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BollywoodBlues:ChannelingMemphisand
Mumbai,AkiKumarCraftsaBiContinentalSound
InMusicOctober19,2016byNickVeronin

Tw eet

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SOULMAN:AkiKumarfindssuccessmergingthemusicofhishomelandwiththeblues.Photoby
HarryWho.
Thebluesisabeguilingartform.Tangledupinthiscountryslegacyofslaveryandoppressionitisfirstandforemosta
folktradition.Itrequiresnoformaltrainingtoplayandcanbesungwithoutinstrumentalaccompaniment.Andyet,its
simplicityoftenobscuresitspowerandscope.
ThoughitismostcertainlyauniquelyAmericanartform,itisalsoauniversallanguage.Itliesattherootofrock&roll
andAfricanhighlifemusic.ItinformedthepsychedelicguitarworkofBlackSabbathsTonyIommi,aswellastheoff
toplyricalfreestylingofhiphop.Andthoughhedidntrealizeituntilmuchlaterinhislife,themusicthatfirstgrewoutof
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themuggyAmericanSouthhasalwaysbeenwithAkiKumarevenwhenhewasachild,listeningtoBollywoodtunes
inhisnativeIndia.
Kumarhascomealongwaysincethosedaysgeographicallyandotherwise.HenowlivesinSanJosewithhiswife,
Rachel.ThecoupleownahometogetherinCambrianParkandspendtheirdayslikemanycouplesdo,withone
exception:whileshegoesofftoworkatherjobinthetechsector,Kumarstayshome,orelseheadsofftomeetupwith
hisband.Atnight,afterRachelcomeshomefromwork,Kumargoesclubhopping.
Hesnodeadbeat.Itsnotthedrinkorwomenhesinterestedin.Hisviceistheblues.
KumarregularlyhostsjamsessionsatavarietyofbarsaroundSiliconValleyhealsoplaysharmonicaandsingsatthe
helmofhisveryownband.Theyverecentlygarneredaccoladesfromlocalandnationalmediaoutletsontheheelsofthe
2016releaseAkiGoestoBollywoodaninnovativemeldingofbluesandcontemporaryIndianpop.
KumarwasprofiledbytheSanFranciscoChronicleinlateSeptember,inadvanceofhisappearanceattheannual
HardlyStrictlyBluegrassfestivalinGoldenGatePark,andheevengrabbedtheattentionofTheWorld,asyndicated
PublicRadioInternationalprogramthatairsonlocalNPRaffiliateKQED.Andforgoodreason.
Whetherviewedthroughtheprismofblues,worldmusicorstraightforwardpopsongwriting,AkiGoestoBollywoodis
excellent.Itisatoncefamiliarandnovel,traditionalandexperimental,lightheartedlyfunanddeeplysoulful.Andbysome
accountsitnevershouldhaveworkedoutsowell.
BacktoBombay
Sittingonaweatherbeatencouchnexttoaolduprightpiano,welookoutuponalong,straightdragofUnionAvenue,
notfarfromGoodSamaritanHospitalandLeighHighSchool.Kumarisrunninglate,delayedatanearbyrestaurant
whereheandtherestofhisbandoftenenjoyspicy,tangy,slowcookedmeats.Itsnotbarbeque,asonemightexpect.
ThesebluesmenenjoytheIndiancuisinepreparedatthenearbyRangolirestaurant.
Stridinguptotheporch,Kumarisdressedinallblack,hiseyeshiddenbehindwayfarersunglasses,hishairslickedto
theside.Asimplegoldchainhangsaroundhisneck,encirclingthecollarofhisshirtabitofflashinanotherwise
understatedoutfit.
Hegreetsusthesoundengineerandmeandweenterthehouse.Crossingthethresholdintowhatonceservedasa
livingroom,wearesurroundedbyguitars,amplifiersandkeyboards.Inonecornerthereisadrumkitnexttothat,
anotheruprightpiano.Inthekitchen,inthespacewhereadinnertableoughttobe,thereisagrandpiano.Analready
narrowhallwayhasbeenfurtherconstrictedbystacksofvintageampsandspeakercabinets.Squeezingpastthesedusty
rock&rollrelics,wecometothegarage,whichisdominatednotbyacarorboxesofjunkbutalargesoundboard.On
thelivingroomside,aholehasbeenpunchedthroughthewallandaPlexiglasswindowinstalled.
ThisplaceistheepicenterforallbluescomingoutofNorthernCalifornia,Kumarsays,eyeingthemyriadalbum
coverstackedtothewalls.ItscalledGreaselandStudios.

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Bombay Stroll by Aki Kumar (A Harp, Key of E)

ItwasherethatKumarrecordedAkiGoestoBollywoodwiththehelpofGreaselandproprietorChristofferKid
Andersen,arespectedbluesguitaristandproducer,andJimPugh,thefounderofLittleVillageFoundation,anonprofit
thatworkswithundiscoveredbluesmusicianstobringtheirworktoawideraudience.LittleVillageproducedAkiGoes
toBollywood.
ThecontemporaryAmericansongbookbrimswithodestobothcomingandgoing.R&Bdivashavelongbeltedout
balladsexcoriatingtwotiminglovers,andonewellknownSanFranciscobandhelpscloseoutbarsalloverthecountry
withalittledittyaboutcatchingamidnighttrainboundforanywhere.
Itmakessense,consideringthatallpopmusichasitsrootsintheblues.WaybeforeBiggieSmalls,L.L.CoolJ,oreven
LedZeppelinpennedodestoheadingtoCalifornia,bluesplayerswerewellacquaintedwiththeirsuitcases.Still,as
commonasthispopmusictropeistoAmericanears,inthehandsofKumarandhisband,itistransformedinto
somethingentirelynewandexotic.
OnBacktoBombay,AkiGoestoBollywoodsclosingtrack,Kumarpinesforhishomelandasatwangysitarbounds
upanddownabluesyscale.ImgoingbacktoIndia,whereprettywomenare,hemoans,pausingmidversetopuff
onhisharmonica.Theinstrumentsreedybuzzis,asalways,reminiscentofasteamengineslonesomewhistleonly
now,insteadofpicturingachugginglocomotivecuttingthroughtheAmericanSouth,thelisteneristransportedtothe
DarjeelingHimalayanRailwayinWestBengal.

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Goin' to Bombay

Itsaninterestingamalgamationofthetwoideas,saysPugh,keyboardistinKumarsband.Butitsnotaforced
amalgamation.
OriginallyfromChicago,PughmovedtoOaklandinhisyouthandnowrunsLittleVillageoutofSolvang,Calif.He
originallywasturnedontoKumarafterhearinghismoretraditionalChicagobluesstyletunes,whichpriortoBollywood
hadalreadybegunearningthehimareputationasarisingstarinthebluesworld.
AftertheinitialsuccessofKumarsdebutalbum,DontHoldBack,Pughaskedhimifhehadanideaofwherehewould
gowiththisnextrecord.KumarsharedhisideaforcombiningBollywoodtuneswiththeblues.Pughthoughtitwas
perfect.
Afterall,BollywoodmusicfirstpopularizedinBollywoodfilmsbeforebecomingastandalonemusicalgenrewas
heavilyinfluencedbyWesternmusic,includingrock&roll,andreachingbackfurther,bluesandjazz.
Bollywoodisalreadyafusionmusic,Kumarsays.ItfusesIndiantraditionalmusicwithWesterntrends.
ThesedaysthatmeansmuchofBollywoodmusicisacombinationofIndianmodesandelectronicdancemusic.But
thatsneverbeenKumarsstyle.
ALifeofMusic
Asachild,Kumargrewupidolizingmanyofhiscountrysmusicalstars,likeMohammadRafi,KishoreKumar,R.D.
BurmanandS.D.Burman.MymomwouldalwayssingtheBollywoodsongsathome,hesays.Thosesongsarejust
partofmymusicalDNAifyouwanttocallitthat.
ItwasntuntilafterhemovedfromIndiatoSanJosethathediscoveredtheblues.
KumarstudiedcomputerscienceatSanJoseStateUniversityandlandedajobatAdobeshortlyaftergraduatinginthe
early2000s.Thoughhehadapassionforhiswork,hesoonfoundhimselfdrawntomanyofthelocalbluesbarsand
clubsinSiliconValleylikeJJsBluesinSanJoseandTheMojoLoungeinFremont.Itwasntlongbeforeherecalled
thecheapharmonicahehadasachild,connectingthememoryofmakingsimplechordswiththemasterydemonstrated
bytheharmonicaplayershewasseeingonstage.Kumarhadfoundhiswayintotheblues.
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Itssosimple,butitcanreallyhityouhard,Kumarsaysoftheharmonica.Itssoemotional.

LEAVINGTRUNK:Whereverhegoes,AkiKumarstrustyharmonicacaseiscloseathand.Photoby
HarryWho.
WhilestillatAdobe,KumarsoughtoutDavidBarrett,ahighlyrespectedbluesharmonicaplayerwhogiveslessonsat
TheSchooloftheBluesinSanJose.BydayKumarworkedinacubicle,bynighthewasattendingbluesjamsand
sharpeningtheskillsBarretttaughthim.
Eventuallythingsgotserious,andKumarjoinedupwithTipoftheTop.ThequartetstartedgiggingacrosstheBayArea
andby2013,Kumarwasreadytomaketheleap.WhenitbecameapparentthathisdepartmentatAdobewouldbe
phasedout,hesawthewritingonthewallasanopportunityratherthananobstacle.Heconsultedwithhiswife,Rachel,
hiscollegesweetheart,andwhenhisgigatAdobeended,hewalkedawayfromcorporatelifeforgood.
WhileKumarsayshehashadhisdoubtsaboutwhetherhewasanygood,whetherhewashavingamidlifecrisis,
whetherpursuingtheblueswouldendupruininghismarriagehenowisunequivocal.Idefinitelymissthepaycheck,
hesays.Buttherest?Hewaveshishand,asifbrushingthedustoffthetopofhisharmonicacase.Itwastherightcall.
akikumar

EenaMeenaDeeka

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Rachelhasalsocomearound,Kumarsays.Sheswatchedthiswholetransitiontakeplace,hesays,fromtheopen
micnightsandjoiningabandtohisdecisiontoleavehightech.Ithinksheisdefinitelymoreonboardnow.Shesees
thateverythingImdoingisquitegenuineitsnotjustsomepipedream.
KumarisgratefulforRachelsbeliefinhim.WithouthersupportIdbeforcedtomoveintoamuchsmallerplaceand
livelikeahobo,hejokes,addingthatleavingAdobewasntashardasonemightpresume.Afterall,hehadbeen
movingtowardacareerinbluesforsevenyearsbeforehetooktheplunge.Inmanyways,thecareerchangewas
inevitable.
Hisbiggestdoubtswerestilltocome.
FutureSound
Kumarnowhelpspaythebillswithmoneyheearnsasaworkingmusicianandrecordingartist.Hehostsregularblues
jamsatanumberofBayAreaclubsandhasasponsorshipdealwithSeydelharmonicas.
Inadditiontothefavorablepress,Kumarhasreceivedringingendorsementsfromsomeoftheregionstopblues
players,includingRickEstrin,MarkHummelandhisharmonicateacher,Barrett.EvenDanAykroyda.k.a.Elwood
BlueshassignedoffonKumarswork.Theactor,comedianandbluesenthusiastravedaboutKumarsplaying,calling
itreallyhotstuffonhisweeklysyndicatedradioshowandpodcast,ElwoodsBluesMobile.
KumarrecentlyplayedoneofhisbiggestshowseverattheHardlyStrictlyBluegrassfestivalinGoldenGatePark.It
wasamazing,hesays.
However,itwasneverguaranteedthathismusicwouldbesowellreceived.Infact,Kumar,AndersenandPughhaveall
beenpleasantlysurprisedwiththereactionoffans.
Iwasworriedthatitwouldntworkmusically,Kumarsays,thatthefusionwouldfallflatonitsfaceandthemusical
productwouldbediluteneitherBollywoodnorblues.IwasalsoworriedthatIdupsetpuristsandfansonbothsides.
Thatsnotwhathappened.

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BLUESBROTHER:AkiKumarchannelsthelaidbacklookandwhitehotsoundsofJakeandElwood
BlueswithadecidedlyEasterntwist.PhotobyHarryWho.
AndersenrecallsoneofthefirsttimesheandPughperformedtheBollywoodmaterialwithKumar:Theplaceblewup,
Andersensays,notingthatoldschool,diedinthewoolbluesfansseemtobeeatingupKumarslatestefforteven
thoughheissinginginHindiandputtingadecidedlynontraditionaltwistonagenrefullofstaunchtraditionalists.
Speculatingastowhyhisnewrecordhasbeenattractingsomuchpositiveattention,Kumarsuspectsthatthealbums
noveltylikelyhassomethingtodowithit.Idontthinktheresbeenaprojectlikethisbefore,hesays.Itdefinitely
grabsattention.
ButAndersenbelievesthereisanotherreasonKumarhasfoundsuccessandithasnothingtodowithanyshtickits
Kumarsauthenticitythatmakeshismusicsopotent.
Hesingsandplaysthatshitlikehesfromthere,Andersonsays,referringtoKumarsabilitytochannelthepower,
emotionandgenuinefeelofChicagobluesanddeltablues.ItdoesntmatterwhatlanguageKumarissingingin,headds,
orwhetherheisbeingsupportedbyasteelguitarorsitar.
Ilovethis,Andersensays,rememberingthefeelinghehadthefirsttimeheplayedthematerialfromAkiGoesto
Bollywood.Idontknowwhatitis.Idontknowwhoisgoingtodigit.ButIloveit.
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