David Walters India Tour: Kolkata

The David Walters Trio graced the majestic hall of Kolkata’s historic Indian Museum on July 1, 2025, delivering an unforgettable evening of soulful fusion. Presented by the Embassy of France in India, French Institute in India and Alliance Française Network in India especially Alliance Française du Bengale in collaboration with Ministry of Culture-Government of India and Indian Museum Kolkata, the trio featuring David Walters on Guitar and Vocal, Abhisek Lahiri on Sarod and Subhadrakalayan Rana on tabla masterfully merged AfroCaribbean grooves with hints of Indian raga, enchanting a diverse audience in a setting steeped in cultural heritage. The performance was the culmination of a two-day artistic residency in Kolkata, during which Walters collaborated with local musicians and immersed himself in the city’s vibrant cultural landscape.

As part of his India tour, spanning multiple cities, Walters shared his musical ethos through his signature Soul Tropical sound—celebrating rhythm, identity, and connection across borders. With an intimate setting complemented by the museum’s historic architecture, each piece transformed into a bridge between continents, bringing warmth, energy, and transcendent musicality to an appreciative Kolkata crowd.

The atmosphere was electric yet deeply introspective, as Walters infused each composition with personal storytelling and expressive movement. His synergy with Indian melodic sensibilities—shaped through past collaborations and refined during this residency—was evident in improvised passages alongside sarod virtuoso Abhisek Lahiri and Tabla player Subhadrakalyan Rana. Audiences were mesmerized as Caribbean beats seamlessly intertwined with Hindustani classical textures, revealing a seamless confluence of global sounds.

In the timeless setting of the Indian Museum, the trio’s performance echoed the spirit of Fête de la Musique—bridging cultures through the universal language of music and leaving Kolkata with a night to remember.