The career of Sunny Jain is a celebration of cultural diaspora: deep-rooted tradition that ripples outward, changing – and being changed by – the cultures that it touches. He is a composer, drummer, dhol player and community engager. Called the “Hendrix of dhol” by Manchester Salon (UK), Jain is also 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.” Since 2012, Jain has been curating Red Baraat Festival of Colors, a multi-city annual festival showcasing artists of the South Asian diaspora.

In 2014, NPR commissioned Jain to premiere a piece for “Make Music New York” day. Jain’s “100+ BPM” convened more than 350 musicians on the steps of the Brooklyn Public Library, including drum lines from the New York Jets, New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets.

In 2019, Jain became musical director for the OBIE award-winning theatrical show, The Jungle. That same year, he also music directed the massive celebration for Lincoln Center’s 60th Anniversary and St. Ann’s Warehouse gala.

On February 21, 2020, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings released Jain’s Wild Wild East. Jon Pareles of The New York Times called the title track “furiously propulsive” and many have acclaimed it as Jain’s best work yet.

On May 21, 2021, Jain released Phoenix Rise, a collaborative effort featuring over 50 artists, such as Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, Michael League (Snarky Puppy), Adrian Quesada (Black Pumas), Endea Owens (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert) and Joe Russo (jam band darling). Accompanied by a book that combines music, art, photography and plant-based recipes, all in the name of social justice. As executive producer and music producer, Jain partnered with Center for Constitutional Rights to fundraise and advocate for the work they do. 2021 also saw Jain receiving the MAP Fund, supporting the development of his first musical theater work, Love Force.