Biography

Bobby SinghBorn and raised in England, Bobby spent a great deal of his childhood in Mumbai studying at Sangeet Mahabharati, an institute of music started by the great tabla maestro Pandit Nikhil Ghosh. Recognised with a great talent at a young age, Bobby became a student of Ghosh’s senior disciple Aneesh Pradhan, now one of the most sought after tabla players in the world. Through Aneesh’s guidance, Bobby was nurtured into a mature and internationally renowned tabla player, both in traditional Indian classical music and cross cultural genres, and is renowned throughout Australia and internationally for his work with acts that straddle the divide between tradition and modernity. Now a resident of Australia, he still spends most of his time between India and Australia. Regularly playing alongside cultural icons such as, Grammy award winner Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, John Butler, Slava Grigoryan amongst others. Bobby also lends his flavour to the organic dance stylings of The Bird, and through his work with percussion trio Circle of Rhythm and Djan Djan.

Bobby has received numerous awards and accolades, and performed with some of the finest musicians in Australia and overseas including, Greg Sheehan, Ben Walsh, David Hirschfelder, John Butler Trio, Sandy Evans, Pandit Ashok Roy, Aneesh Pradhan, Shubha Mudgal, Purbayan Chatterjee, Shashank Subramaniyam, Pt Karaikudi Mani, Billy Cobham, Joseph Tawardros, Kim Sanders, Ian Dixon, Charlie McMahon, Jeremy Allsop, Sandipan Samajpati, Partho Sarathy, Tony Gorman and Adrian McNeil. He has performed at festivals nationally and internationally including Womadelaide, Woodford Folk Festival, Bellingen Global Carnival, Sydney Festival, Hyde Park Festival, Worlds Fair Bonn, Livid, Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony Melbourne, Perth International Arts Festival, Singapore Arts Festival and Arts on the Move, where his exciting, soulful and inspiring playing has become a highlight.

Bobby is considered one of the most experienced tabla players and is a highly respected musician in Australia’s world music scene. Most recently a documentary on his musical life was recorded and shown on SBS titled Viva, I Belong Everywhere.

He has recorded many classical and fusion CDs featuring some of the most exciting performers in the land. Amongst his recent CDs are Djan Djan, a collaborative mini album with Jeff Lang and Mamadou Diabate; Metrical with Circle of Rhythm; Aasha, an Indian classical music recording with sarod player Adrian McNeil; Ruhani, a duet with Oud player Joseph Tawardros; Birdville Sessions and a live DVD, Live at the Studio Opera House with The Bird; and he was a featured guest on Cities with The Cat Empire and John Butler Trio’s recording Grand National.

Recent Recordings

  • Djan Djan, Mamadou Diabate, Jeff Lang & Bobby Singh, Instrumental Recordings/ABC
  • Kim Sanders and Friends, Bent Grooves
  • The Bird: Reinventions Remix Album, Foreign Dub & MGM, & Birdville Sessions, Valve Records
  • Metrical, Circle of Rhythm, Groovelands records, & ishq, Groovelands Records
  • Ruhani, Joseph Tawardros, ABC Classics
  • Random Factors, remix with Bill Laswell, on Sonic Arcana
  • Penguin Ballet, with Slava Grigoryan and Nigel Westlake, on ABC Classics