Anmol Mohara
Across The Sea
by Howard Lawes
Anmol Mohara is a recent graduate, and associate, of The Guildhall School of Music and Drama and Across the Sea is his first album that was released on Lomna Records in October. Here is a video for the track Sakhiye Ho from the album:
During a Zoom call Anmol chatted about his life in Nepal and the U.K. and his plans for the future.
​
Anmol was born in Dharan, a city in eastern Nepal that is also the location of a Brigade of Gurkhas depot making it a significant administrative and support hub for Gurkha troops serving the British crown. Anmol had an opportunity to demonstrate his drumming skills at the age of 5 when, with his uncle, he took part in the local Dashain festival, playing the congas. Nepali percussion instruments include the two-headed madal, the nagara, a pair of kettle drums played with sticks and tabla, smaller than nagara, that are played with the hands. Anmol’s parents were so impressed with his drumming that they applied for him to enrol at the Nepal Music Centre in Katmandhu. Anmol won a scholarship to attend the school and boarded there from age 9.
​
Katmandhu is 400km and a 15-hour bus ride from Dharan so understandably Anmol often felt homesick and on one occasion ran away from school, managing to make it all the way home. Education at the school was demanding with academic studies during the day and music studies in the evening but Anmol persevered, playing drumkit as well as the traditional percussion instruments. At college Anmol was the drummer in a band called Blue in Silence that visited local schools and won a prize at the AFK Music Contest in Katmandhu. He also followed the Rock School syllabus, passing all the exams and achieved the highest grade.
​
In 2015, Anmol moved with his family to the U.K. and lived in Aldershot and although they joined an existing Nepali community in the area the emotional upheaval was considerable. Anmol threw himself into hs drumming and was fortunate to start lessons with the renowned drum tutor Danny Mullowney at his secondary school, Connaught, (now known as Alderwood) before he enrolled at the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford. His skill and enthusiasm were soon recognised when, at age 16, Anmol won the 2017 Young Drummer of the Year Event quoting Dave Weckl and Anika Nilles as influences. There is a video of his performance here. This was followed by the Yamaha #Futurebeat 2018 competition, where Anmol walked away with his first drum kit which was the winner’s prize:
In the same year Anmol was one of only three UK musicians to be offered a place at the prestigious Brubeck Institute Summer Jazz Colony in California, financing his travel with a crowdfunding exercise. Anmol also participated in the Junior Jazzensemble course at the Royal Academy of Music led by Gareth Lockrane before successfully auditioning for the Guildhall School of Music in 2019.
​
The four-year course at Guildhall further cemented a love of jazz, which is perhaps unsurprising given that he was blessed with having James Maddren, Ralph Salmins, Will Glazer and Winston Clifford as tutors. However, he was also impressed by the way students at Guildhall, from many different countries and cultures, incorporated traditional music into their jazz compositions and performance, and resolved to do the same with Nepali music. He also has fond memories of seeing legendary Indian tabla players such as Zakir Hussain at London’s Southbank and Trilok Gurtu at Ronnie Scott’s Club. After graduating from Guildhall in 2023 he was offered an associateship whereby he received further one to one tuition, but in return took part in performances showcasing the Guildhall School of Music and accompanying younger students during their performances. This period also provided the opportunity to continue composing for his album, Across the Sea, which was released on 10th October 2025.
​
While Anmol’s home is now in the U.K. his heart remains to a large extent in Nepal, and he is very keen to bring the diverse music and culture of Nepal to a wider audience. Percussionists, Zakir Hussain and Trilok Gurtu are both well known for blending jazz and Indian music, and other musicians admired by Anmol include the Algerian drummer, Karim Ziad, the Malian singer, Oumou Sangare and the Indian British musician Nitin Sawhney known for blending electronic and world music. Across The Sea is a heartfelt blend of traditional Nepali sounds and Anmol's diverse global influences-bridging past and present, home and abroad. Here is a video for Mo : Mo In My Mind from the album:
The band is Anmol Mohara (drum kit, Madal, Tabla, Nagara, vocals, percussion); Tereza Catarov (vocals); Simeon May (flutes and tenor saxophone); Daniel Fawcett-Tuke (electric and acoustic guitar); Rory Hudson (electric and double bass); Cody Moss (piano, synths, Rhodes and keys); Nicole Petrus Barracks (vocals on track 6,); James Knight (soprano saxophone on Track 4 and additional tenor saxophone on Track 14); Jansen Santana (percussion on Tracks 4 and 14), and Prince Nepali (Sarangi on Tracks 11 and 16). The instruments are a mixture of traditional Nepali and western jazz ensemble. The sarangi is a stringed instrument played with a bow that makes sounds that resemble the human voice.
​
Tracks on the album adapted from traditional music include Sakhiye Ho (which we heard above). It is normally performed at the Maghe Sankranti festival that welcomes the lengthening of short winter days and the prospect of spring, it has an infectious rhythm and a melody clearly intended to dispel those winter blues. Sorathi is a traditional tune from the Magar community and begins with a folk tale describing the misfortune of a king and his baby princess, happily the tale has a happy ending. It is a long track with complex musical arrangements that testifies to the Anmol’s ability to compose songs as well as rhythm. Silu comes from the Newar people and is a folk song, beautifully sung by Tereza Catarov. The track includes some equally lovely solos on guitar and saxophone.
​
The album contains eight short tracks, called 'scenes', that link the longer ones together. Scene 4 introduces the track, Migrant, and includes a car horn and the sound of an aircraft that requires no further explanation. Migrant features some cheerful flute and tabla introducing a song describing the journey to a new community and the memories of what has been left behind. Five Elements celebrates the number five, that is so important in Hinduism and perhaps recalls the summer of 2018 at the Brubeck Institute. Anmol enjoys himself playing around with five beat rhythms and creates a great jazz track. Mo : Mo in my Mind celebrates the delicious Nepali dumpling and is great fun with a soulful vocal and great interplay between drums and bass. The last long track on the album, Conversation, features a technique called 'bol' where vocal syllables are used to represent rhythmic patterns, and focuses on how composers and musicians talk to themselves as they create music. The final track on the album, End Credits features a short piece highlighting the fascinating, vocal like sound of the sarangi, played by Prince Nepali.
​
Here is a video for another track, A Rhythmic Guy, a playful, groove-driven tune that celebrates introversion and individuality; full of personality, it shows off Mohara’s feel for rhythm and sense of humour.
Anmol Mohara has undoubtedly justified his parents’ early faith in his drumming ability and is now demonstrating his considerable talent for composition, arranging and band leading. Across the Sea is a joyful fusion of the wonderfully diverse music of Nepal and the imaginative jazz that Anmol uses to relate his story. Having featured as an emerging artist at an earlier Jazz in the Round at the Cockpit Theatre he has this month secured the star billing slot. For 2026 he is busy planning a festival that will take place in London, bringing Nepali musicians, food and culture to a wider audience. The future looks bright for this very talented young musician who travelled a long way across the sea and who is surely going places in the music world.
​
Anmol's website is here and details of the album Across The Sea are here.
© Sandy Brown Jazz 2025.11