Interview with Raunak ‘Raun’ Mukherjee, Internationally Acclaimed Musician and Producer of Indian Origin

HEY RAUNAK MUKHERJEE! THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO CHAT WITH US! LET’S START WITH HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED WITH MUSIC AND GUITAR PLAYING?
I grew up in a musical family in India with music always playing around me. I picked up someone’s old half-broken guitar when I was 14 and started teaching myself how to play it! Fast forward many years later I attended Berklee College where I received a formal degree.

AND MUSIC PRODUCTION?
They are very closely related to each other, playing an instrument and engineering or production! Yes, the knowledge applied is different, but at the end, the result is the same and that is creating a bond or connection with your listener and make them feel something! But there was a lot of self-study involved before I had formal training.

AS A GUITAR PERFORMANCE AND RECORDING ARTIST HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE?
It’s basically a combination of any kind of music that inspired me over the years. Whether it’s 80’s rock influences or more along the lines of bluegrass, folk and blues players. Composers and songwriters like John Martyn or new wave and contemporary artists like David Sylvain or Peter Gabriel, also influence my playing and compositions. Over the years producing and recording pop and dance music, working with some of the best producers in NYC also influenced my sound.

YOUR UPCOMING PROJECTS SOUND EXCITING! TELL US MORE
Yes! Albino Mbie is one of the most amazing jazz musicians out there. We worked together in the past but this upcoming collaboration will be great! I am working with him as a composer, playing and recording guitars and also engineering. After that we will be performing and touring together. This is a collaboration we have been waiting to work on for some time.

TO ALL THE ASPIRING YOUNG TALENT OUT THERE, WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THIS MULTIDIMENSIONAL APPROACH, BEING A COMPOSER, PRODUCER AND ARTIST?
Absolutely, yes! We are living in an age where learning different skills can be very rewarding, especially in music even though it’s not a new concept. Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Prince and many more were multi-skilled and that influenced their sounds.

To know more about Raunak ‘Raun’ Mukherjee visit: www.raun-pro-audio.squarespace.com