As a solo artist, Talvin Singh is perhaps best known as the father of modern Asian electronica music, though he is also a highly celebrated tabla player, record producer and visual practitioner. Drawing inspiration from the classical Indian arts, Singh first came to prominence as tabla percussionist in the 1980s London music scene.
Whilst still in his mid teens, Singh traveled to India to earn pupilage from Acharya Pandit Laxman Singh, master tabla maestro of the Punjab school. This period made an indelible mark on the young artist and he has since continued to practice and perform the art form internationally. Singh's collaborations with Indian classical musicians include Ustad Sultan Khan, Rakesh Churasia, Ustad Imrat Khan and Ustad Amjad Ali Khan amongst scores of others.
Singh also became involved in experimental music collaborations beginning in the late 1980s, working with Sun Ra and Courtney helping to popularize the burgeoning Asian underground sub-culture movement. Singh has collaborated with several musical pioneers in various genre's including Bjork, Blondie, Sioux & the Banshees, Madonna, DJ Spooky, The Master Musicians of Jajouka, Jay Z and Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
Singh is notable for re-introducing the concepts of Indian classical music to western pop, dance and Jazz genre's in the late 1980's and early 1990's. Singh's solo album credits include critical and commercial successes OK (1998) (winning the UK's 2 most prestigious music prizes, 'The South Bank Prize' and 'The Mercury' in 1999) and HA (2001). His groundbreaking '98 debut release OK was recorded in Mumbai, Madras, Okinawa, New York and London, featuring contributions from Bill Lowell, Ruychi Sakamoto, Ustad Sultan Khan and the Madras Philharmonic Orchestra amongst others.
Singh has pursued several artistic ventures parallel to and in conjunction with his music career, including creating the seminal London club ANOKHA , performing at the Tate Gallery in London, creating a sound installation at the Frith Street Gallery in London and composing music for various experimental Dance, Theatre and Film projects. In 1990 Singh conceived the Tablatronic, a hybrid electronic/analog instrument which allows the player multiple sonic-processing possibilities.
Singh has created a unique and signature musical genre in its own right. He continues to be adept in finding connectivity between seemingly diverse elements. Be it between acoustic and electronic sound, classical and contemporary culture, Singh has pursued his own audio explorations while also enthusiastically exploring the sonic and visual possibilities of his universe.
www.myspace.com/talvinandniladri
