Arun Shenoy

Arun Shenoy
Background information
Born	April 30, 1978 Manipal, India
Genres	Rock, Smooth Jazz, World Fusion, Funk
Occupation(s)	Recording Artist, producer, composer, arranger
Years active	2010 – present
Labels	Narked Records
Associated acts	Soul'd, Sridhar & Arun Shenoy, Arun Shenoy & The Groove Project
Website	ArunShenoy.com

Arun Shenoy (born April 30, 1978) is a composer and music producer of Indian origin, based in Singapore. He is best known for his Grammy Award nomination at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards for his debut full-length studio album Rumbadoodle.^[1] “Bliss”, the first song from his Indian Fusion project, and released as a single was featured on a worldwide Exclusive First Look on Grammy.com on August 26, 2013.^[2]

Shenoy has been featured by Zen Magazine in the best dressed couples list ^[3] at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards red carpet arrivals in 2014 alongside Wiz Khalifa, Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams. He is the founder and CEO of Arun Shenoy Music Publishing, a publishing house he founded in 2011.^[4] Shenoy has also set up a new record label, Narked Records in 2013.^[5]

Early life

Shenoy was born in 1978 at Manipal in coastal Karnataka. He did his schooling at The Frank Anthony Public School, Bangalore from 1982-1993 followed by his pre-university education at St Joseph's Arts and Science College, Bangalore, from 1993-1995. Shenoy returned to Manipal for his engineering degree at the Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT, Manipal) and graduated in 1999. In recent times Shenoy has been included in the University’s list of Notable and Illustrious Alumni.^[6] Shenoy moved to Singapore in 2003 pursue his master's degree by research in Computation Audio from the National University of Singapore (NUS).^[7] He became a Singapore citizen in 2008.^[8]

Music career

Shenoy has been involved in the local music scene through his university days. His professional music debut as a record producer came when he worked on the production for an EP by the American hard rock artist Tanadra released on April 29, 2010.^[9] Later in the same year, Shenoy also released a solo EP on October 31, 2010, which was titled Sol.^[10] While attempting to start a career in music, Shenoy said that he worked up to 80 hours a week for 2 years, while producing his debut EP Sol and working with the American artist Tanadra on her solo debut.^[11]

Shenoy’s full-length debut studio album Rumbadoodle was recorded across the world over two years and was released on August 30, 2012.^[12] The album has a flamenco feel with fusion influences drawn from contemporary pop, rock and jazz.^[13] Though he hails from a rock music background, Shenoy has said he always loved the Spanish Flamenco for its energy and passion characterized by its flourishes, rhythms and staccato style.^[14] Shenoy has cited Yanni as a major inspiration for the album.^[15] The album consists of 11 songs, which are individually named by a wide range of styles that are integrated into every song. Shenoy contributes all the proceeds from the album to an education fund for underprivileged people in India.^[13] The Art Directors of the album included Roshni Mohapatra, who was also Shenoy’s wife.^[16] They divorced in early 2018 after 12 years of marriage. On Dec 5, 2012, Shenoy was announced as a nominee for a Grammy Award at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards in the category of Best Pop Instrumental Album for the album.^[1] He has been noted as a first time nominee alongside other first time nominees in the Pop Field Fun., Carly Rae Jepsen, Gotye and Kimbra,^[17] and also among the more than 80 nominees who hail from outside U.S. borders.^[18]

"Bliss", Shenoyʼs follow up single from his Indian World Fusion project was launched by the Recording Academy via a Worldwide Exclusive First Look^[2] at Grammy.com in 2013.^[19] The project explores the rich lexicon of Indian classical instrumentation conceptually steeped in ancient Hindu scriptures and mythology in what Shenoy describes as a "long journey back to his own cultural roots." The song also features Grammy nominated arranger Don Hart and Indian flautist Ravichandra Kulur. The animated video for the music was scripted by art directors Roshni Mohapatra and Robert Capria and created by Actuality Films in New York.^[2]

Shenoy has also collaborated with American producer Matthew Shell on a jazz instrumental single titled "Genesis" in 2013.^[20]

In 2014, Shenoy announced a collaboration with Berlin-based producer Sridhar. Branded as Sridhar & Arun Shenoy,^[21] the first single by the duo titled “Make Up Your Mind Or Leave It Behind” was released on May 7, 2014 and featured Lonnie Park on guest lead vocals. The follow up single titled “Illusion” was released on August 5, 2014.

Later in the year, Shenoy announced the formation of a new band Soul’d, a trio of Shenoy on guitar, Ravichandra Kulur on flute and Duke Purisima on bass ^[22] The band released their first single as a self-titled debut ^[23] on September 5, 2014. The style of music has been referred to as ‘Bansuri Funk’. It has been noted that Kulur's performance on the flute is fast and melodic with influences of jazz, yet rooted in the Indian traditional style.^[24]

On July 01, 2016, Shenoy released A Stagey Bank Affair,^[25] his second album and his first as a collaboration with The Groove Project, a group that consists of 13 artists.^[26] The album is a concept album in the musical style of 'Bansuri Funk' that in addition to featuring 14 primary musicians in the group, also features a four person horn section and nine person string section.^[27] The most prominent performer on the album is Indian flutist Ravichandra Kulur who provides the emotional core of the songs.^[28] There is also a guest appearance by keyboard player, Uziel on the opening track.^[26] The performances by Kulur on the flute and Purisima on the bass were two key elements that have served as an inspiration for the music on the album.^[29] Most of the songs on the album starting off as jams between Kulur and Shenoy.^[27]

The title of the album makes a reference to Stagey Bank Fair, an agricultural based affair held in the early 20th century at Stagshaw Bank in Northern England. As Shenoy explains, legend has it that, over the years, the farming aspect dwindled and the fair became notoriously associated with gambling and drinking. After it was discontinued in the 1920s, the phrase 'Stagey Bank Fair' became a common euphemism for 'mess'. The title is a metaphor for a place that was once a joyous fair, but is now a disheveled, chaotic experience, kind of like adulthood can be.^[28]

The mix of contemporary jazz, funky soul and manic world music is complemented by the CD's old-school carnival themed artwork, which serves to reinforce the record's loss of innocence theme. The music and visuals combine to represent the childlike wonder that remains in some adults, despite life's inherent sadness and chaotic nature.^[30]

The visual aesthetic used for the fairground concept, presented in the format of vintage poster illustrations, was conceived by art directors Roshni Mohapatra and Robert Capria ^[28] The album physical package includes a 20 page booklet with 10 retro-styled carnival art panels, a second 24 page booklet with additional artwork and anecdotes, as well as 6 more images on the album package and 2 animated music videos.^[27]

Another facet of the album theme is that of the sad clown, where Shenoy counters the lighthearted tunes with the darker track of the same name "Sad Clown" that taps deepest into the loss of innocence theme. Images of the sad clown passed around drunk amid the revelry around him appear several times in the artwork. Shenoy has said that laughter and misery becomes the balance-beam on which our existence is constantly weighed. The album is a journey of the sad clown, who goes through the randomness of being in a colorful fairground, which is life.^[28]

2 singles from the album have been released to date. "Sugar Free (feat. Uziel)" on June 03, 2016^[31] and "Mary Go Around" on March 01, 2017^[32] The album was chosen as the Critics's Pick for Best Album of the Year by Jazziz Magazine.^[30]

Arun Shenoy Music Publishing

Arun Shenoy Music Publishing (also known as ASMP) is a music publishing company established by Arun Shenoy. In addition to managing the publishing rights of all of Shenoy’s work, the firm is focused on the discovery and development of songwriters, and owns or administers copyrights to musical compositions for use in recordings, public performances, and related uses, such as films, television and advertising. As with other publishers in recent years, the company has also undertaken the work traditionally done by record labels – produce, record, promote and distribute artists under its umbrella^[4]

Narked Records

Narked Records is a record label focused on music services and releases worldwide. The label discovers and develops recording artists. The label markets and promotes music, with distribution across US mainstream record retail, alternative channels, as well as digital. Additionally, musical experiences by its roster of artists in live performances, and across a broad spectrum of radio formats.^[5]

Accolades

His album Rumbadoodle was nominated for the Best Pop Instrumental Album at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards held on February 10, 2013 in Los Angeles. He was nominated along with Larry Carlton, Dave Koz, Gerald Albright and Norman Brown, and the eventual winner Chris Botti. He was the first ever Singapore citizen to be nominated for a Grammy.^[8]. His follow up album, A Stagey Bank Affair, was chosen as the Critics's Pick for Best Album of the Year by Jazziz Magazine.^[30]

Discography

See Arun Shenoy Discography

References