The Bombay-born tabla master and percussionist Trilok Gurtu has become a fixture on the pop- and world-music scenes, performing with Pat Metheny, Gilberto Gil, and Bill Laswell. On this CD--produced by the famed Benines... more »e Afropop superstar and Level 42 cofounder Wally Badarou--Gurtu forms a rhythmic rice-and-curry meal flavored with funk, raga, bhangra, and juju sonic seasonings. Backed by vocalist Sabine Kabongo (formerly of Zap Mama) along with bass, guitar, and sitar, Gurtu successfully merges the Aryan/Dravidian ancestral drum lines of his homeland with the processional pulsations of West Africa. The leader is joined on this quest by the continent's brightest stars: Benin's Angelique Kidjo lends her Fon-language contralto on the hypnotic "A Friend." Mali's Salif Keita Afro/Arabic Mande vocals christen the tantric tone poem "Have We Lost Our Dream?" Wasis Diop of Senegal beautifully complements Gurtu's textured tabla playing on "Passing By," while South Africa's Jabu Khanyile puts his township tones to the synthesized kalimba sounds on "Ingoma." Gurtu also includes his trans-Indian compatriots Mryudula and Bharat Desai on "Dance with My Lover." Chris Dilford of the rock group Squeeze wrote the lyrics to the anthemic "Ola Bombay." In Trilok Gurtu's hands, world beats are transformed by his silky subcontinental swing. --Eugene Holley Jr.« less
The Bombay-born tabla master and percussionist Trilok Gurtu has become a fixture on the pop- and world-music scenes, performing with Pat Metheny, Gilberto Gil, and Bill Laswell. On this CD--produced by the famed Beninese Afropop superstar and Level 42 cofounder Wally Badarou--Gurtu forms a rhythmic rice-and-curry meal flavored with funk, raga, bhangra, and juju sonic seasonings. Backed by vocalist Sabine Kabongo (formerly of Zap Mama) along with bass, guitar, and sitar, Gurtu successfully merges the Aryan/Dravidian ancestral drum lines of his homeland with the processional pulsations of West Africa. The leader is joined on this quest by the continent's brightest stars: Benin's Angelique Kidjo lends her Fon-language contralto on the hypnotic "A Friend." Mali's Salif Keita Afro/Arabic Mande vocals christen the tantric tone poem "Have We Lost Our Dream?" Wasis Diop of Senegal beautifully complements Gurtu's textured tabla playing on "Passing By," while South Africa's Jabu Khanyile puts his township tones to the synthesized kalimba sounds on "Ingoma." Gurtu also includes his trans-Indian compatriots Mryudula and Bharat Desai on "Dance with My Lover." Chris Dilford of the rock group Squeeze wrote the lyrics to the anthemic "Ola Bombay." In Trilok Gurtu's hands, world beats are transformed by his silky subcontinental swing. --Eugene Holley Jr.
"I just went out and bought this CD because I had seen an ad for the show and was not able to make it - so I got the CD instead. Even after burning it out in my car - I still put it on sometimes at home. I will admit some tracks will be repetitious and I fast forward, but JHULELAI and a few others are incredible. It is great music to get ready to or when you want to hear something relaxing and energizing at the same time. Like a positive mellow kick in the (...). Angelique Kidjo and others are featured."
Funky & Majestic
Peter Savage | Near Portland, ME USA | 09/06/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"You'll see Trilok Gurtu and Wally Badarou named on about half the CDs of the past couple of years that involve Indian or African musicians playing East-West crossover. I've avoided them all, until now. But this really works: thanks to an excellent set of vocalist guest stars, and some very classy percussion work. It's really nothing like I expected. The songs are a subtle mixture of Indian or African influences, or clearly from one camp or the other. And you'll never get the chant from 'Maya' out of your head. The production is absolutely crystal clear, something one tends to find in percussionists' recordings, since they're so used to being buried in the mix..."
Surprisingly Dull
david milo | 09/09/2001
(2 out of 5 stars)
"Gurtu is a great session and guest percussionist, but Beat of Love is a surprisingly bland salad of "world beat" clichés and pop synthesized keyboard filler. Like a lot of this kind of artificially thrown together, attempted melding of genres, it doesn't hold up after a couple of playings."
From contemporary to pop
david milo | DK | 12/14/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have the recent 10 years been following this master- percussionist/composer.
and when it comes to innovating new sounds and blends of styles and cultures, Trilok Gurtu is differnetly in front as a pioneer.
This album is an example of he's incredible styleistic width and masterly sense of musicallity, no matter in witch content it may be, he will make music among the bedst - listen also to he's ground breaking first record "Ushfred" - and you will find an early version of drum & bass, this guy is ahead...."