Broto Roy Ensemble

Broto Roy was born into a highly musical family in Calcutta, India where his great-grandfather Rajanikanto was one of India's greatest songwriters and his uncle Dilip Roy is a popular singing star and constant influence. He began to play and learn Indian music from the age of six from noted Tabla master Bidyut Banerjee.

Eventually, he traveled to America joining up with guitarist Sanjay Mishra. In 1998 Roy started performing at festivals with his own group finally being able to present his own compositions on the debut album “American Raga,” which many musicians claim as an important influence. Space tourist Dennis Tito played Roy's “American Raga” in May, 2001 aboard the International Space Station. After three more years with tours across the world, he released the recording, “Total Immersion-Live at the Kennedy Center.”

The summer of 2001 saw a flurry of activity. as he toured with his own trio in support of “American Raga.” His band linked subtle Indian rhythms and Indian singing with elements of modern jazz and rock. The band was expanded into a quartet and touring extended to include a US coast-to-coast tour and 20-plus European shows. In between a schedule of group performances, he has appeared at a number of prestigious solo percussion recitals and guest performances on CDs by Sitarists Krishna Bhatt and Subrata Roy Chowdhuri, Sarodist Aashish Khan, guitarists Paul Bollenback, Sanjay Mishra, Joey DeFrancesco-organ, Ron Holloway-sax, Grateful Dead member Bob Weir and others. Broto Roy has been awarded grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and was nominated twice for the Wammie awards.

After appearing in America, Europe, and India with his own fusion- based Broto Roy Ensemble and with major classical Indian musicians, Roy has learned to accompany Noor on the tabla and tar and continues exploring new rhythmic embellishments and ideas to meet the demands of traditional Afghan music.

Additionally, Broto Roy teaches tabla performance and Indian music theory in the Washington DC metropolitan area". Broto Roy accompanied Noor Wodjouatt, being the first Afghan performer at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage and U.S. Department of State. They have also performed for the Washington Folk Festival.