Sunny Jain

Called “One of the leading figures in North America’s burgeoning Asian music scene. A global musical alchemist and cultural agent provocateur” by Songlines (UK), Sunny Jain is a critically acclaimed drummer, dhol player, composer, and bandleader. He’s appeared on NPR Tiny Desk Concert 3x with his bands - once with Wild Wild East in 2024 and twice with Red Baraat. The latter’s 2017 performance was touted as the top 8 TDC of all time by Vulture Magazine. Jain has performed with percussion legends Mickey Hart & Zakir Hussain and Planet Drum, to pop icons Ed Sheeran, David Byrne, Peter Gabriel, Norah Jones, Jon Batiste and Italian pop star, Jovanotti, to many jazz luminaries. He has been at the zeitgeist of America’s South Asian sounds for the past 2 decades, working with some of the top South Asian artists out there (Arooj Aftab, Ali Sethi, DJ Rekha, Ganavya, Heems, Karsh Kale, Samita Sinha, Vijay Iyer, and Junoon). Jain is most known for founding the band, Red Baraat, a frenzied fusion of bhangra, hip-hop, jazz, rock, and sheer, unbridled energy that NPR has called “the best party band in years.” The band has performed across the globe including stops at the White House (Obama), London Olympics, TED, Austin City Limits, Bonnaroo, Luxembourg Philharmonic, Peter Gabriel’s WOMAD festivals (Australia, New Zealand, Spain, UK) and Padma Lakshmi’s Blossom Ball.