SPOTLIGHT on Aki Kumar... "Bollywood Blues" musician

Periodically on TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I’m DOING , we share a SPOTLIGHT conversation and feature brief chats with an individual from the community about a special topic or a unique endeavor.

In this spotlight episode, Aki Kumar shares his journey as a blues musician, discussing the universality of blues themes, the importance of being a lifelong student of the genre, and how his Desi identity influences his music. He reflects on the emotional outlet that blues provides and the lessons learned from performing. Aki also explores the relationship between art and identity, expressing optimism for the future of music and his upcoming album. Check out his website (akikumar.com) for news and details about upcoming shows!

Now there are lots of people who  love Bollywood music, and there are certainly a lot of people who love American blues music. But what happens when those two worlds meet?  And that’s what set the stage for a conversation I shared with Aki Kumar, a musician and singer who for over the past decade has been trying to ensure that the intersection of these two musical genres is a space that you need to pay attention to.  Aki was born and raised in Mumbai and came to the US to study computer science - ok that part isn’t without a playbook or blueprint.  But with a passion for Indian music and a deep new embrace for American blues history and local blues performances, Aki set about to express himself by blending melodies from Hindi films with blues music, garnering a buzz for his performances everywhere, many local awards along the way, and the title of “San Jose’s king of Bollywood Blues”.  Now I have to tell you, that I caught one of his shows here in the Bay Area, and from experiencing Aki on stage, his singing, his killer harmonica style, and his superb band,  I could not have asked for a more entertaining way to enjoy both true Americana mixed with some soulful imaginations of Indian music.  Now for me this was all a pleasant surprise because I had made some natural assumptions about what Bollywood Blues might be, so as we   began chatting, I asked him if he also made assumptions about persona or expectations when it came to his unique brand of making music?

Like many, my heart and soul go out to those who are struggling as a result of the Los Angeles wildfires.
Please help contribute to the American Red Cross, Mutual Aid LA Network, various Go FundMe efforts, Save the Children, and Baby2Baby. Hoping for a safe, peaceful, and supportive recovery for everyone.