“There is a magic to a human plucking a string or blowing into an instrument... AI is derivative, not creative.” - Mohini Dey
Last Saturday night we had the blessing of seeing one of the most talented bass players in the world.
From Mumbai, India, raised by musician parents, struggling to make it, Mohini’s father noticed his daughter’s talent at a very young age. Picked as “Most Successful Musician UNDER30” by ForbesIndia, 29 year old bada$$ bass prodigy Mohini Dey says: “Independent artists MUST function as CEOs of their own careers.”
Small theaters, zero ownership from mega-thieves, she has carved an unexpected path, doing herself.
Dey’s blistering, technical fusion style blends jazz, funk, and Indian Carnatic traditions. Her style features aggressive, high-speed slapping and complex rhythmic syncopation. And just like rock, you can play this when you’re wanting to feel a little empowered — rather than believe you’re gonna save the world with violence.
In recent months Dey has come under fire for use of A.I. tools in promotion, however one has to remember that in order to grow we also have to find healthy ways to use growing tech, and accept it within reason. Imagine the education field? Bills have to be paid. I have no real opinions at this point. Haters gonna hate. She shows up to play. Not some robot.
“I choose to live in a world where we lift people up instead of tearing them down.”
… and I couldn’t agree more.
I have spent nearly four years here on Substack “fighting with the man.”
From writing the way I choose to write, listening to the music I want to listen to, doing the art I want — to discussions in “Notes” with other creatives — I would venture to say it is the number one topic. Power and control. Over our dreams. And friendships here too. We lost our entire communities a few years ago. Community we fostered. Honestly, A.I. algorithms are set to drive us apart with the enticement that it’s for our own good. Our own “interests.” Nah. Derivative speaks. Creatives writing to appease. Talented singers/song writers singing mainstream. Same old story. “Who wants to hear that? read a book on that? Everyone wants to hear this, read this. No not that,” says money.
Lately, more and more writers are putting banners over their work announcing “This is not A.I. created.” Really? This is where we have landed? Years ago, in my main medium of photography, I’d paste all over social media that I didn’t like my work changed or filtered. Pretty normal if you are any kind of creator. I also used to voice my opinion that young people were being visually trained to not recognize good art when they saw it. That someday they would accept crappy art as good. We arrived there — and now we’ve ditched crap for perfection. Nothing is perfect.
Artificial art has taken over. Just last night I thought I was watching a real cat <insert thoughts: “what a gorgeous designer kitty, omg it’s going to jump on a trampoline> It’s owners voice now saying, “well, okay, only for a few hours though,” as Miss or Mr. Kitty meow’d it’s way to the door of a seemingly normal looking home, excited to see the door open, kitty looking around, approaching a kitty friendly ladder — and up it went — pensive — waiting, then suddenly jumping.
I can’t stand being sucked in. Especially the comments. I’ve honestly NEVER wasted time on reading someone else’s comments. But I had to. They hold value now.
A.I. was the consensus.
So the eyes, ears have been trained to love crap and now they are being trained to love and have relationships with perfect fake. What kind of world is ahead of us?
But, as usual. I digress. Watch Jack Black’s “The Man” video from School of Rock. Nothing is new about control. So what do we have when we feel like giving up? When we feel like our dreams are: "If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face forever" from Orwell’s novel 1984 —
Then just give up…
Or… understand that you were made for more than that. And in the 56 seconds of iPhone coverage above (that I was lucky to get at the end because I respect the rules) during the encore everyone went crazy, stood up, screamed, and finally came out of the Mohini Dey trance — lifting phone cameras in the air — proving that some things in life are very real. And maybe we can make a visual memory of where we’ve been without ruining the entire experience.
One of the first things Dey said to the audience was that she didn’t expect her life to take a turn like “touring, “ and that she was grateful for the support of "the independent artist.” It’s the only way according to her. From Asia to America and back to Europe, small music venues around the world are hosting real artists like Mohini. Much like we’ve seen unreal jazz artists do for many, many years. Mostly in Europe where they are respected. Nothing fancy, no lighting or special sound techs, (other than what the theater could provide) no deeply inflated ticket prices, no weeping over not getting a ticket as your 7 minutes and entire personality expire, or crying because you have no idea how you’re gonna pay for that later on. I imagine the domino effect within a family.
No wonder therapists are in business. So dumb. And scary. Just read this — or this if you can’t. It’s a must.
No owning of the artist, where they do back breaking concerts, Spotify commercials, constant brand marketing, anything that they can do to recoup the high percentages taken from them, including food, drink and parking. Live Nation takes a cut owns from everything you can think of. I wondered why our soda cans were taken from our cooler and chucked in the trash at a Hollywood Bowl concert a few summers ago. Most “big artists” don’t even realize they’ve entered this wheel of exhaustive puppeteering until after they’ve signed big stadium contracts.
Our Southern California World Cup and Summer Olympics are already deeply embedded in Live Nation contracts with tickets promised at $28 (by city officials), for opening and closing ceremonies (Olympics ‘28) and are already as high as $7k for closing. But you know how I feel about the Olympics. No. Take care of Skid Rowz first. Rescue the tortured animals first. Do it properly. Thank you. They won’t.
No event is worth this type of monopoly and corruptive behavior. And the biggest losers are the fans that grew up loving sports and music. Fun while you’re there, but then you realize your credit card is max’d — and the way out takes an eternity. It’s been it’s very own intentional caste system for many years too, creating a deep undercurrent of animosity and division over the natural love of “coming together,” without the nonsense of politics and worldly agendas. But yeah. Enter politics and worldly agendas.
Simple entertainment! Forget about the noise for a few hours.
All by design. Just when you think you are growing up to do what you love, you are suddenly forced, owned into submission, bowing down on a field, to hold onto your lifestyle, and who you owe or owns you — when you should just be singing or playing your heart out in gratitude for being alive. For the work to get there. For the privilege. None of us buying tickets for entertainment want to be forced into an uncomfortable corner either. It’s unfair and extremely wrong.
Peel the layers back and you will see.
In the small Barclay Theater, in Irvine, California, we gathered, witnessed raw exceptional talent without nonsense. Affordable, intimate, there are many theaters like this, throughout the world, showcasing incredible talent.
Entertainment without breaking the bank or showcasing division.
This is where art lives before it is captured by “fame.” This is the meaning of authentic. It’s up to us. Our dollars should go there. To the Indie entertainer, artist, writer, even to the cool sports that don’t require mass attention but have a natural following and a good vibe. X Games, BMX, Surf competitions. Do your research. I know it’s cool to go see the big artists, but when you watch documentaries, like Lainey Wilson’s 2026 documentary on Netflix, you are grabbed by her lifelong infectious personality, whether you like country or not — and at the same time, without mention of who and what is monopolizing the money coffer “flywheel,” you can hear and see that she works much harder to appease the man, which will, in the end — end her career — the minute she has a child. Like Meghan Trainor, who recently canceled her entire tour…
Live Nation, and monopolies like them, (Hollywood, Big Five publishers), bank on a desire for fame. They can do whatever they want and they know you are replaceable. We are growing talent at an exponential speed, since the invention of social media.
Mohini Dey actually wrote me a p.m., on Instagram, when I posted some of the quick snaps I got above. That never happens. And man do I wish I had my real cameras, which I say every time I am in a theater knowing the experience is also just as good without them. Not too bad from the third row (another thing you can do without breaking bank). Dey is doing life her way, carving out her own destiny, still madly in love with her passion for the bass. Humble, clear headed, has her own vibe, without the glam team, and couldn’t wait to meet her audience, even asking for the lights to come up on us so she could see us as she played. “I want to see you guys. Thank you for coming. Your support means so much to me.” She also did a meet and greet in the lobby afterward, as almost all Indie artists do.
Some of our greatest memories are in small venues with exciting artists that keep going because they haven’t been trapped or plagued by fame. And those who are following them are craving a niche similar to the underground venues of a dying culture. An intimate experience from an artist. Look at Nashville. The pubs are full of them. L.A. and NYC still have their black boxes. Young and old, are finding themselves attracted to artists like Mohini Dey because it just feels right.
We want to be ourselves until the day we’re called home.
It’s a gift worth fostering.
The song above is from Mohini’s song: In ‘n Out. And who doesn’t like that?
and p.s. - if you don’t know I’m married to a bass player of 52 years — well. I am.
hashtag bass players wife.
