Catch Aki Kumar in action at the 2009 San Jose Jazz festival. He will be on the Blues Stage on Sunday, August 9 at 1pm with Tip Of The Top and back again at 3pm for the Harmonica blowout with the Gary Smith Band. Click for additional details.
Bay Area harmonica player Aki Kumar has been a devoted fan of the Chicago blues since 2003. Under the guidance of harp guru David Barrett, he has studied and absorbed the styles of harp greats such as Little Walter, George Smith and Sonny Boy Williamson II. Aki seeks to take his music in new directions, while keeping alive the spirit of the old masters.
Aki's latest project, Tip Of The Top, is a collaboration with Bay Area veterans Little Jonny Lawton and Frank De Rose, along with drummer Carlos Velasco. The band delivers a unique blend of classic blues like no other.
He has held down vocal and harp duties in the ever-rockin' Turnaround Blues band since 2006.
He additionally fronts the Magnificent Aces with Bay Area guitarist/GreaseLand Records president Peter Brown, appears regularly with the Kid Andersen band and continues to collaborate with numerous other blues musicians around the Bay Area.
Check out the videos below to get a sampling of Aki Kumar's sound:
Tip Of The Top at the Redwood City Blues jam
Jimmy Rogers' That's Alright w/ Mark Hummel's Blues Survivors!
Aki Kumar sitting in at the finale of the 2009 Harp Blowout in Yoshi's, SF (Jan 31, 2009). Show 1
Aki Kumar sitting in at the finale of the 2009 Harp Blowout in Yoshi's, SF (Jan 31, 2009)
Aki and Gary Smith, the King of Tone, at a SwingShift gig at Gordon Biersch, San Jose:
Jamming with the mighty Dave Barrett.. (clip courtesy of Rich Perez)
What's Up? Your friendship means alot to me! Have a safe and Happy New Year! :- ) Stop by again soon. I'd love to hear what you think of my music. God Bless, xoxo~ Veronica
Nice playing in your "That's Alright" video! A great piece of footage to have in your musical history! Hope you have a musical holiday season this year!
Hey Aki, thanx 4 addin yer friendship onto our music library of friends. Enjoy our sounds an have a funtastic Rocktober. Blues rockin n the free world, Mani
Cher Ami, Mon clip Neurofibro est en ligne depuis hier. Il parle de la maladie génétique orpheline, la neurofibromatose, dont je suis atteint et qui m’a paralysé il y a maintenant 10 ans. Il faut absolument se mobiliser. Si vous voulez nous aider, merci de le regarder et de le diffuser à toutes vos connaissances. Pour nous, les malades, c’est vital. Plus le clip sera vu, plus la maladie, sera connue, plus nous aurons de poids dans les médias et surtout plus on aura de chance qu’un médicament soit trouvé. Merci à tous.
Dear Friend, My Neurofibro clip is online since yesterday. He talks about the orphan genetic disease, neurofibromatosis, which I achieved and that paralyzed me there are now 10 years. It is imperative to mobilize. If you want to help us, thank you for watching and distribute to your friends. For us, the sick, is vital. Over the clip will be seen over the disease is known, we will have more weight in the media and more will likely be a drug found. I thank you all.
