21 Spices

'21 Spices' sees two giants of the percussion world team up in a unique collaboration with Germany's NDR Big Band - tabla specialist Triok Gurtu and rock drummer Simon Phillips.

The musical roots of the two protagonists on this album could not be more different. Bombay born Trilok Gurtu left India in the seventies and in the following decade went on to perform with such greats as John McLaughlin, Joe Zawinul and Pat Metheny. In contrast Londoner Simon Phillips pursued a very different path, initially as Jeff Pocaro's successor in rock combo Toto and then with Peter Gabriel, Gary Moore and The Who.

Mixing live recordings with studio tracks, '21 Spices' (named after the number of musicians involved) documents a work originally premiered at the Drums'n'Percussion Festival in Paderborn in May 2010. Occasionally strident, sometimes subdued, this recording is a unique excursion through contrasting musical worlds.

Personnel: Trilok Gurtu (percussion & vocal), Simon Phillips (drums), Michel Alibo (bass), Roland Cabezas (guitar), NDR Bigband conducted by Joerg Achim Keller