top of page

HOME

B i o g r a p h y

Ravi Padmanabha is a percussionist, multi-instrumentalist, improviser/composer. His initial interest was in drum set which later led to a variety of world instruments. From an early age, Ravi was exposed to Indian Classical music. At age 18, he began his formal Tabla studies with Pandit Ananda Gopal, and later with Pandit Samar Saha of Calcutta. He then continued with Tabla Maestro Pandit Sharda Sahai. He worked for Trivini, an Indian Classical Music organization, which allowed him to meet and learn more about his rich musical heritage.

While living in Buffalo Ravi spent many years performing in a wide variety of musical styles, including jazz, world, and experimental music. Ravi spent his teenage years playing jazz with many buffalo greats such as Pappy Martin ,Count Rabbit and Boyd Lee Dunlop. Ravi played duo with Boyd Lee at the Historic Buffalo Colored Musician club where they played a weekly engagement for one year. He has helped form many groups, such as Hylozoa with Steve Baczkowski on winds, Tala Rasa with Ron Locurto on guitar, and Omkara with Naryan Padmanabha on santoor and Aneal Padmanabha on guitar. Ravi has performed at Buffalo's Drum Day and Maelstrom Percussion Ensembles Master Drummers Program.

Since moving to NYC in August 2001, Ravi has performed in various groups including the Howling Makams, with Brandon Terzic and Tomchess. He has performed with many musicians including, Robert Dick, Willam Parker,Peter Kowald, Pauline Oliveros, Daniel Carter, Adam Lane, Blaise Siwula, Steve Swell, Bern Nix ,Cooper Moore, Wilber De Joude , Junni Booth ,Sabir Khan, Douglas Ewart , Arrington D Dionoyso , Rob Wasserman , Peter Evans, Junni Buth,Tom Abbs, Butch Morris, Douglas Ewart, Cooper Moore, and Paul Flaherty

Ravi has several unique recordings to his credit including ,”MOORSING" a CD that features compositions based mainly on the Moorsing (jaw harp/jews harp). In 2005 the Buffalo Suicide Prevention unit was formed with Mike Hermanson, Leif Nicklas ,Steve Baczkowski and Ravi Padmanabha. The units first release captured the deep improvising history shared by all its members. Their cd release party was recorded and released on cd by a label based in Portugal.

In 2005 Omkara has collaborated with Josh Geisler to create a live soundtrack for a Projectile Arts film titled "Take me to the river”. In 2006 Ravi and fellow Buffalo Musicians performed in the William Parker Buffalo Orchestra which inaugurated the new Righteous Babe Records/Hallwalls performance space. Also in 2006 Ravi and NYC multi-instrumentalist Daniel Carter released "Nivesana". Tom Chess and Ravi have recorded several Cds and have performed at the Rubin Museum of Tibetian Art (NYC)and the Museum of Natural History(NYC).

In 2008 Ravi and his two brothers created a sitar jam band called, “Family FUNKtion and the sitar jams”. They have released 2 CDs and continue to perform actively.

In 2010 William Parker formed the “Trance Quartet” with master double reed artist , Bill Cole with Steve Baczkowski and Ravi. The group has performed at Hallwalls and the John Coltrane Memorial concert series at Syracuse University.

In 2012 Brandon Terzic and Ravi released a Oud and Tabla world music recording entitled,”Western skies,Eastern Dreams”

In 2014 Ravi created “My Nada Brahma” with Ron Locurto ,Michael McNeill, and David Adamczyk. The group released a all original album entitled “Mission to Mount Everest.

In 2015 Ravi created the “Bul-Bul Tarang Gang.” The group had two cassettes released by slow tapes based in Belgium.

Ravi has had a duo with Steve Baczkowski for over 20 years They have performed in Scotland, Montreal and many locations in NYC such as CBGB’s and the Stone.

They have collaborated many musicians such as Robert Dick,Paul Flarhety,William Parker,JIn Hi Kim, Cooper-Moore,and Wilberd DeJoude, Tom Abbs, Junni Booth, and Ringo Brill.,Arrington D’Dionyso and Brian Dejesus. The Duo has several vinyl records released on QBICO form Italy. In 2018 IRON LUNG records released a 45 called Mastoid Process.

Ravi continually explores new music and in 2016 created the Transidental Karmacist .This new project launched him into the world of the singer songwriter. Feeling the need to write fun and serious songs became a deeply rewarding frontier. Ravi has been a member of the 12/8 path band ,one of Buffalos longest running bands from the 1980’s. He has also enjoyed doing kirtan and music for yoga class

In 2018 Mikee Strongmen and Ravi created a project called “Americana Raga”. The blend of banjo ,slide dobro , tabla and sarangi has been a perfect synergy.

In 2018 the BPD trio was formed with Steve Baczkowski , Brian Dejesus and Ravi. They have released several live recordings

In 2022 Ravi and Dave Mussen formed a duo incorporating hand pan and clarinet .

DISCOGRAPHY

West of East-TalaRasa

Prophecy-solo

Mooring-solo

Avamati -solo

Na MaShivaya

Meditations-solo

Trance-solo

OMkara-OM kara trio

Family FUNKtion and the Sitar jams-ffsj

Shanghi Tour bus-ffsj

StillLife Buffalo Suicide prevention Unit

Bspu -LIVE-Bspu ruby editoria records

Tongue Rust-Baczkowski/Padmanabhan:utech records

Aqua Machine-BAczkowski/Padmanabha: qbico records

QBICo box set- Baczkowski/Padmananbha;qbico records

QBICO live unite concert-Baczkowski/Padmanabha;qbico records

Nadaswaram/Tavil 7 inch Baczkowski/Padmanabha;Qbico recoreds

DOH TALA-Robert Dick /Baczkowski/Padmanabha ;epoch music

SUPPLICATIONS-Baczkowski/Padmanabha: epoch music

Mastoid Process-7’ BAczkowski Padmanbha; iron lung records

BACZKOWSKI/BOOTH/PADMANABHA

4/1/2012-Baczkowski/Padmanabhan

12/23/2012-Baczkowski/Padmanabha

Extension Cord-Baczkowski/Padmanabba

KAli-Bul-Bul TArang Gang :sloow tapes

Purandasa Day-Bul-bul Tarangi gang:slooe tapes

Western Skies-Estern Dreams -Brandon Terzic/Ravi Padmanbha

NIvesana- Daniel Carter/Ravi Padmanaba

Species Unite- Lathan Hardy/Padmanabha

Long Island City session -Lathan Hardy/RPadmanabha;trogolosounds

Elephant Calls-EdChang/Ravi Padmanabha;utech records

To A Blue Mirage-Alex Glen feild/RPadmanbha GKBK RECORDS

Americana Raga-Mikee Strongmen/RPadmanabha;GKBK RECORDS

Origin-Brian Dejesus/RPadmanabhaGKBK RECORDS

Mission to mount everest-My Nada Bahama GKBK RECORDS

Contiunance - Tom Chess/RPadmanabha;jumbo foot records
My Nada Brahma-Ravi PadmanabhaTrio

Biz-The Transindenatl KArmacist GKBK RECORDS

Wooden Ocean- Steve Baczkowski/Ravi PadmanabhaGDBK RECORDS

Open Door-Steve BAczkowski/Ravi Padmanabha GKBK RECORDS

Americana Raga-Mike Strongmen/RaviPadmanabha GKBK RECORDS

Permanence of the Uninterrupted Continunity-Tomchess/Ravi Padmanabha GKBK RECORDS

Nama Shivaya-Ravi Padmanabha solo GKBK RECORDS

bottom of page