Shri (Musician)
Encyclopedia
Shri is a leading light in the British Asian music scene. His work combines traditional Indian musical styles with Rock, Jazz
, and Drum 'n' Bass.
Trained as a classical tabla
player, Shri is multi-instrumentalist whose range also includes the Indian Bamboo flute and bass (in which he is largely self-taught). His trademark instrument is one he designed himself, a fretless bass played with a bow. He is also a successful composer for the stage.
Having previously played in a jazz fusion
band, he moved to London in the 1990s and collaborated, as a bass player, with the London-based Asian acts like Talvin Singh
, Nitin Sawhney
and DJ Badmarsh. Shri toured for 5 years with Sawhney, which led in 1996 to Shri's first solo album, Drum the Bass, produced by Sawhney and released by London-based label "Outcaste".
Badmarsh & Shri
produced two albums for Outcaste as a duo, Dancing Drums
in 1998 and Signs
in 2001. Shri released another solo album, East Rain
, in 2005, on the "Drum the Bass" label. All of these albums mixed contemporary British Drum 'n' Bass with more traditional Indian styles.
In addition, he has also collaborated musically with theatrical productions - composing for Akademi's 2001 'Coming of Age' dance project at London's South Bank, the Builder's Association/Motiroti
co-production 'Alladeen' in 2003, and Tamasha Theatre Company's 'Strictly Dandia' in 2005.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, and Drum 'n' Bass.
Trained as a classical tabla
Tabla
The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
player, Shri is multi-instrumentalist whose range also includes the Indian Bamboo flute and bass (in which he is largely self-taught). His trademark instrument is one he designed himself, a fretless bass played with a bow. He is also a successful composer for the stage.
Having previously played in a jazz fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
band, he moved to London in the 1990s and collaborated, as a bass player, with the London-based Asian acts like Talvin Singh
Talvin Singh
Talvin Singh Matharoo , is a producer and composer and tabla player, known for creating an innovative fusion of Indian classical music and drum and bass...
, Nitin Sawhney
Nitin Sawhney
Nitin Sawhney is an Indian-British musician, producer and composer. His critically acclaimed work combines Asian and other worldwide influences with elements of jazz and electronica and often explores themes such as multiculturalism, politics and spirituality...
and DJ Badmarsh. Shri toured for 5 years with Sawhney, which led in 1996 to Shri's first solo album, Drum the Bass, produced by Sawhney and released by London-based label "Outcaste".
Badmarsh & Shri
Badmarsh & Shri
Badmarsh & Shri are an electronic/trip hop duo from London, UK.- Formation :Prior to their formation, Badmarsh worked at the reggae studio Easy Street; which was hiring PA equipment to a nightclub called Labyrinth...
produced two albums for Outcaste as a duo, Dancing Drums
Dancing Drums
Dancing Drums is the first album from trip hop duo Badmarsh & Shri. The name comes from a 1975 track of Ananda Shankar.-Reception:Allmusic praised Shri's melodic basslines and strong tabla rhythms, and concluded that "Several tracks go on a couple of minutes too long, and techno snobs will find...
in 1998 and Signs
Signs (album)
-Reception:Allmusic criticized the album for being slow and poor quality for the first few tracks, but asserted that the duo has achieved a distinctive style and complimented Shri's multi-instrumental versatility.-Track listing:#"Signs"#"Swarm"#"Get Up"...
in 2001. Shri released another solo album, East Rain
East Rain
East Rain is a solo album by the London-based Drum n Bass artist Shri. It was released in 2005 under the Drum the Bass Ltd label.-Track listing:#"Appa2"#"Heavy World"#"East Rain"#"Lifecycle"#"Tarana"#"Di Floris"#"Watching"#"Mela"#"Ethni-City"...
, in 2005, on the "Drum the Bass" label. All of these albums mixed contemporary British Drum 'n' Bass with more traditional Indian styles.
In addition, he has also collaborated musically with theatrical productions - composing for Akademi's 2001 'Coming of Age' dance project at London's South Bank, the Builder's Association/Motiroti
Motiroti
motiroti is a London based arts organisation led by Artistic Director Ali Zaidi. For over ten years the company has made internationally acclaimed and award winning art that transforms relationships between people, communities and spaces...
co-production 'Alladeen' in 2003, and Tamasha Theatre Company's 'Strictly Dandia' in 2005.
Albums
- Drum the Bass (1996), solo
- Dancing DrumsDancing DrumsDancing Drums is the first album from trip hop duo Badmarsh & Shri. The name comes from a 1975 track of Ananda Shankar.-Reception:Allmusic praised Shri's melodic basslines and strong tabla rhythms, and concluded that "Several tracks go on a couple of minutes too long, and techno snobs will find...
(1998), with DJ Badmarsh - SignsSigns (album)-Reception:Allmusic criticized the album for being slow and poor quality for the first few tracks, but asserted that the duo has achieved a distinctive style and complimented Shri's multi-instrumental versatility.-Track listing:#"Signs"#"Swarm"#"Get Up"...
(2001), with DJ Badmarsh - East RainEast RainEast Rain is a solo album by the London-based Drum n Bass artist Shri. It was released in 2005 under the Drum the Bass Ltd label.-Track listing:#"Appa2"#"Heavy World"#"East Rain"#"Lifecycle"#"Tarana"#"Di Floris"#"Watching"#"Mela"#"Ethni-City"...
(2005), solo - Seven Steps (2008), solo