Master Musicians of Jajouka
As well as being classically trained by Indian masters as a tabla player, Talvin Singh is one of Britain’s most creative and popular producers and DJs. In 1999 he won Britain’s prestigious Mercury Music Prize for his album OK, which catapulted him to wider popularity. He is the dynamic purveyor of “tablatronics” — miked-up tabla playing — and the techno and drum ‘n’ bass treatment of traditional, mainly Indian, classical music. The results of these seamless fusions are highly renowned and exceptional.
Talvin is a prolific DJ in London’s underground music scene (the legendary Anokha nights) as well as producer on a multitude of highly successful records. He has collaborated musically and as a producer with Björk on Debut and Possibly Maybe.
The Master Musicians of Jajouka are Moroccan tribal musicians. Members are literally “born to be musicians”. They are striving to keep their way of performing alive and this album helps to bring them to a contemporary audience. In the 1960s, Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones produced their first record. Since this “discovery”, their influence has been far reaching in musical circles — from the Rolling Stones and Ornette Coleman to 10,000 Maniacs and Guns & Roses.