Live Music by Aki Kumar, "King of Bollywood Blues"

Aki Kumar left his native home in Mumbai, India for the United States with the intention of working as a software engineer. Then he discovered the sounds of the blues, and his life changed dramatically.

A masterful harmonica player, soulful vocalist, band-leader, drummer and producer, Kumar is a man of many talents and one of the most prolific artists in the SF Bay Area today. He has successfully blended retro Indian music into his presentation, making for a unique, electrifying, multi-cultural mash-up that sounds like no one else, yet never loses touch with the inspiration it draws from the blues. A veteran of the San Jose music scene for two decades, Kumar was hailed as “…King of ‘Bollywood blues’ music” by SJ Mercury News (2022) and received the Metro Silicon Valley Gold Award for Best Band (2024).

Aki Kumar has made multiple appearances at The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, San Jose Jazz & SF Jazz Festivals, and has been featured on PRI “The World,” KQED Arts and CBS Bay Area. He has toured extensively over the years, including in Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, Australia, India and South America.

On the third Thursday of each month, try something new with an eclectic range of Asian and Asian American artists, DJs, performers, and more.