Roberto Narain
Bio
Music aficionados in India have long delighted in the inspiring talent of drummer extraordinaire, Roberto Narain. An extremely versatile artiste, Roberto is constantly exploring new dimensions in music.
Born in Monza, Italy, Roberto grew up in Bangkok, Thailand until his family moved to Bangalore, India. He picked up a pair of drumsticks when he was thirteen –and hasn’t put them down since.
Roberto has performed in a number of bands, bringing his own brand of drumming to a rich variety of musical styles. He has studied with T. A. S. Mani of the Karnataka College of Percussion and classical Carnatic rhythms ripple through some of his music. Other than that, with respect to drumming and music technology he is self-taught.
Roberto has worked with celebrated musicians like L. Subramaniam and Konarak Reddy. He has been a founding member of the following bands - the famous heavy metal band Millennium, Warden, Middle Earth, and co founded the world music band Arya. Currently he tours with The Shah Hussain Project featuring the vocal and compositional talents of Vasundhara Das and Mir Mukhtiyar Ali. He is both drummer and producer on The Shah Hussain Project which is being recorded at The Active, a studio he runs with his wife, singer / actress Vasundhara Das.
A prolific all rounder, Roberto has performed in various settings and musical forms such as Rock, Heavy Metal, Jazz , Jazz Rock, Fusion, Funk, etc and has over the years played in Europe , the Middle East, South East Asia and in the US. In India, he has been part of the famous Jazz Yatra series, The Other Festival, The Ladakh Confluence and various other festivals.
Roberto’s influences in drumming over the years have been Neil Peart, John Bonham, Ian Paice, Stewart Copeland, Billy Cobham, Vinnie Colaiuta, Terry Bozzio, Akira Jimbo, Dennis Chambers and various others.
Roberto Narain’s journey with live electronic music began 14 years ago with ‘Sounds from My Mind’, his first performance in this genre. This stunning display of Roberto’s talent in an entirely new form took away the collective breath of musical heavyweights. Roberto is known for pushing the envelope as far as solo drum performance is concerned, and with electronic drumming, He presently endorses the Roland electronic range (a 14 year relationship), the V drums and electronic percussion products. He is presently focused on creating his ideal hybrid kit ( electro-acoustic setup )
In the Drum Circle movement, Roberto, (trained by Arthur Hull ) is an experienced & skillful facilitator. Roberto facilitates interactive Drumjam events, where he makes participants discover their innate rhythm and play drums and percussion instruments. His company, Drumjam, is the pioneer of interactive rhythmic sessions in India and over the past 8 years, has exposed over half a million people to drumming and rhythm with an extensive touring program. Roberto averages a 100 programs a year through Drumjam.
Roberto, never one to conform to stereotypes, has always endeavoured to push the boundaries, especially in the context of live performance, regardless of the genre of music. He has never shied away from using technology to compliment his skill as a drummer, always giving his audiences exciting experiences with his music.
Born in Monza, Italy, Roberto grew up in Bangkok, Thailand until his family moved to Bangalore, India. He picked up a pair of drumsticks when he was thirteen –and hasn’t put them down since.
Roberto has performed in a number of bands, bringing his own brand of drumming to a rich variety of musical styles. He has studied with T. A. S. Mani of the Karnataka College of Percussion and classical Carnatic rhythms ripple through some of his music. Other than that, with respect to drumming and music technology he is self-taught.
Roberto has worked with celebrated musicians like L. Subramaniam and Konarak Reddy. He has been a founding member of the following bands - the famous heavy metal band Millennium, Warden, Middle Earth, and co founded the world music band Arya. Currently he tours with The Shah Hussain Project featuring the vocal and compositional talents of Vasundhara Das and Mir Mukhtiyar Ali. He is both drummer and producer on The Shah Hussain Project which is being recorded at The Active, a studio he runs with his wife, singer / actress Vasundhara Das.
A prolific all rounder, Roberto has performed in various settings and musical forms such as Rock, Heavy Metal, Jazz , Jazz Rock, Fusion, Funk, etc and has over the years played in Europe , the Middle East, South East Asia and in the US. In India, he has been part of the famous Jazz Yatra series, The Other Festival, The Ladakh Confluence and various other festivals.
Roberto’s influences in drumming over the years have been Neil Peart, John Bonham, Ian Paice, Stewart Copeland, Billy Cobham, Vinnie Colaiuta, Terry Bozzio, Akira Jimbo, Dennis Chambers and various others.
Roberto Narain’s journey with live electronic music began 14 years ago with ‘Sounds from My Mind’, his first performance in this genre. This stunning display of Roberto’s talent in an entirely new form took away the collective breath of musical heavyweights. Roberto is known for pushing the envelope as far as solo drum performance is concerned, and with electronic drumming, He presently endorses the Roland electronic range (a 14 year relationship), the V drums and electronic percussion products. He is presently focused on creating his ideal hybrid kit ( electro-acoustic setup )
In the Drum Circle movement, Roberto, (trained by Arthur Hull ) is an experienced & skillful facilitator. Roberto facilitates interactive Drumjam events, where he makes participants discover their innate rhythm and play drums and percussion instruments. His company, Drumjam, is the pioneer of interactive rhythmic sessions in India and over the past 8 years, has exposed over half a million people to drumming and rhythm with an extensive touring program. Roberto averages a 100 programs a year through Drumjam.
Roberto, never one to conform to stereotypes, has always endeavoured to push the boundaries, especially in the context of live performance, regardless of the genre of music. He has never shied away from using technology to compliment his skill as a drummer, always giving his audiences exciting experiences with his music.