Music Notes from the Hudson Valley - meet musician Nikhil Yerawaderkar

AMPLIFIED: Music Notes from the Hudson Valley | November 2025

By Melissa Esposito | November 4, 2025

It’s impossible to define the Hudson Valley’s music scene by one sound. Whether it’s from the influence of NYC just hours away, or the inspiration gained from the landscapes and people who make up the region, the Valley is a musicultural melting pot where a diverse range of rhythms thrive. Locally, there’s been a surge in popularity for genres like Cumbia and Afrobeat, with an increasing number of bands that would normally play more in NYC finding support upstate through promoters and venues looking to share these global rhythms. This month, we interviewed an artist who is a part of the scene, introducing these exuberant sounds upstate at venues like The Local, also featured below.

Local Artist Spotlight: Nikhil P. Yerawadekar

Nikhil P. Yerawadekar

: Low Mentality Band

: Left to right: Nikhil, Duke Amayo, Tony Allen, Laolu Senbajo + Quinn McCarthy

There’s a vibrancy to Afrobeat music that comes naturally from the combination of syncopated rhythms, warm tones, melodic vocals, heartfelt call-and-response, and cascading basslines. It’s an entrancing blend of African, funk, jazz, and soul that can uplift nearly any crowd. That infectious joyousness is part of what attracted multi-instrumentalist Nikhil P. Yerawadekar to the genre decades ago, growing up in Queens; Afrobeat has long had a following in NYC, but in recent years, these culturally derived sounds are reverberating up the Hudson to our region more and more. Yerawadekar now resides in Kingston with his family and is a performer in numerous bands raising awareness about African music, his groups ranging from African diaspora, Congolese soukous, and other related subgenres. “I’ve worked in a ton of different styles over the years, but mostly I’ve focused on music from the African diaspora, especially West Africa and the Caribbean, and also Black American music,” Yerawadekar explains. “Here in the Hudson Valley, I play guitar in Echo Rhythm Band, which does 1970s-era African and diasporic styles mixed with dub ambience, and I also lead an Afrobeat band called Living Language. In addition, I play in another Afrobeat band called Armo, and also play guitar in the Congolese band Loboko,” the latter of which performed at The Local in Saugerties on Mother’s Day this year; the rhythms brought entire families to the dance floor.

Living Language Band

Yerawadekar, a vocalist who plays guitar, bass, and keys, became involved in the African music scene early in his performance career, around age 18. “I fell in love with highlife music first,” he says. “I was just struck by how joyful the songs were (which was a contrast to the alternative and hip-hop music that I fell in love with years prior), with beautiful melodies layered on top of one another and tons of interaction between the musicians. I was already fascinated by those grooves, and then quickly got involved playing Fela Kuti-style Afrobeat in the bands Akoya Afrobeat and Antibalas, so I had the opportunity to get really deep with that particular style. It was good fortune to get invited, and it just felt like it clicked for me.”

But Afrobeat is defined by more than just a sound; there’s often a deeper statement in this style of music, whether political, spiritual, or philosophical. “It’s a scary time in our country, and I think it’s important not to stick my head in the sand. I try to stay engaged with history and current events in a constructive way, and there are so many people who are doing or have done super brave, creative, interesting stuff toward making people freer in the world—the music and people I work with help me in this regard,” he explains. “Fela Kuti, for example, was jailed and faced attacks and raids from the Nigerian military throughout his career, but he never stopped exercising his voice and criticizing corrupt leaders. I feel it’s important to talk about him and what he stood for when I play Afrobeat, and doing that gives me a sense of belief and helps me feel connected.”

Yerawadekar’s music and the bands in which he performs have been heard at various venues across the region, including The Pines (Mt. Tremper), The Local (Saugerties), The Lemon Squeeze (New Paltz), The Avalon (Catskill), Tubby’s (Kingston), and more. “When the music is really together onstage, I feel like I’m floating; there’s so much power, mutual understanding, and great listening going on, that it feels like the music is playing itself, and no decisions are being made,” he says. “And on top of that, when there is that feeling of connection and exchange of energy between the people onstage and the people in the audience, it can take on a spiritual dimension. I’m lucky to experience this sometimes.”

Follow along on Instagram to learn more about upcoming shows or projects he’s working on at his studio in Kingston: @npylowmentality or via his website.

Stage & Scene: The Local

The Local Music Venue in Saugerties NY

: Photo: Seokhyun Jang

: Photo: Eric Delmar

Since opening in September 2023, The Local has become a multicultural mainstay in the Village of Saugerties. Living true to its tagline of bringing “the best music and dance from around the world and around the corner” to its stage, The Local showcases acclaimed acts that often fill entire concert halls in its intimate 100+ person space, which is a former Dutch chapel built in the 1800s. Currently in their third fall season of events, in the past two months alone they’ve welcomed a range of artists including Sufi devotional masters from Pakistan, Swedish accordion and hurdy gurdy dance music, West African performers, and more, while also highlighting regional musicians making a splash on their respective scenes including jazz rising stars Zohar and Adam, and the participants of the recent Saugerties Sessions performance: Ginger Winn, Pamela Laws, and Carly Pearl. The Local’s fall season runs through December, with more exciting music, dance, and speakers in their conversation series; for the full lineup of events, visit The Local Saugerties.