Mayookh Bhaumik
Mayookh Bhaumik | |
|---|---|
| Born | New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Indian classical music, EDM, fusion |
| Occupations | Musician, composer, producer |
| Instruments | Tabla, mridangam, synthesizers |
| Years active | 1990s–present |
| Awards | National Film Award for Best Music Direction (2012) |
Mayookh Bhaumik is an American-born Indian classical musician, composer, and producer.[1][2] He is known for blending traditional Indian percussion with electronic music and film scores. Bhaumik has performed as a tabla player at various Indian classical music conferences and was the first American-born musician to be featured in several of these venues.[3]
Early life and education
Bhaumik was born in New York. Identified as a child prodigy at the age of three by Ali Akbar Khan, he began training in Hindustani classical music and Carnatic music under Jnan Prakash Ghosh, Sabir Khan, and Zakir Hussain.[4] He also studied the mridangam under Vidwan S. Sekhar and learned Kathak accompaniment from Birju Maharaj.
Career
Bhaumik has performed as an accompanist for several Indian classical and Sufi musicians, including Vilayat Khan,[5] Jasraj, and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.[6][3] He is a regular performer at the Saptak Festival of Music[7] and other major international stages such as the Montreal Jazz Festival.[3]
Bhaumik's work in electronic music involves the integration of Indian classical elements with drum and bass, ambient music, and EDM. He founded the fusion ensemble Black Coffee, which explores these genres. His production style frequently incorporates live looping and synthesized soundscapes layered over traditional tabla talas.[6]
Film scoring
As a film composer, Bhaumik has scored over 40 films. In 2012, he became the first composer in the history of Bengali cinema to win the National Film Award for Best Original Score for the film Laptop.[8]
Selected filmography
| Year | Film | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Dwando | Bengali | |
| 2012 | Laptop | Bengali | Won National Film Award |
| 2014 | Hrid Majharey | Bengali | |
| 2014 | Take One | Bengali | |
| 2022 | Bhotbhoti | Bengali |
Awards
- National Film Award for Best Music Direction (Background Score) for Laptop (2012).[9]
- SXSW "Uniquely South Asian Award" (2023) for contributions to the South Asian Diaspora.[10]
References
- ^ "Mayookh Bhaumik to perform with saxophonist George Brooks at a Kolkata concert". The Times of India. 2023-01-20. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
- ^ "Band of five on a fusion beat". Telegraph.
- ^ a b c "Drumming up a storm". Telegraph.
- ^ "Mayookh Bhaumik creates a qawwali with the world's most popular Christmas song, Jingle bells". The Indian Express. 2017-12-23. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
- ^ "Tabla Gharanas". TyBurhoe & Tala Records. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
- ^ a b "National award winner Mayookh Bhaumik gives Kolkata a taste of futuristic music". The Times of India. 2014-05-14. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
- ^ Khanna, Shailaja (2021-01-21). "Saptak festival: Where only music mattered". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
- ^ "A good film can't have bad music". The Times of India. 2014-05-20. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
- ^ "Mayookh Bhaumiks music in Laptop". The Indian Express. 2012-04-13. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
- ^ "Tabla player Mayookh Bhaumik receives award at SXSW Film Festival in Austin". The Times of India. 2023-05-20. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2026-02-04.