of the dhol, a two-headed wooden drum from north India. The dhol produces a distinctive sound that lends readily to intricate fast-paced rhythms. Kalsi teaches the dhol and other drums at a studio in London and many of his pupils now play with him.Kalsi is now the front man for the band Dhol Foundation (also the name of his school) and in early 2001 released a single with Natacha Atlas. "Shin the Mechanic" was a big hit world wide and left fans of world fusion eagerly awaiting Dhol Foundation's full-length release. Big Drum : Small World was worth the wait.The first song, "Eik Din" opens with a bird singing; appropriate for the organic nature of this music. A human singer joins the bird and is in turned joined by a bell, cello and frame drum. The pastoral feel bursts into electronics and dhol, with the beat kicking in at an outrageous 180 bpm. Despite the pace, the melody and rhythm are controlled and uplifting, not frenzied."Iridian" sounds very much like an Afro Celt Sound System song, light and happy with the distinctive flute melody and violin solos while Kalsi's dhol sets a bhangra rhythm. The song takes an abrupt detour to a jazz piano solo (not my thing but others would enjoy) for a few seconds then returns to the main melody."Healing With Tumeric" turns up the energy with a bhangra dance number. It features sitar and flute-sounding keyboards, electronic atmospherics, and multiple dhol players. The dhols set the tone here, when they are playing, the track is hard driving dance, when they aren't, the track is atmospheric, almost ambient. That may sound weird but the interludes and changes work very well.Next, Near Eastern chanteuse Natacha Atlas graces us with "Shin the Mechanic." The song is classic Natacha with Kalsi ably accompanying on dhol. By classic Natacha I mean a catchy song with a pop feel, beautiful singing, and foot-tapping rhythm.The down-tempo "Poseidon" is perfect lounge music featuring light keyboards and superbly understated table and dhol. Turning to Indian classical music, "Seven Heaven" features santoor and hammered dulcimer in a very pleasantly relaxing tune.The DCS in "TDF Meets DCS" is Shin DCS (You guessed it, he's also the Shin in Shin the Mechanic). Shin sings on this song which has an urban groove with gang vocals, electric guitar and mass drumming. He has a great voice, articulation, and range. I searched all of the liner notes, press releases and the band's Web site but couldn't find any info on who Shin is or where else we might find his work. That's a shame.Natacha Atlas and Shin DCS return for the sweeping ballad "Tere Bina." A beautiful romantic duet in the Indian tradition, it shows off the vocal talents of both, accompanied by strings, keyboards, tabla and dhol. Very nice song.The title track and "Drummer's Reel" are bhangra drum jams that will satisfy the primal cravings of any drum fanatic. "Big Drum Small World" is what American drum-and-bass should sound like. "Drummer's Reel" features a massive array of 42 drummers (all students of Kalsi) providing the beat for an Irish reel. In between "Big Drum Small World" and "Drummer's Reel" lies "Colours of Punjab," a light-heartedly melody with intricate percussion. Pleasant and pastoral.Fans of drums should definitely get Big Drum Small World, as should fans of Indian music."

Big Drum, Big Winner

blondieny | New York | 02/27/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've been listening to "Big Drum: Small World" (great title) for months, in fact, it seems to have earned a permanent place in my CD changer. My tastes are pretty eclectic (for example this week I'm listening to Bela Fleck/Flecktones, Nitin Sawhney, Pierce Turner and Outkast), and I tend to bore easily, so this is quite some achievement. The dhol drum was new to me before seeing the Afro Celts, and I understand Johnny Kalsi is the best. This is very easy to believe. (The drum itself is extremely loud, and in the wrong hands... I shudder to think. Luckily there's no need to worry here.) Kalsi's dhol is the backbone, holding down the groove with great engaging rhythms, and only really taking center stage on "Drummer's Reel". At first listen these rhythms just captivated me. "Big Drum" builds from the quiet dawn of "Eik Din" to the thunderous "Drummers Reel", featuring an ensemble of dozens of dhol drummers and Nigel Eaton's hurdy gurdy. "Iridian" is exquisite. The dervish-like "Healing with Turmeric" segues into the wild fusion of "Shin the Mechanic", with guest vocalists Shin and Natacha Atlas. Other standouts are the bhangrafied "TDF Meet DCS" and the title track. That said, there's not a dud on this CD. The production values are excellent, and the acoustic and electronic elements are very well balanced. Yes, the overall style is hard to categorize, as some of the reviewers below have alluded to, but don't let that scare you, "Big Drum" is both cohesive and very accessible. Everyone I've played it for finds something great about it, and it hangs together as a complete work, it's certainly not a hodgepodge. "Big Drum: Small World" was been a breath of fresh air in my CD collection. Highly recommended."

The Transcendental Beat of a Drum....

Manbir Chowdhary | Orange County, CA | 07/11/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"No matter where on earth you come from, this instrument (the dhol) will make you want to move every inch of your body. The people of the northern Indian state of Punjab have long enjoyed its mesmerizing and entrancing rhythms. Now, thanks to the hard work of Johnny Kalsi and The Dhol Foundation, more people across the globe have a chance to experience the extremely powerful effect of this instrument. The dhol drum forms the backbone of Bhangra music and is one of the key reasons for the genre's success on the dance floors of the UK, Canada and the US. This album celebrates the instrument by staying true to its vibrant and robust energy but also demonstrates its versatility, by incorporating transient and "New Age" sounds."