THE SHOWROOM SESSIONS: Streaming LIVE from Piedmont Piano Company
Aki Kumar
Mumbai-born, San Jose-based blues artist Aki Kumar blends elements of Indian music into his presentation, making for an undeniable and unique sound that never loses touch with its blues foundation. Kumar will deliver blues classics and Bollywood Blues originals, including cuts from his latest Sony Music album Dilruba. His top-shelf band features June Core (drums), Vance Ehlers (bass) and Rome Yamilov (guitar).
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Donations/tips accepted via paypal.me/akikumar or Venmo @akikumar
Aki Kumar - www.akikumar.com - 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.
One of the hardest working artists on the music scene today, this San Jose-based blues blues harmonica player and singer has successfully blended elements of Indian music into his musical and visual presentation, making for a multi-cultural mash-up that sounds like no one else, yet never loses touch with its blues foundation. He has made multiple appearances at The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival, has been featured on PRI “The World,” and has toured in Russia, Scandinavia and South America.
Kumar's Little Village Foundation releases Aki Goes To Bollywood (2016) and Hindi Man Blues (2018) are considered ground-breaking albums that have garnered international critical acclaim. In 2020, Kumar made major news with the release of his "Indian Pop" album "Dilruba" on Sony Music India.
June Core (drums) - www.drummule.com - Born in Cleveland, Ohio, June is a self-taught musician. In his early career June gigged in and around Cleveland with organist Eddie Baccus and with various funk, jazz and soul groups. In 1978 June was introduced to Robert Lockwood Jr. and Johnny Shines. Robert and Johnny taught June, in one day, five different shuffles to use in any blues. “That was start of my career”, says June. Robert and Johnny Shines became June’s second father’s and his musical relationship with Lockwood lasted nearly ten years. As a result of his relationship with Robert Lockwood, June shared the stage with BB King, James Cotton, Mighty Joe Young, Willie Dixon, and Albert Collins and many others.
In 1987 June headed west to San Jose, California where he worked with an impressive list of acts including Mark Hummel, The Soul Drivers, Angela Strehli and Laverne Baker. In 1996 June was asked to join Little Charlie and the Nightcats and spent five years touring with them. In 2004 June was hired by Charlie Musselwhite and has been a member of the band since. June has multiple Blues Music Award nominations and has played on several Grammy nominated recordings.
Vance Ehlers (bass) - Born in Sacramento, California, SF Bay Area bassist Vance Ehlers was influenced by his music-enthusiast parents' love of Jazz & Blues at an early age. Seeing Turk Murphy’s Jazz Band and witnessing the SF Blues Festival live as a grade school student had a profound impact on Vance.
In the early 1990’s Vance bought an upright bass and taught himself to play it. After one year he had quit his job and started touring with blues harmonica band leader, Mark Hummel which led to many opportunities to back up legendary blues artists. By the late 90’s Vance was deeply absorbed into the Retro Swing or Neo Swing movement and played with the legendary band Atomic Cocktail, then got signed to Time Bomb Records with the band Indigo Swing. Highlights including performing with Lionel Hampton and Rosemary Clooney at The Stuttggart Jazz Festival and playing a show with Run DMC. After fifteen years or so on the road, Vance now performs with many local and upcoming SF Bay Area bands in many different genres.
Rome Yamilov (guitar) - Born in Russia, raised in the the SF Bay Area and equally at ease with the blues as he is with heavy metal, psychedelic rock and ambient electronica, the talented and versatile Rome Yamilov is one of the youngest and most exciting entrants into today's thriving, cross-cultural West Coast blues scene. Already a master of the guitar, Rome has a long and impressive list of classic blues guitar as his influences - T-bone Walker, Albert King, B.B. King, Lightnin' Hopkins, Otis Rush, Muddy Waters, Eddie Taylor, Robert Lockwood Jr. Among the current generation of blues guitar greats, Rome lists Kid Andersen, Chris James and Rockin' Johnny Burgin as his big inspirations.