Biography

ARUN SHENOY is a GRAMMY® Award nominated Artist, Songwriter & Music Producer. He is best known globally for his solo productions as well as for his work with the star studded Contemporary Jazz supergroup, THE GROOVE PROJECT.

Shenoy, who turned 46 this year, has received significant critical acclaim over the years for his work. American music critic Jonathan Widran writes that Shenoy’s discography may sound a bit scattered, but it is reflective of a brilliant, multi-faceted creative mind, pushed relentlessly by a restless spirit. He has noted Shenoy’s work as some of the most compelling, heartfelt and life affirming music he has heard.

Shenoy’s vast catalog of music spread across 9 full length albums, 12 stand alone Singles and 2 EPs, spans the genres of Jazz and World, to Rock, Lo-Fi and EDM music.

ARUN SHENOY exploded onto the international stage with a GRAMMY® Award nomination at the 55th Annual GRAMMY® Awards for his debut world fusion production titled RUMBADOODLE in 2012.

BLISS, Shenoyʼs follow up single from his Indian World Fusion project was launched by the Recording Academy via a Worldwide Exclusive First Look at GRAMMY.com in 2013.

The year 2013, also saw Shenoy's first collaboration with American artist and producer, Matthew Shell which resulted in the release of jazz single titled GENESIS.

Shenoy formed THE GROOVE PROJECT in Studio City, California as a Contemporary Jazz group in 2016. The group has released 3 full length studio albums A STAGEY BANK AFFAIR (2016), VOLUME 1: FLIGHTS OF FANTASY (2020) and VOLUME 2: THE WINDS OF CHANGE (2021).  The debut record was chosen as Album of the Year by Jazziz Magazine’s Critics Pick and dubbed “an explosive, exotic, jazz-funk-rock-barn burner” by noted American journalist and reviewer, Jonathan Widran.

Notable members and special guests of the band in the past (and present) have included current and former Dream Theater keyboardists Jordan Rudess and Derek Sherinian, GRAMMY Award winning saxophonist Jeff Coffin from the Dave Matthew Band, keyboardist Adam Holzman best known for his long association with Miles Davis, Weird “Al” Yankovic guitarist and GRAMMY Winner Jim Kimo West, GRAMMY Award nominated arranger Don Hart best known for his long association with Phish, Acclaimed jazz pianist Fahir Atakoglu, and keyboardist Ed Roth from Chad Smith’s Bombastic Meatballs.

In 2022, Shenoy released a full length solo album in collaboration with Matthew Shell titled ELEMENTAL. On this album Shenoy and Matthew Shell explore a wide range of musical styles rooted in Jazz, but incorporating elements from the sounds of Motown, electronic dance music & other electronic sounds, Lo-Fi, and Brazilian Chill Baile Funk.  The album was released in stereo and Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 Immersive Audio formats.

AN EVENING IN NAPOLI, the first single and accompanying animated film from RUMBADOODLE II was released in 2023.  Shenoy is yet to announce a date for the highly anticipated full length album.

In 2024, Shenoy released his second solo album in collaboration with Matthew Shell titled DESTINATIONS. On this record the duo experimented with a blend of Nu Jazz, Free Jazz, Smooth Jazz and Jazzhop sounds. Like its predecessor, this album was also released in stereo and Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 Immersive Audio formats.

The year also marked the released of A HIGHER STATE OF BLISS, a follow up single to the groundbreaking world-fusion single BLISS from 2013. On this single, Shenoy opted for a more experimental sound incorporating downtempo EDM with live, virtuoso world music performances for what he calls - a genre bending musical experience.

On his side projects, Shenoy has collaborated on a series of singles over the course of his career.

JAZZ

  • An eponymous debut single by SOUL'D in 2014 as part of the funk/ smooth Jazz trio with flautist Ravichandra Kulur and bass player Duke Purisima. Their new style of high-energy music has been dubbed “Bansuri Funk.”
  • 2 singles with Matthew Shell as part of their Coffee House series of jazz with GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE and STROLL ALONG THE RIVIERA both in 2022

ROCK

  • 2 alternative  rock singles forged out of his collaboration with artist, Sridhar. MAKE UP YOUR MIND OR LEAVE IN BEHIND (2014) and ILLUSION (2015)
  • An American Roots single in collaboration with singer/ songwirter Elizabeth Butler in 2017 titled IF I KNEW
  • Shenoy also likes to dabble with a more intimate singer-songwriter facet of his art and has released an EP in 2018 titled THE UNPLUGGED SONGWRITER SESSIONS in collaboration with THE MAVERICK EXPRESS, a roster of musicians comprised largely of Shenoy’s long term collaborators.

LO-FI CHILL HOP and JAZZ HOP

  • He has also been released music in the style of Lo-Fi Beats under the artist moniker of FIREFLYX. The project has resulted in the release 2 full length albums A GIRL CAN DREAM (2021), SEASONS OF CHANGE (2022) and a single STARRY NIGHT (2023) in collaboration with beatmakers Melloe D and Angie Nicole.

REMIXES

  • Shenoy and Matthew Shell have collaborated with DJ Domscott for a House Music remix of their single GENESIS. The remix was released in 2014, a year after the original.
  • The second album by The Groove Project has also been reimagined in the style of Lo-Fi by Melloe D on VOLUME 1 LOFI: FLIGHTS OF FANTASY (THE MELLOE D SESSIONS) in 2021

ARUN SHENOY was born on 30 April 1978 in Manipal, India. He grew up in Bangalore city and after the completion of his schooling from The Frank Anthony Public School (1982-1993) and Pre-Unversity from St. Joseph Arts & Science College (1995) he moved to Manipal for his under graduate studies at the Manipal Institute of Technology (1995-1999).

In late 2002, Shenoy departed the country's shores for the first time to Singapore to pursue his post graduate degree at the School of Computing (SOC) of the National University of Singapore (2003-2004). During this time, Shenoy has co-authored numerous scientific research publications in the field of computational audio in top ranked scientific journals and proceedings of top ranked research conferences.

Shenoy was conferred the Outstanding Computing Alumni Award by the School of Computing at NUS, Singapore in 2018 and is also a Distinguished Alumni of MIT, Manipal.

He is an avid traveler, scuba diving enthusiast and collector of motorcycles. He is the also founder of Narked Records, a boutique record label; and Shenoy Audio, an audio engineering & musical instruments firm specialized in pro-consumer and audiophile headphones, and his soon to be launched, signature range of Shenoy guitars.

Shenoy became a Singapore citizen in 2008 and is ordinarily resident in Singapore.  He is the first Singapore citizen in the country's history to be nominated for a GRAMMY® Award.

He was married for 12 years (2006-2018) to Art Director ROSHNI MOHAPATRA, who has been an integral part of his productions. She passed away on Dec 13, 2018 at the age of 38. Shenoy and Mohapatra have previously been featured in the best dressed list at the GRAMMY® Award red carpet arrivals in Los Angeles in 2014 by Zen Magazine and Shenoy again in 2015 by Le Guide Noir.