Trilok Gurtu

• Genre: World Fusion
• Hometown: Bombay

About

Trilok Gurtu is a jazz percussionist who's played with everyone from Don Cherry, Bill Evans, Pat Metheny and John McLaughlin to Zakir Hussain and Asha Bhosle. His trademark East-West drumkit and elastic style have earned him accolades -- and four Downbeat awards. His own albums hew toward fusion: on 2001's The Beat of Love he brought African pop into the fold, enlisting help from African singers Angelique Kidjo and Salif Keita, among others. In recent years the Asian Underground has taken to Gurtu -- electronica artists like Nitin Sawney and Talvin Singh cite him as an influence and spin his records at club nights. His mother is the great classical (and fusion) singer Shobha Gurtu.

- Sarah Bardeen