Trilok Gurtu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Trilok Gurtu
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Gurtu performing in Warsaw with Arkè String Quartet
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| Background information | |
| Born | 30 October 1951 Mumbai, India |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Drums, tabla, Konnakol |
| Years active | 1970s–present |
| Associated acts | John McLaughlin, Embryo, Oregon, Tabla Beat Science, Arkè String Quartet, Joe Zawinul, Jan Garbarek |
Trilok Gurtu (born October 30, 1951) is a famous Indian musician. He plays percussion instruments and writes music. His unique style mixes traditional music of India with jazz fusion and world music.
He has worked with many well-known artists. These include John McLaughlin, Jan Garbarek, Joe Zawinul, and Robert Miles.
Contents
Early Life and Music Journey
Trilok Gurtu was born in Mumbai, India. His parents were from different parts of India. His mother, Shobha Gurtu, was a famous singer. She encouraged him to learn the tabla, an Indian drum. He also had formal training in percussion.
A Career in Music
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In the 1970s, Gurtu started playing the Western drum kit. He became very interested in jazz music. He learned to play many different parts of songs at once. This was because he didn't know about "overdubbing" at first. Overdubbing is when musicians record different parts of a song separately and then put them together.
In the 1970s, he played with musicians like Charlie Mariano and Don Cherry. One of his first recordings was with the German band Embryo. His mother also sang on that album. Later, she joined him on his first solo CD, Usfret.
In the 1980s, Gurtu played with John McLaughlin in his trio. They used a special Indian method called tala talk. This is a way of using sounds to teach drum patterns. Sometimes, they would even add funny words to their vocal jams!
Trilok's Unique Drumming Style
Trilok Gurtu has a very special way of playing drums. He often plays without a drum stool. He sits in a half-kneeling position on the floor. He uses a mix of traditional Indian tablas and Western drums. He also dips cymbals and strings of shells into water. This creates a cool, shimmering sound effect.
Gurtu joined the band Oregon after their drummer passed away. He played on three of their albums. In the early 1990s, Gurtu started leading his own band. Many famous musicians have played on his albums.
In 1999, he joined a group called Tabla Beat Science. This group mixed Indian music with electronic music styles. They released three albums. In 2004, Gurtu made an album called Miles Gurtu with Robert Miles. He also worked with the Arkè String Quartet on their album Arkeology in 2007.
He has also worked with other artists. These include minimalist composer Stefano Ianne and electronic folk duo Hari & Sukhmani.
His Amazing Legacy
Trilok Gurtu is known as one of the most creative percussionists ever. He adds unusual things to his music, like swords and buckets! Zakir Hussain, another famous tabla player, once said that if Trilok Gurtu only played the tabla, he would be the best in the world.
The famous electronic music artist Deadmau5 (Joel Zimmerman) also looks up to Trilok Gurtu. He said that Indian drum rhythms are amazing.
Music Style
The Guardian UK newspaper described Gurtu as "an open-minded musician." He mixes jazz, Indian classical music, and pop. He is a very skilled percussionist and a fun performer. Gurtu himself says that he is greatly inspired by African rhythms and drumming.
Awards and Recognition
Trilok Gurtu has won many important awards:
- Best Overall Percussionist winner, DRUM! Magazine, 1999
- Best Overall Percussionist winner, Carlton Television Multicultural Music Awards, 2001
- Best Percussionist winner, Down Beat's Critics Poll for 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002
- Best Asia/Pacific Artist nominee, BBC Radio 3 World for 2002, 2003, and 2004.
Discography
As leader
- Usfret (CMP, 1988)
- Living Magic (CMP, 1991)
- Crazy Saints (CMP, 1993)
- Believe (CMP, 1994)
- The Glimpse (CMP, 1996)
- Bad Habits Die Hard (CMP, 1996)
- African Fantasy (ESC, 1999)
- Kathak (Escapade, 1998)
- The Beat of Love (Blue Thumb, 2001)
- Broken Rhythms (Worldmusicnet, 2004)
- Farakala (Frikyiwa, 2005)
- Arkeology with Arke String Quartet (Promo Music, 2006)
- Massical (BHM, 2009)
- 21 Spices (Art of Groove, 2011)
- Broken Rhythms (Cream, 2012)
- Spellbound (Moosicus, 2013)
- Drums On Fire with Chad Wackerman (Times Music, 2015)
- Crazy Saints Live (Art of Groove, 2015)
- God Is a Drummer (Jazzline, 2019)
- One Thought Away (Jazzline, 2023)
With Family of Percussion
- Message to the Enemies of Time (Nagara, 1978)
- Sunday Palaver (Nagara, 1980)
- Here Comes the Family (Nagara, 1981)
See also
In Spanish: Trilok Gurtu para niños
