The Dhol Foundation is both a dhol drum institute in London and a musical group playing bhangra music. The Dhol School was founded in 1989 by former Alaap member Johnny Kalsi when several musicians asked him to be their teacher and a first album was released by Kalsi and his students in 2001.
Dhol drums are a traditional percussion instruments from the Punjab province in the north of India, from which Johnny Kalsi originates. In London he experimented with dance beats and electronic music, which he mixes with the traditional bhangra style in his albums. Their music can be heard in Hollywood films such as Gangs of New York and the Incredible Hulk and have also worked with Peter Gabriel on the soundtrack of the film Rabbit-Proof Fence. They opened the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006. They have a strong connection to Womad, having appeared at the Womad Reading Festival several times. A dhol can refer to any one of a number of similar types of double-headed drum widely used, with regional variations, throughout the Indian subcontinent. Its range of distribution in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan primarily includes northern areas such as the Punjab, Delhi, Kashmir, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh and stretching westward as far as Afghanistan. A related instrument is the dholak ordholki. Important fact - Someone who plays the dhol is known as a dholi.
Jock McKenzie studied trumpet at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester where he was a joint recipient of the college’s concerto prize. Since 1987 Jock has based his musical career in Hampshire, working as a freelance trumpeter, conductor, composer, arranger and brass teacher. Currently Jock holds the position of Professional Leader (Brass) for Hampshire Music Service and is the Director of the Hampshire County Youth Band. It is the mix of all of these musical roles that has led to Jock establishing a reputation as a leading creator of brass music resources, particularly in the field of education and brass ensemble music. In 2020 Jock was awarded an “Honorary Fellowship of the University of Winchester” for services to music education. Currently Jock is working part-time for the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama; providing tuition for their Brass Teaching Module. In 2024 Jock was given the award for “Services to Youth” by Brass Bands England.
