Techno, Jazz, Funk, And A Whole Lot Of Heart: Derek & The Cats On Growing Up As A Band On The Road

If life were a movie, Derek & The Cats would be the soundtrack playing just when the camera pans over a long, dusty highway, capturing the thrill of movement, the anxiety of uncertainty, and the joy of being nowhere in particular. Hailing from Bengaluru, this eight-piece ensemble doesn’t exactly fit the typical image of a jazz-funk band. There are no bespectacled professors, nor sleek synth masters locked in air-conditioned studios. Instead, these guys seem to thrive in the cluttered, unpredictable world of touring India, where every city becomes a character.

Led by Derek Mathias (a pianist whose idea of a good time is blending jazz’s complex grooves with funk’s cheeky bounce and the kinetic energy of dance music), the band brings a distinctive, unapologetically human approach to their sound. Jason Sharat, Adesh Vinod, Vishal Varier, Joel Rozario, Anand Murali, Gautam David, and Kenneth Besterwitch make up a group that feels more like an extended family than a typical band. Their music is layered but never overwhelming, calculated yet somehow spontaneous, like a conversation you fall into without realizing how long you’ve been talking!

'People to Meet, Places to See' is their latest road trip album (Image courtesy Joshua Quadros)

Their new album, People to Meet, Places to See, released August-end is exactly what it says on the tin — a musical diary of life on the road. It’s a record that doesn’t just capture melodies but memories: the laid-back hum of Cubbon Park, the quirky energy of Jonty Patel, the hypnotic pulse of Ratna Mahal, and the unexpectedly intense beauty of his grandma Leticia. Every track feels like a snapshot from a road trip. Techno Police, with its edgy beat and unexpected synth twists, hints that these cats aren’t afraid to push boundaries.

Maya, featuring guest artist Varun Nimbolkar’s sitar, bridges cultures and genres in a way that feels natural rather than forced. “When it came time to record in the studio, we thought — this idea was born on a sitar sound, so why not make it real? I reached out to Varun... and he came in and just blessed the track,” Derek told ETV Bharat.

So, if you’re in the mood for music that feels like a train ride through unpredictable landscapes (complete with snacks, unexpected conversations, and the occasional existential crisis), Derek & The Cats are your band. Just make sure to pack light. Excerpts from our interview with Derek:

1. People to Meet, Places to See feels like a sonic travel diary. When you listen back to it, do you feel like you’re flipping through a scrapbook of your own touring memories?

Honestly, yeah — it really does feel like that sometimes. If we take it song by song, Cubbon Park is like an ode to our childhood. That one feels like home. But then you have Jonty Patel and Ratna Mahal, which literally came out of our first India tour in 2024: things like debating in every city whether it should just be Jonty or Jonty Patel, or staying at this hotel called Ratna Mahal in Andheri East. Those songs are like snapshots from the road.

So, in one way, the album really is a scrapbook. Some tracks are tied to home, like my grandmother Leticia or Cubbon Park, and others are about the things we saw and lived while touring. Looking back at the record now, it feels like a journal of the last year — one that everyone can listen to.

2. Each track is tied to a place, a moment, an inside joke. What came first for you: the memory or the melody?

It really depends on the song. Out of the seven tracks on the album, I’d say five of them started from a strong melodic or harmonic idea.

For example, we went to watch Tigran Hamasyan, this Armenian piano player, when he performed in Bengaluru. The very next day, when we met up, we wrote this idea that eventually became Maya. So, in most cases, the music came first, and only after finishing the song did we realize what it felt like and which memory or moment it connected to.

But then there are songs like Cubbon Park and Leticia, which came from a very strong emotional centre. The story behind them was clear right from the start, and that feeling is what shaped the melody. So, it’s a bit of both but overall, about five songs were born out of melodies, and two came straight from memory and emotion.

3. You wrote much of the album while touring. Many instrumental albums can feel abstract, but this one feels very human, very lived. How intentional was it to weave stories into music without lyrics?

That’s actually a core part of who we are as Derek & The Cats. We predominantly write instrumental music, and people often ask why there are no lyrics. For us, instrumental music feels more universal; there are so many stories we can tell that words just can’t capture. But that also means it’s our responsibility as musicians to create a strong enough vision in the music so people can really feel the story. We’re not trying to make instrumental music only for musicians. We want anyone to be able to enjoy it, even someone who’s not deeply into music. A well-written song should connect regardless.

That’s been our approach since the first album, but I think with this record, we’ve become better at it — better at weaving stories, better storytellers overall. It’s not just something we do; it’s who we are, and who we want to be as a band.

4. Cubbon Park is such a love letter to Bengaluru, down to the fan snippets. Was it important for you to make the city itself a collaborator in the music?

Definitely. Our first album was written before we’d even played our first show, so it has more of a structured, studio-recording feel. But since then, we’ve played live so much, and honestly, the reason we can do that is because of our fans. They show up again and again, and in a way, they’ve become part of the Derek & The Cats experience. Watching us live is really about experiencing the band and the fans together — that energy is everything.

So with this album, we wanted people to still feel that live energy when they listened. Some songs were recorded live, but we also wanted to bring in the sound the fans create: the claps, the chatter, the atmosphere. That’s where the idea for Cubbon Park came from. It’s such a universal space; everyone has their own little recording or memory of being there. We thought, why not weave those snippets into the track?

When we added those mini conversations, the birds, the sound of people running or sitting with friends, it suddenly felt complete. Cubbon Park wasn’t just about the music anymore — it was about capturing the full environment. So yeah, the sound of Derek & The Cats has grown from just the band to also include the sound of our fans, who make our live shows so electric.

5. Maya stretches into so many worlds: Indian classical, Spanish jazz, Armenian influences. What was it like to bring in Varun Nimbolkar on sitar and watch that piece transform?

When I first wrote the demo for Maya, I actually played the main melody on a sitar sound on my keyboard. The song itself was inspired by an Indian classical raag called Maya Malava Gowla, but since we didn’t have a sitar player in the band, Adesh would usually play that melody on guitar when we performed it live.

When it came time to record in the studio, we thought — this idea was born on a sitar sound, so why not make it real? I reached out to Varun, a good friend I’d met in Kochi a few years ago, and he came in and just blessed the track. Honestly, we had no idea how it would turn out, but the moment he recorded it, the whole piece lifted. It felt like Maya had found its true voice. We’re just really glad we got to collaborate with him.

6. Techno Police almost feels like a genre rebellion. Did you ever imagine Derek & The Cats would have a full-blown techno banger in your discography?

Honestly, if I had heard Techno Police two or three years ago, I would’ve never thought it could be a Derek & The Cats song. But I think what’s happening is that all of our influences are finally coming through. When we started out, the sound of the first album was very shaped by bands like Snarky Puppy and Vulfpeck. But as we’ve grown, our electronic influences (house, electro house, techno) have started to surface more.

Adesh, Joel, even I listen to a lot of electronic music, and I think Techno Police is the first time that side of us really came out unapologetically. For me, it feels like we’re finding our sound as a band — carving out our own place. Techno Police is a hint of the direction we’re heading in. So no, I never imagined it before, but I’m so glad we’re here now. There’s a lot more to come in this vision and direction.

7. Derek & The Cats is a large, versatile ensemble. How do you balance so many voices, egos, and ideas without stepping on each other’s tails?

There’s a Quincy Jones quote we love: “Leave your ego at the doorstep when you enter the studio.” That’s something we all try to live by in the band. Of course, we’re human; every now and then, someone steps on someone else’s tail. But it’s never personal. The reason we have clashes is because we all care so much about the music. And for us, the music always comes first.

So even if there’s a disagreement in the studio or the jam room, once we leave, it’s done. It doesn’t carry forward. That’s the only way this band works, because it’s not easy to write with five, six, sometimes seven people in the room... plus different collaborators. But that’s also why the music turns out the way it does. Following that rule keeps us grounded and makes it possible to do what we do.

8. You’ve worked with long-time friends and surprise collaborators on this record. How do you know when a “guest moment” should become part of the album forever?

Honestly, it had never happened before Leticia.

Usually, we know who we’re collaborating with from the start. In fact, I originally wrote Leticia with the idea of working with one of my idols, Warren Mendonsa (Blackstratblues). But when we were set to perform it live in Bengaluru, Blesswin Winco was the guitarist to ask — and he just felt like the absolute right person to play it.

So I asked him to come on stage for that one song. After the show, it was clear. Everyone kept asking, “When is that song with Blesswin Winco coming out?” That’s when we knew this wasn’t just a guest moment; it had to live on the album. And then, the cherry on top: I actually sent the track to Warren, and he replied saying, “I don’t know how I can add more to this. Whoever’s played guitar here has already completed it.” Getting that kind of validation from one of my heroes was the icing on the cake.

9. Touring across India, you must have eaten some legendary post-gig meals. Which city takes the crown for the best midnight food after a show?

This is such an apt question for our band because, honestly, when we travel, half the time we’re talking more about where to eat than about our setlist. I’m trying to think back to proper midnight meals, but what really stands out are just some legendary meals in general.

In Goa, we had the fish thali at Fat Fish Anjuna — absolutely outstanding. In Mumbai, Gautam is obsessed with Soul Fry in Bandra, so that’s always a stop. And then in Delhi, we had one of the funniest food experiences ever: we landed at 7 am, went straight to Sarojini at 8:30 am, and ate chole bhature with lassi for “breakfast.” It was so heavy that by 9:30 am we were knocked out, slept till 3 pm, and completely lost half a day. But man, it was worth it!

10. The band’s sound blends jazz, funk, house, and techno. If you had to DJ a party with just your own songs, which track would you open with and which would you close with?

I’d open the night with Techno Police. The second that song drops, the party’s on. And then I’d close with Do You Play The Techno — it’s the perfect way to end things on a high.

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