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Trilok Gurtu

A world class, virtuoso percussionist, now in his mid fifties, Trilok has attracted a world class set of collaborators over a long career; these started with John McLaughlin in whose trio, Trilok flourished as the featured soloist for 4 years, other jazz greats continued this path " Joe Zawinul, Jan Garbarek, Don Cherry, Bill Evans, Pharoah Sanders, Dave Holland were all attracted to Trilok’s burning sense of rhythm. Of course he is deeply rooted in the Indian tradition, so it is no surprise to see that collaborations also took place with the glitterati of Indian musical society " his mother, Shobha Gurtu, Zakir Hussain, L. Shankar, Shankar Mahadevan, Hariprasad Chaurasia, The Misra Brothers and Sultan Khan. World music has become an established genre in which Trilok has further “ploughed his own furrow” with his own group, to great effect, performing and recording with Salif Keita, Oumou Sangare, Angelique Kidjo, Neneh Cherry, Omara Portuondo, Tuvan throat singers, Huun Huur Tu, to such effect that . Rita Ray of BBC Radio described him as “a serial collaborator”.

Trilok Gurtu was born into a highly musical family in Bombay, India where his grandfather was a noted Sitar player and his mother Shobha Gurtu, a classical singing star and constant influence. He began to play practically from infancy at the age of six. Eventually Trilok traveled to Europe, joining up with trumpeter Don Cherry for two years; touring worldwide with Oregon, the highly respected jazz group and was an important part of the quartet that L. Shankar led with Jan Garbarek and Zakir Hussain.

In 1988 Trilok performed with his own group, finally being able to present his compositions on the debut album “Usfret” which many musicians claim as an important influence; young Asian musicians from London like Talvin Singh, Asian Dub Foundation and Nitin Sawhney see him as a mentor and so Trilok’s work finds its way onto the turntables at dance clubs years later. But back in 1988 Trilok met The Mahavishnu Orchestra and its leader, JohnMcLaughlin and for the next four years played an integral part in The John McLaughlin Trio.

Trilok toured with his own trio in support of the 1993 album “The Crazy Saints” which featured not only Joe Zawinul but also Pat Metheny. Audiences were enthralled by his compositions that linked subtle Indian rhythms and Indian singing with elements of modern jazz and rock. The following year the band was expanded to a quartet and touring extended to include a US coast-to-coast tour and 40+ European shows.

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Play This!

Trilok Gurtu's Crazy Saints: Vak

Read "Trilok Gurtu's Crazy Saints: Vak" reviewed by Mike Jacobs


Out of the whole of Gurtu's recorded catalog, his two CMP albums with his Crazy Saints configuration--featuring guitarist David Gilmore, bassist Chris Minh Doky and here, pianist Daniel Goyone--stand among his most compelling solo releases. The Goyone-penned, lydian-tinged “Vak" is just one of the album's many high points. ...

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Album Review

Travel: Travel

Read "Travel" reviewed by Chris M. Slawecki


Travel compiles a musical travelogue through eight cities from Istanbul (Turkey) through Oslo (Norway) to Tokyo (Japan), rendered in the acoustic quartet sound of trumpet, piano, bass, and percussion. Composers Marco Vezzoso and Alessandro Collina don't paint strikingly different portraits but reflect each geography through the same sort of quietly intense music, and tuck an almost unbelievable amount of beautiful sound into 41 minutes. Lead and solo voices Vezzoso (trumpet and flugelhorn) and Collina (piano) receive great assistance ...

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Radio & Podcasts

Elemental, Erik Escobar, Jasper Van't Hof, Nguyen Le and Trilok Gurtu

Read "Elemental, Erik Escobar, Jasper Van't Hof, Nguyen Le and Trilok Gurtu" reviewed by Len Davis


We go to Europe with Jasper Van't Hof't and Nguyen Le. The exciting music of Trilok Gurtu and Ranjit Barot, both extraordinary drummers. Jean-Luc Ponty brings African rhythms, and Brazilian bassist Michael Pipoquinha with his album Lua.Playlist Elemental “Dig" from Elemental (Blue Canoel) 00:00 Erik Escobar “Homenaje al Gran Maestro Gonzalo" from Erik Escobar (Self Produced) 06:24 Jasper Van't Hof “Blue Balls" from Blue Corner (ACT Music) 12:46 Nguyen Le “Funk Rai" from Maghreb & Friends (ACT Music) ...

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Radio & Podcasts

Trilok Gurtu, Dewa Budjana, Tigran Hamasyan and more

Read "Trilok Gurtu, Dewa Budjana, Tigran Hamasyan and more" reviewed by Len Davis


John McLaughlin Sandeep Chowta, Trilok Gurtu, Marcus Klossek Electric Trio and more. Playlist Gavin Harrison-Antoine Fafard “Proto Mundi" from Chemical Reactions (Historical Heresey) 00:00 Scott Jones “Long Night" from Fictional Characters (Self Produced) 07:20 John McLaughlin “Inside Out" from Floating Point (Abstract Logix) 14:36 Sandeep Chowta “Yetto Velli chapter four" from Yetto Velli Diaries (Namma Music) 22:01 Trilok Gurtu “Kathak" from Kathak (Escapade) 29:14 Dewa Budjana “Kmalasana" from Kmalasana (Mehsada Indonesia) 36:32 Tigran Hamasyan “The Grid" from Mockroot ...

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In Pictures

Chamoisic Festival 2018

Read "Chamoisic Festival 2018" reviewed by Antonio Baiano


Photos from the Chamoisic Festival held in Chamois, Aosta from August 3-5, 2018 featuring Trilok Gurtu, Eazycon, Alberto Marsico, Frankie Hi-Nrg, AlJazzeera, Frank Bretschneider, and Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino. ...

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In Pictures

The talking tabla of Trilok Gurtu at Folkclub

Read "The talking tabla of Trilok Gurtu at Folkclub" reviewed by Antonio Baiano


Trilok Gurtu performed a solo concert at Folkclub on March 16, 2018. The great Indian percussionist enchanted his audience for nearly two hours, on which he also explained his playing technique. He performed on a variety of percussion instruments, some created by himself that produced incredible sound range. Gurtu also invited the audience to join him in singing the vocal accompaniment to his last piece. ...

Interview

Emilio Sioli – Direttore artistico di Area Musica Estate

Read "Emilio Sioli – Direttore artistico di Area Musica Estate" reviewed by Paolo Peviani


La stagione jazzistica estiva milanese sarà quest'anno caratterizzata da Area Musica Estate, manifestazione che riunisce in sé l'esperienza del festival Il Ritmo delle Città (nato nel 2006) e del progetto Area M (ora al suo terzo e conclusivo anno), iniziativa volta a trasformare la zona Città Studi in un quartiere della musica. Ne abbiamo parlato con Emilio Sioli, direttore artistico della rassegna. All About Jazz: Come è nato Area Musica Estate? Emilio ...

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Award / Grant

Roman Miroshnichenko, Henrik Andersen And Trilok Gurtu Nominated In The Hollywood Music In Media Awards

Roman Miroshnichenko, Henrik Andersen And Trilok Gurtu Nominated In The Hollywood Music In Media Awards

Source: All About Jazz

Roman Miroshnichenko's composition “Flying Dragon," featuring Henrik Andersen and Trilok Gurtu—from his new album New Shapes—was nominated in the Best Instrumental category by the Hollywood Music In Media Awards (HMMA). Winners are chosen by select members of the Society of Composers & Lyricists, the TV Academy, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' music branch, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and performing-rights organizations, as well as film-music journalists and music executives. “'Flying Dragon' has a particularly ...

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Recording

'New Shapes' Joint Album By Guitar Virtuosos Roman Miroshnichenko & Henrik Andersen Featuring Percussionist Trilok Gurtu

'New Shapes' Joint Album By Guitar Virtuosos Roman Miroshnichenko & Henrik Andersen Featuring Percussionist Trilok Gurtu

Source: Roman Miroshnichenko

Prominent guitar virtuosos Roman Miroshnichenko and Henrik Andersen to release new joint album «New Shapes» they recorded latest February-July in duo and joined by special guests: World’s most Influential percussionists Trilok Gurtu (John McLaughlin), Bickram Ghosh (George Harrison), Frank Colon (Manhattan Transfer), Gumbi Ortiz (Al Di Meola) and Grammy-winning violinist Charlie Bisharat (Shadowfax). New Shapes is a unique mix of nylon and steel string guitars, Indian tablas and konnakol, Brazilian samba, Russian folk, Cuban and Mediterranean rhythms. “As Henrik was ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Travel

ITI Records
2022

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New Shapes

Self Produced
2021

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Spellbound

CMP Records
2013

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Trilok Gurtu:...

Moosicus Gmbh
2013

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21 Spices

Art of Groove/Indigo
2011

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Massical

CMP Records
2009

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