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www.akikumar.comAki 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).
Kumar's "Little Village" 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 world-wide launch of his album "Dilruba" on Sony Music. In 2021, Little Village released Kumar's uplifting reggae-inspired single "Zindagi" (Life). 2025 marked a milestone year for Kumar with the release of his self-produced album “God Bless The USA” (Little Village Music).
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.
Hailed as a star among the next generation of West Coast blues artists and versatile in many different styles of roots music, Kumar is equally at ease rocking a Jimmy Reed number in English as he is belting out a signature, swingin' re-interpretation of a Bollywood classic in Hindi. Cleverly crafted originals featuring his masterful blues harmonica riffs are a highlight of this charismatic entertainer's, hi-energy live performances.
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The Saloon, 1232 Grant Ave (Between Fresno and Vallejo),San Francisco, California, United States
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