Bollywood Blues with Aki Kumar & Friends

WELCOME FRIENDS OF SUNJAMS

After three years, the Backyard Stage is finally back!

The SunJams team is very excited to host Bollywood Blues with Aki Kumar and Friends.

Our Backyard Stage is in Orinda, CA. Come as you are to enjoy our comfortable venue (which is completely outdoors, so please dress accordingly).

Self-parking is not allowed at our event space, however valet parking is included. Please browse the rest of this email for further details and information. We look forward to spending an afternoon celebrating good friends, great food, and beautiful music!

TIME

The show will begin at 5:00 PM. Valet parking will be available starting at 4:30 PM. The event will conclude at 8:00 PM.

MUSIC

Sound system during the show and recorded music in between sets is provided by our partner and wizard DJ José Ruiz.

TRANSPORTATION

For guests driving to the event, complimentary valet parking will be provided starting at 4:30 PM. Please do not self park, as our venue is on a busy thoroughfare and pedestrian safety cannot be assured. If you are using a ride share service, your driver may drop you off at the valet station. For guests using public transportation, we are within 1 mile from the Orinda BART station on the Pittsburg/Bay Point Line.

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Food and beverage will be provided by Dolores Deluxe and available via a donation of cash or card.

TICKETS

The price of your general admission advance purchase ticket allows us to compensate our highly valued artists. Advance tickets will be available until 6/19/2024 (or until sold out). A limited number of tickets will be available at the door with an additional day-of-event fee.

SEATING & COMFORT

Forty stage-side arena bench seats are available on a first come first serve basis, and ample additional seating is scattered throughout the venue. Although not required, you are welcome to bring your own seating or a picnic blanket. The ground is covered in mulch, we recommend you wear comfortable shoes and prepare for the outdoor experience by checking the weather conditions on the day of the event.

VIDEO & PHOTOGRAPHY

We will be posting videos and photos from the event on our Youtube, Instagram, and Tik Tok accounts. If you have concerns about privacy as an audience member and do not want to be included in these posts, please let us know.

Feel free to email any photos or video clips from the show to sunjams.org@gmail.com.

DONATIONS

SunJams is committed to funding children's music education in underserved public elementary schools. Your donation will help support this ongoing program.

Ticket prices are designed to allow us to compensate our musicians--we believe in supporting local artists and hope you all do too! We encourage and appreciate additional donations. If you feel as strongly as we do about the impact of music education, please consider investing in someone's musical future. We accept cash, Venmo, PayPal, check, and credit card donations payable to SunJams Productions (a 501c3). If you have any questions please email us at sunjams.org@gmail.com.

Those who donate $100 or more will be recognized on the Sunjams website and any brochures or publications related to the event. If you are a donor and do not wish to be acknowledged publicly please let us know.

You can DONATE HERE

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Aki Kumar left his home in Mumbai with the intention of working as a software engineer in Silicon Valley. Then he discovered the blues, and his life dramatically changed. Singing and playing harmonica, he steeped himself in the music and became a fixture in blues clubs throughout Northern California. He developed a unique, audacious blend of Chicago-style blues which then led to playing retro Bollywood songs mixed with the blues. When he began performing, Kumar initially attempted to downplay his ethnicity and perform straight blues. “I wanted to make a statement that I was a traditional blues man and have nobody even wonder where I came from.” His approach to music soon changed with his Little Village Foundation debut, Aki Goes to Bollywood. He began integrating elements of Indian music into his musical and visual presentation, making for a multi-cultural mash-up like nothing else. That unique blend of East and West reached a new creative high on Aki’s second Little Village Foundation Album, Hindi Man Blues, which features liner notes by veteran blues harmonica great Charlie Musselwhite. “My first album was really about my identity,” the artist states. “Now I feel it is time to be more direct about what’s happening out there in the world. The blues scene is my home, and the scene can be pretty conservative, but I want people to know where I stand. In 2020, Kumar made major news with the launch of his album Dilruba on Sony Music India. Dilruba is an Indian pop record that showcases his signature sound on a number of Hindi/bilingual originals and covers. In 2021, he released an uplifting reggae-inspired single ‘Zindagi’ under the Little Village Foundation label. Kumar’s visionary stylistic mix, called Bollywood Blues, has already won him widespread attention. In addition to the local live music venues where he’s built an enthusiastic audience, he’s performed at the prestigious Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival, been featured on PRI “The World,” and toured internationally. Now, after spending more than a decade developing his sound with the help of some of the Bay Area’s finest musicians, Aki Kumar continues to take his love for the blues to new and fascinating places.

You can read more about Aki as well as find videos of his music on his website.

Aki Kumar live at the Ashkenaz Berkeley

Aki Kumar live at Armando's Martinez

Aki Kumar live at the Sound Room Oakland

MEET THE BAND

Aki Kumar: harmonica & vocals

June Core: drums

Randy Bermudes: bass

Rome Yamilov: guitar