Rock lovers across the country have been privy to a treat in recent times. Renowned Mumbai- based guitarist Chandresh Kudwa recently embarked on an India tour across Mumbai, Pune and Delhi, where the packed audience enjoyed electrifying nights of live music regaled by Kudwa and his powerhouse band on stage.
The setlist was packed with original numbers created by them as well as quite a few popular renditions of classic rock covers. Ask him the reason for the success of this tour and Kudwa responds, “I believe with our signature twin-lead harmonies and searing solos, our energy is unmatched!” This statement certainly rings true because it was the first time Kudwa was joined on the national stage by his 13-year-old daughter and music prodigy, Eva Kudwa.
Some of the numbers played in the set included fan favourite items from his albums ‘Conqueror’ and ‘Free Spirit’, as well as fresh tracks from his latest EP titled ‘Through the Noise’, which released earlier this year.
Arguably one of India’s most respected guitarists, Kudwa has become known for his fiery technique, melodic depth and collaborations with global legends like Jennifer Batten who was the guitarist for Michael Jackson, Mattias IA Eklundh of Freak Kitchen fame and Gilby Clarke from Guns N’ Roses.
For the current tour, while Kudwa himself was on guitar and vocals, Gino Banks was on drums, Alanis Rodrigues on bass and Eva Kudwa accompanied them on guitar and vocals.
Their first venue was the High Spirits Café in Pune, followed by The Piano Man Jazz Club at Eldeco Center in Delhi and Rule 34 in Mumbai.
“The audiences in Pune and Delhi were incredible. They were totally with us throughout! They went wild when my 13-year-old daughter and I played twin lead harmonies and sang along to my songs like ‘I Wanna Play the Guitar’ and ‘Keep Rock n Roll Alive’. That was the icing on the cake. They were blown away by Gino Banks’ drumming and cheered for young bassist Alanis Rodrigues during our unison lines. Overall, we had a totally engaged and enthusiastic crowd in both cities,” says Kudwa, speaking about the live performances.
With nearly 30 years in the business, Kudwa has made a name for his prodigious skill, engaging stage presence and original compositions which combine chunky riffs with melodic solos. Over the years, he has been a key player in bands like ‘Freedom’ and ‘Dream Out Loud’.
After he embarked on his solo career, Kudwa released two successful albums, one after another, as well as the single, ‘Someday’, which made quite a splash. It was inspired by the numerous global conflicts and violence occurring around the world and reflects his belief in unity and healing to overcome these situations of strife. The track’s emotional lyrics paired with Kudwa’s signature guitar work which blends elements of hard rock, blues and alternative metal, really worked in its favour.
“His growth as an artist is evident in his transition from instrumentalist to a versatile musician, incorporating vocals into his fiery guitar work. His latest music highlights this evolution, featuring his songwriting and vocals,” says a fan at the Delhi gig.
Apart from his many celebrity collaborations, Kudwa has also dabbled in the ad and film industry, working with Bollywood icons such as A.R. Rahman, Amit Trivedi, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Sonu Nigam, Mithoon and Anu Malik. It was his guitar work that stood out on tracks like ‘Dilli Dilli’ from ‘No One Killed Jessica’, ‘Jiya Re’ from Jab Tak Hai Jaan and ‘Zaroorat’ from Aashiqui 2. Kudwa also played the guitar for the Bollywood hit of 2018, ‘Tareefan Reprise’.
Kudwa is also the founder of TheGuitarThing.com, which is India’s first website dedicated to online guitar lessons. He began teaching music at the young age of 18 years and has been teaching for over 25 years, even garnering the recognition of being the official guitar coach for the actor Arjun Rampal when he trained for the movie ‘Rock On’. Kudwa has also been the visiting guitar faculty at the NMIMS School of Performing Arts for many years.
Speaking about his daughter’s presence on the tour, Kudwa says, “Ever since she picked up the guitar, we used to talk about how incredible it would be to share the stage someday. And now that it’s happening, it’s pure magic. She’s a solid guitar player and a great singer, so we trade harmonies, play twin leads, and even throw in some melodic shred sections together. The chemistry on stage is unreal.”
Noor Anand Chawla pens lifestyle articles for various publications and her blog
www.nooranandchawla.com.
