[126.1] GURTU'S ROOTS REMEMBERED

Extraordinarily dexterous Bombay-born percussionist Trilok Gurtu has returned to his roots, the Indian acoustic tradition, in his new CD 'Remembrance' (Emarcy 066 8762), which also features the virtuosic Zakir Hussain on tabla, Shobha Gurtu (Trilok's mother, a world renowned Thumri singer) and Shankar Mahadevan on vocals. The album offers perpsectives on the divine across a continent of "vast and unfathomable depth", says its creator. Traditional and modern song and raga is featured. Some say 'Remembrance' harks back to Gurtu's first record in 1988 with 'Usfret'. This established his reputation as an exponent of contemporary western percussion utilising Indian stylings and musical shapes. The UK release of the new album, which appeared in February, pays witness to Trilok Gurtu's very wide influence (he is respected in jazz and contemporary classical circles, as well as by exponents of bangra, Asian underground and fusion dance) by including two bonus tracks. These are remixes by Talvin Singh. Mahadevan, for those who have not heard of him, is a Bollywood star. Gurtu takes vernacular materials and weaves them into a highly artistic tapestry which in no way compromises his serious-but-exultant vision and musical aspiration.