Kolkata
(Till 1998)
Neil started working with his maternal uncle Goutam Chattopadhyay (Monimama) who frequently took him to recording studios as a child. At the age of twelve, he got featured in a Doordarshan program called “Youth Times” where he played the harmonica and guitar and received his first professional payment of one hundred rupees. His next gig as a bass player, was with Nandan Bagchi and Soumya Dasgupta, where he made a substantial amount of Rs 1240 playing for an architect’s meet at a club in Kolkata. After completing his Bachelors, he joined "Crosswinds", a band with an ever-changing lineup led by Abhijit Patranabish. The band played Top40 music in Kolkata clubs. While playing for this band, Neil met future band members Bonnie, Tuki, Clayton, Ossey, Robin and eventually formed Krosswindz. In 1997, Neil performed the Vivaldi Concerto in D-Major with the Atelier Music Orchestra conducted by Abraham Majumdar at the St. Paul’s Cathedral, Kolkata.
Krosswindz
Krosswindz started playing in rock music concerts headlining at major college-university festivals nationally and at clubs in Kolkata. In 1994, Krossindz performed at the Independence Rock Concert in Mumbai, known as the Woodstock of India. It is at this festival that they bagged their first recording deal with BMG Crescendo and subsequently released their first album as singles, featuring two songs “Love you just the same ” (Tuki) and “Take my heart, take my soul” (Neil), on two sides of a cassette. A change happened in the band lineup in 1994, when Clayton and Ossey left and Dwight Pattison and Chirodip Lahiri joined in their place. Krosswindz continued their live performances and eventually recorded their first song in Bangla, Prithibi’ta Naaki, by Goutam Chattopadhyay for the album Abar bochhor kuri Por’e in which Neil arranged music, played guitars, and did backup vocals.
Path Gechhe Bñeke
In January 1996, Krosswindz recorded the cult album Path Gechhe Bñeke, Neil wrote lyrics and composed music of the eight tracks of this album. Ei Dingulo was in fact written in the studio! This album is regarded as a rock classic by many. Shivram Hariharan financed this entire endeavor. The cover of the album was designed by Hiran Mitra, and it was recorded, mastered and mixed by Ephraim Issacs at Studio Vibrations, Kolkata. This is time when Neil completed the Grade Eight training in Western Classical music.
On June 1st, 2021, Path Gechhe Bñeke
celebrated it's twenty-fifth birthday. Neil co-wrote "Of love, ghosts and Path Gechhe Bñeke" reminiscing the zeitgeist that propelled the music of PGB.
PC: Alok Banerjee
PC: Alok Banerjee
Mohiner Ghoraguli
PC: Rituparna Das
The albums Abaar bochhor kuri por’e. Jhora shomoyer gaan and Maya were a compilation of songs composed by various artists and bands over a period of decades, released under the umbrella of Mohiner Ghoraguli. Neil worked as a music arranger, performer, composer in these albums. Specifically, he musically re-interpreted and sung songs like Binita Kemon achho, composed by Mohiner Ghoraguli, and Bhikkheteyi jaabo written and composed by Arunendu Das. Neil was on the rhythm and slide guitars and did the vocals, while Goutam Chattopadhyay played the ektara and dugi in the later. Prithibi’ta Naaki (written in 1994 by Goutam Chattopadhyay) starts with a guitar introduction composed by Neil. He added harmonic arrangements and incorporated changes to the original architecture of the song (such as, raising the song key) to create the sound of the first recording; additionally, he also played the guitars with Tuki and did backup vocals with Bonnie. Jao Chhere Chol’e was one of the first individual compositions of Neil that displayed his command as a songwriter and sonic diversification as a musician. The song featured late Mridul Roy on cello, Abraham Majumdar on viola, Dr. Soumyo Chatterjee on violin, and Bonnie Chakraborty on the vocals.
Contribution to Mohiner Ghoraguli compilations
Aabaar Bochhor Kuri Por’e
-
Dhandhar Thekeo Jotil Tumi: arranged the song, played guitars.
-
Katha Dia Bandhu: arranged the song, played guitars.
-
Ami Dandike Roi: arranged the song, played guitar, banjo and bass.
-
Aakashe Chharano: arranged and played guitars.
-
Prithibi’ta Naaki: See above entry.
Jhora Somoyer Gaan
-
Manush Chena Daye: arranged the song, played the guitars.
-
Kisher eto taara: arranged song, played guitar.
-
Gaibo shudhu gaan: played guitar.
-
Ke ke jabi re: played guitar.
-
Binita: reinterpreted the song, arranged, sang and played guitars,
-
Sara raat: reinterpreted this song, incorporated three voices. played the guitars.
-
Shei phuler dol: guitars and harmonica.
-
Tomaye dilam: arranged, played electric piano and guitars.
-
Aamar Priya Café: did arrangement, played electric piano and guitars.
Maya
-
Haye Bhalobashi: played electric guitar, keyboards.
-
Jokhon Dhoa Meghe: arranged the song, played guitars.
-
Dishehara amaar mon: played guitars.
-
Dokkhin khola jaanla: played guitar, arranged along with Debojyoti Mishra. Also features Dwight Pattison on bass, Chirodip Lahiri on drums, and Kallol Das on flute.
-
Koto Ki Korar Achhey: arranged the song, played guitars.
-
Ei Muhurtey: arranged the song and played electric guitars.
-
E Ki Kotha Shuni: played one of the guitars.
-
Bhikkheteyi jaabo: See above entry.
-
Telephone: played the piano.
-
Jao chhere chol’e: See above entry.
PC: Rituparna Das
PC: Rituparna Das