Broto Roy is a talented, lifelong devotee and practitioner of the Indian Tabla, a tuned pair of cylindrical or bowl-shaped drums.  To the uninitiated, think Sitar Master Ravi Shankar duetting with the rapid-fire virtuosity of tablaist Alla Rakha.  Broto tells us, “The language and vocabulary of tabla is complex.  The various motions (each like a different syllable) are called BOLS.  Each sound has a name, e.g., the down stroke might be THUN or DHIN.  A fluttering of the fingers of the right hand (like the sound of raindrops) we call TEREKETE.”  Broto’s website gives a good exposition on the tabla - brotoroy.com.

“There are endless variants of the raga (India’s native musical system).  Slow, medium, fast – always very intense and soulful,” Broto explained.  His musical legacy goes back to his father, Hitabrata Roy, and his father’s four musical brothers.  Broto gives credit to his lively 84-year-young father for stimulating his fascination with all things musical and providing him with a tabla teacher, Bidyut Banerjee.  Broto relates that “Growing up in Calcutta, I was so fortunate, for my Dad was a cultural liaison between the Indian Government and the United States.  As a boy, I met major figures from the U.S., like Senators Edward Kennedy and Patrick Moynihan and the poet Allen Ginsberg.  Listen to this - my Dad and Allen actually played harmonium (a portable bellows-powered keyboard) together!”

Broto Roy’s evident proof of his love of Indian music is the Roy family’s performance group, “Ganga.”  This family band exemplifies an ancient tradition of musical balladry and story-telling.  “Dilip Roy, my father’s eldest brother, is probably the country’s most revered vocalist and song poet.”  Dilip, we might add, is over 90 years of age.  “My great-grandfather was India’s most powerful songwriter.  His name was Rajani Kanto.  My Dad, ‘Bachoo,’ plays the dotara (a lute-like instrument) and the harmonium to accompany love songs, epic histories, coming of age narratives, and above all – the dancing.”

Broto closes his eyes a moment, recalling the lovely, delicate choreography his late Mother, Minati Roy, introduced to the overall magical beauty of Ganga.  With a soft, reflective smile he says, “Ganga, our beloved river; the very life source, the Ganges !  Ganga is Bengali for the river that flows through our nation’s soul.  And since Ganga, the band, came into being in 1984, our Mother’s beautiful dance motions have been the interpretation of the music.”  Mother Roy passed away in 1995.  Nowadays the ensemble consists of the voices of his sister Krishna, their friend Nupur, his father, and Broto on tabla. Occasionally, there are guest artists.

Being bright and a seeker of perfection, moving from Calcutta (“a center of artistic endeavor, whereas Mumbai is all trade”) to Washington, DC at sixteen made him realize the endless possibilities for a young person infused and enthused with things melodic and rhythmic.  As he told us, “There are countless tabla players in India but virtually none in the States!”  Broto loves living in this area but says, “Compared to Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Nashville, or Miami, DC is not a music town.  However we are trying our best to change that.”

The Titan of Tabla frequently gives time and energy to worthwhile causes.  He received a grant from the Virginia Folklife Program for being a Virginia Folk Master Artist and apprenticing a student in tabla.  Of special note is the work he has done for Washington’s Art and Drama Therapy Institute (ADTI). ADTI helps in efforts to train challenged and disadvantaged District youth and adults to appreciate and participate in the performing arts.  Broto’s role was to augment the orchestra leader’s percussion section and show some of the intricacies of performing on the tabla.  The eagerness and creativity of the kids so inspired Broto that he composed a joyous theme for the Institute called “Let Us Fly.”  CNN did a news feature on ADTI’s quest for a Grammy for disadvantaged persons and interviewed Broto as composer of the piece.

While Broto is fiercely loyal to the music of his homeland, he is also a musical explorer and says, “Music is a quest – a spiritual quest.”  He has teamed up with the most innovative western maestros of various instruments such as guitarist Paul Bollenback, bassist Scott Ambush (of Spyro Gyra), organ player Joey DeFrancesco, Fareed Haq (of Garaj Mahal), and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts and recognizes the strong Indian rhythmic influence present in the music of composers Philip Glass and Steve Reich.  

In league with childhood chum, acoustic guitarist Sanjay Mishra, Broto undertook his first jazz CD, “The Crossing,” and then released a powerful collaboration with Mishra and Grateful Dead founder and leader, Jerry Garcia, just prior to Garcia’s death in 1996.  Broto has a good sense of humor and shared with us that Garcia would wake up from “napping” and solo beautifully at just the perfect moment.

Broto has performed in many places over the years, such as Blues Alley, numerous universities and folklife festivals, museums, and galleries all over the US and Europe, as well as for private events.  He was Artist of the Month twice at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage.  See the website (brotoroy.com) to see the long list of places he has performed. Here is a 2010 sample.
•    April 1, 2010 - Pennsylvania State University, Altoona - Broto with Indro Roy Chowdhury, sitar. Noon.
•    April 13, 2010 - Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale - Broto Roy's Dance Trio - 12:15 pm
•    April 20, 2010 - Syracuse University - Hendricks Chapel - 7:30 pm, New York
•    April 21, 2010 - State University of New York-Oswego
•    May 1, 2010 - Montpelier Arts Center - Herb and Tea Festival. GANGA - Music of Bengal with guitarist Sanjay Mishra and dancer Jayantee Paine.
•    June 5th, 2010 - World Folk Festival, Glen Echo Park, Maryland. GANGA - Folk Music of Bengal
Gigs and Digs salutes Broto Roy, who now has global distribution of his debut CD “American Raga” on the EMI Label.
In addition to being in demand for live performances, Broto also teaches tabla at his studio.  Information on classes is at his website.
Broto's CDs are available at the following websites:
ITunes, CD Baby, The Orchard, and Amazon.  Many tracks can be downloaded.

For booking, e-mail The Klages Agency ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or visit klagesagency.com on the internet.

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