Biography
Badal Roy, born Amerendra Roy Choudhury, ranks among the foremost tabla players worldwide. Although grounded in Indian classical traditions, he moved the hand drum beyond its customary settings into jazz and freely improvised contexts. He has appeared on recordings alongside John McLaughlin and the late Miles Davis, and he has shared stages with Herbie Mann, Dave Liebman, Don Cherry, Pharoah Sanders, Dizzy Gillespie, Lonnie Liston Smith, Andreas Vollenweider, and Yoko Ono. Since 1988 he has belonged to Ornette Coleman’s Prime Time ensemble. Born in Pakistan, Roy moved to the United States in 1968 in pursuit of a musical career. He reached New York carrying eight dollars and his tabla, and his virtuosic performances soon drew notice. While working as a busboy and waiter in an Indian restaurant, he began playing for patrons and generated immediate excitement. An invitation to record with Miles Davis arrived shortly thereafter. Beginning in the mid-’90s, Roy has also worked with the Brazilian guitar duo Duofel.
Albums
