Amerendra ‘Badal’ Roy Choudhury arrived in New York in 1968 with a pair of tablas and eight dollars in his pocket. In three days he took a busboy job and then waiting positions in various Indian restaurants. Soon, instead of waiting on customers he was entrancing them with his drumming.
Badal’s passionate style of playing is free-flowing and always from the heart, and when Miles Davis heard him play, the superstar warmed to him and spread the word. Soon he received his big break: an invitation to record with John McLaughlin and Miles successively.
Badal Roy has recorded with Amit Chatterjee, Ornette Coleman, Steve Gorn, Richie Havens, Bill Laswell. David Liebman, Herbie Mann, Mike Richmond, Pharoah Sanders and many other artists.
Badal Roy passed away on January 18, 2022
Discography:
One in the Pocket (Nomad Records, 1997)
Daybreak – Alankar (1998)
Kolkata Rose (2002)
Raga Roni (2002)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.