2002
This year sees Trilok moving into a distinctly Indian phase. In January and February he produced “Remembrance” in Bombay for Universal Records with special guests Zakir Hussain (who plays a memorable due with Trilok), Shankas Mahadevan and Shobha Gurtu as vocalists; Ronu Majumdar on a variety of flutes and Sultan Khan on sarangi. Also heavily featured are other Indian acoustic instruments: santoor, khol, ektara, pakhawaj, dholak, sitar, harmonium. Although maintaining the contemporary/modernist/Indian direction which is Trilok’s long term hallmark, “Remembrance” shows his acoustic Indian roots as never before. The album and performances to support its release will be unveiled in October 2002.
Live work continues a pace! Since African Fantasy and The Beat of Love were successful in the US, TrilokÂ’s live appearances are becoming an annual event in the US as well as Europe and India. In March 2002 Trilok premiered his trio on the BBC 2 programme Network East Late and will present a Spring and Summer European Tour as well as appearing at US and European events in the Autumn.
In the Autumn period, Trilok adds to his trio and solo work two new special projects centred on the common ground shared by Indian and Spanish culture. Enrique Morente will co-star in a collaboration taking place in the Benelux from 15-18 October and a due with the flamenco guitarist Tomatito will premier at the Seville Flamenco Festival in September.
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Bhangra electronica to juju soul, Afro-Asian funk to raga-pop, Trilok Gurtu declares a global universal vision. “We make bridges, not barriers” says Gurtu, “This is what the world requires”.
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 travelled to Europe, joining up with trumpeter Don Cherry (father of Neneh and Eagle Eye) 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 1998 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 finda its wai onto the turntables at dance clubs years later. But back in 1988 Trilok met The Mahavishnu Orchestra and its leader, John McLaughlin and for the next four years played an intergral part in The John McLaughlin Trio, cutting two albums and playing alongside John as the featured soloist on all their enormously successful worldwide tours. Trilok’s unique instrumentantion and singing became an important focus in that group’s set; “when John and Trilok trade licks the audience is inevitably drawn to such a climax that encore follows encore”, as New York audiences know well from their Blue Note Club appearances. The classical performers Katia & Marielle Labeque invited Trilok to accompany them in their piano duets on their Japanese and Australian Tours during this period. As a result classical audiences had a rare treat!
In 1993 Trilok toured his own trio in support of the album named 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.
The composer and band leader had evolved from the Trilok of earlier years: consummate musicianship now joined entertainment skills as his humorous presentations for the group, between bouts of serious music, brought uproarious laug