Karyshma

Karyshma was born by accident. 

The genres we represent lie largely beyond our grasp or understanding. We aren’t bringing Indian music to the West. We missed that by about 3 generations. We do, however, bring more diverse influences than most bands we know. The most fertile land is where rivers meet, and that’s where we live.

On stage, we play mostly to make the other members smile. Two decades of shared chemistry resulting in spontaneous joy. The audience is brought along for the ride. Maybe by understanding each other’s music a little, we may find a way to understand something about ourselves.

Falu

Falu is the first woman singer/songwriter from India to be nominated for a Grammy. Growing up in the mountains east of Bombay, Falu spent more time with music than with boys, which helped her build strong musical chops from great masters including the legendary Kaumudi Munshi, Uday Mazumdar, Kishori Amonkar and Sultan Khan.

When not busy with Karyshma, Falu has provided vocal textures across many genres by collaborating with artists ranging from Philip Glass to A.R. Rahman to Yo-Yo Ma. She serves as Carnegie Hall’s ambassador of Indian Music and is on the NY Board of Governors for the Recording Academy. Falu has been named one of the 20 most influential global Indian women by the Economic Times of India and has won the “Women Icons of India” award.

Mostly, Falu spends her time texting her greatest fans, all 3 of whom happen to be in the band.

Sandeep

Sandeep grew up on stage. He fell in love with the tabla at age five, went on his first international concert tour at age 16, started managing international ensemble tours at age 19, signed with India’s major record label at age 21, and released his first album as a songwriter/producer with his more talented younger brother at age 22. Sandeep has played over a thousand concerts in more than 20 countries and at venues like Radio City Music Hall and Madison Square Garden. He is a rather undeserving life-long student of the great tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain.

After the monastery where he was a monk kicked him out, Sandeep wandered onto a train station where, at 6:05 PM, he ran into other band members.

Mostly, Sandeep spends his time thinking he is a vocalist.

Gaurav

Born near a man-made pond in Dahod (birthplace of the 16th-century sonophobe Aurangzeb), Gaurav (aka Gaurangzeb) spent the second, third and fourth four-year blocks of his life in Texas sticking his neck into the world of music.  After spending hundreds of hours learning flute, he turned to singing and composing cross-culturally (whatever that means). He also got to spend time with the great Indian master Ustad Sultan Khan.

After his girlfriend left him for God, Gaurav wandered onto a train station where, at 6:05 PM, he found the other band members.

Mostly, Gaurav spends his time staring at a white wall feeling the grit of consciousness.

Soumya
Named after the qualities of moonlight (gentle, bright, intoxicating, intoxicated) Soumya grew up in Lubbock, TX, where he spent much of his life bumming around musical crossroads, Training in classical violin since the age of four, teaching himself guitar and piano as a kid, becoming a published composer at age ten, soaking up the music of his Indian roots as well as the country/folk/rock found in Lubbock and beyond.

After playing in way too many ephemeral bands in Texas and in Boston, Soumya wandered onto a train station at 6:05 PM, but on a different day and on the other side of the track.

Mostly, Soumya spends his time dialing his own phone number, hoping there’s someone there.