Today’s featured drummer is Trilok Gurtu.
Born in Mumbai, India on 30 October 1951, he is a truly amazing drummer.
If you have never heard him play, you are in for a treat. Growing up as a guitarist and drummer myself, I listened for many hours to his playing on Que Alegria – with the John McLaughlin Trio.
Part of understanding how he plays the fills that he does, requires seeing how his drums are setup.
He frequently incorporates non-western drums like the Tabla into his everyday playing.
From his Wikipedia article:
“Gurtu mentioned having initially learned western music without awareness of overdubbing, which, he said, forced him to learn multiple parts which most musicians would have never attempted.”
Wikipedia provides a list of recordings that he can be found on:
Solo and collaborative albums
- 1974: La Terra (The Earth) LP with Aktuala (Bla Bla, 1974)
- 1976: Tapetto Volante (Flying Carpet) with Aktuala LP (Bla Bla, 1976)
- 1977: Apo Calypso – with Embryo
- 1979: Friends – with Toto Blanke Electric Circus
- 1980: Family – with Toto Blanke Electric Circus
- 1982: Personal Note, Mark Nauseef with Joachim Kühn, Jan Akkerman, Detlev Beier
- 1983: Finale – with Charly Antolini
- 1985: Song for Everyone – with L. Shankar
- 1987: Usfret
- 1987: Ecotopia – with Oregon
- 1989: 45th Parallel – with Oregon
- 1990: Live At The Royal Festival Hall – with the John McLaughlin Trio
- 1990: Living Magic
- 1991: Always, Never and Forever – with Oregon
- 1992: Que Alegria – with the John McLaughlin Trio
- 1993: Crazy Saints
- 1995: Believe
- 1995: Bad Habits Die Hard
- 1997: The Glimpse
- 1998: Kathak
- 2000: African Fantasy
- 2001: The Beat of Love
- 2002: Remembrance
- 2004: Miles Gurtu – with Robert Miles
- 2004: Broken Rhythms
- 2006: Farakala
- 2007: Arkeology
- 2009: Massical
- 2010: Piano Car – with Stefano Ianne
- 2011: 21 Spices – with Simon Phillips