Trilok Gurtu

Trilok Gurtu
Gurtu performing in Warsaw with Arkè String Quartet
Background information
Born	(1951-10-30) 30 October 1951 (age 65) Mumbai, India
Genres	Jazz, jazz fusion, world music
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Drums, tabla
Years active	1970s–present
Associated acts	John McLaughlin, Embryo, Oregon, Tabla Beat Science, Arkè String Quartet, Joe Zawinul,
Website	Trilok Gurtu.net

Trilok Gurtu (Kashmiri: ترلوک گرٹو, Marathi: त्रिलोक गुर्टू) (born in Mumbai, India on 30 October 1951) is an Indian percussionist and composer, whose work has blended the music of his homeland with jazz fusion, world music and other genres.

He has released his own albums and has collaborated with many artists, including Terje Rypdal, Gary Moore, John McLaughlin, Jan Garbarek, Joe Zawinul, Bill Laswell, Maria João & Mário Laginha, and Robert Miles.

Gurtu was born to Hindu Brahmin parents in Mumbai, and attended Don Bosco High School (Matunga) in Mumbai. His mother, singer Shobha Gurtu, encouraged him to learn playing tabla, and he studied playing the instrument under Shah Abdul Karim.

Gurtu began playing western drum kit in the 1970s, and developed interest in jazz. In a 1995 television special on Jimi Hendrix, 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. In the 1970s, he played with Charlie Mariano, John Tchicai, Terje Rypdal, and Don Cherry.