The Tabla Artistry of Pt. Tanmoy Bose

Born and raised in Kolkata, the cultural capital of India, Tanmoy Bose is a percussionist and tabla player, musical producer, film actor and composer. Bose grew up in downtown Kolkata at a time when Indian Music was being paid serious attention in the West due to the efforts of the legendary maestros. His house used to throb with activity-business, music, medicine at all and was rightfully considered as a nodal point of practitioners and connoisseurs of all the above and could boast of being a landmark in the area.

Tanmoy Bose is one of the foremost musicians in contemporary world music and an indispensable member in the global fraternity of percussion. Bose received his early tutelage from the legendary Lt Kanai Dutta. Bose became the Gandabandh Shagird {formally initiated disciple in Indian classical music} of the noted torchbearer of the Farukkabad gharana –Pandit Shankar Ghosh. For the last three decades, he has been taking lessons from his guru in spite of keeping an extremely busy schedule, performing and teaching across the globe. Even as early as being in college, he had the rare opportunity of being called upon by another musical legend, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan to perform with him. The association with this legendary maestro has been that of a family member for the last two decades performing with him so regularly.

Another great milestone in Tanmoy Bose’s life was achieved when the greatest ambassador of Indian Classical Music Bharat Ratna Pandit Ravi Shankar invited him to play regularly with him around the world and today he spends almost half the year traveling with the legendary maestro and in turn learning more and getting better with each of the concerts that he plays with him.

Bose has been instrumental to take drumming up into a new level. Over the last few years, his brainchild, Taaltantra has emerged as one of the foremost world music bands regularly enthralling audiences in the Mid-East, North America, Europe and India experimenting with timeless Jazz, Indian Classical Music, Folk Music and indigenous drumming. The name signifies “sadhana” or worship through rhythm. Even though Taaltantra essentially is not dealing with just drumming, it has elements of various instrumentation. The world of sound is the forte of the band which is worth experiencing.

Another significant endeavour worth mentioning is Rhythmania. Rhythmania incorporates Indian classical music coupled with Western and Mediterranean, Jazz world folk and a new age fusion Electronic Dance Music (EDM) which provides the perfect concoction that connects hearts globally.

Bose has been an ardent researcher and composer. His long tours around the world had given him opportunities to interact and play with musicians, composers, choreography and the like he put to very good use his rich experience acquired hereby and created DHWANI, BEYOND BORDERS, TAALYAAGNA, CHATURANG and MOKSH - based on the virtues of Indian Rhythmic nuances.

For Tanmoy, music and life are inseparable. Rhythm is his quest of truth and beauty- it transcends all other priorities in his life.