Talvin Singh (born 1970,
LeytonstoneLeytonstone is an area of East London and part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It is a high density suburban area, located north east of Charing Cross in the ceremonial county of Greater London and the historic county of Essex...
,
East London,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
), is a
producerIn the music industry, a record producer has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes...
and
composerA composer is a person who creates music, usually by musical notation, for interpretation and performance. The level of distinction between composers and other musicians varies, which affects issues such as copyright and the deference given to individual interpretations of a particular piece of...
and
tablaThe tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in the classical, popular and religious music of the Indian subcontinent and in Hindustani classical music. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
player, known for creating an innovative fusion of classical Indian music and
drum and bassDrum and bass , is a type of electronic dance music which emerged in the mid 1990s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy sub-bass lines...
. Singh is generally considered involved with an
electronicaElectronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
sub genre called
Asian UndergroundAsian Underground is a term associated with various British Asian musicians who blend elements of western underground dance music and the traditional music of their home countries...
.
Early life and career
Singh grew up in
LeytonstoneLeytonstone is an area of East London and part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It is a high density suburban area, located north east of Charing Cross in the ceremonial county of Greater London and the historic county of Essex...
and began playing the
tablaThe tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in the classical, popular and religious music of the Indian subcontinent and in Hindustani classical music. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
, breakdancing and listening to
punk rockPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed the perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
as a child. At the age of 15, Singh went to India where he studied
tablaThe tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in the classical, popular and religious music of the Indian subcontinent and in Hindustani classical music. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
under Pandit Lashman Singh, but he returned to the UK after just one year. In spite of this classical training, Singh's tabla playing was not accepted by British promoters of
classical Indian musicRāga refers to melodic modes used in Indian classical music. It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Indian classical music is always set in a rāga...
, as he incorporated too strongly his western influences. By the late 1980s, Singh had decided to turn towards the fusion of sounds. In 1991, he first appeared both playing and singing on the "Kiss Them For Me" single by
Siouxsie & the BansheesSiouxsie & the Banshees were a British rock band formed in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bassist Steven Severin, the only constant members....
. Then, he began working as a musician with such artists as
MadonnaMadonna is an American recording artist, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, and raised in Rochester Hills, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977, for a career in modern dance...
,the
Indigo GirlsThe Indigo Girls are an American folk rock duo, consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers.They began in Atlanta as a regular act at The Little 5 Points Pub, and were tangentially part of the Athens, Georgia college rock scene that included The B-52's, Pylon, R.E.M., The Georgia Satellites, Widespread...
,
David SylvianDavid Sylvian is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead vocalist and main songwriter in the group Japan...
,
Sun RaSun Ra Sun Ra Sun Ra (birth name: Herman Poole Blount, legal name Le Sony'r Ra; (b. May 22, 1914 - May 30, 1993) was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He was a prolific jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, poet and philosopher known for his "cosmic philosophy," musical compositions...
,
Stress (Neo-Psychedelic band)Stress was a very short-lived Neo-Psychedelic rock band that released only one album in 1988 on Reprise/Warner Bros. Records. They are not to be confused with the San Diego rock/metal band Stress from the early 1980s and are sometimes credited as Stress UK in America...
,
BjörkBjörk Guðmundsdóttir is a critically acclaimed Icelandic avant-garde singer-songwriter, composer, actress and music producer, whose work includes seven solo albums and two film soundtracks....
,
Massive AttackMassive Attack are a British music duo from Bristol, UK, considered to be progenitors of a genre referred to as trip hop, that assemble a collective of various favoured session musicians and guest vocalists with whom they make records and tour live...
and the Future Sound of London.
In late 1995, Singh founded the Anokha club night with promoter
Sweety KapoorSweety Kapoor is a British Asian music promoter known as "Queen of the Asian Underground".Kapoor was the key figure behind the nightclub Anokha, hosted by Mercury Music Prize-winning artist Talvin Singh at London's Blue Note venue.-External links:**...
at East London's Blue Note, where drum'n'bass DJs and South Asian punk bands went head to head with the amped-up sounds of his tabla and percussion. Guest spots by LTJ Bukem and others made Anokha a Monday-night hotspot in London, and Singh signed to Island for an Anokha compilation including several of his own productions. He worked as a remixer until releasing his solo debut,
OkOk is the debut release of tabla player and music producer Talvin Singh, and it was nine months in the making. The title was chosen because of the universality of the word OK, which can be understood almost anywhere in the world...
, in 1999. The album won him the
Mercury Music PrizeThe Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize and currently known as the Barclaycard Mercury Prize for sponsorship reasons, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from the United Kingdom or Ireland...
for 1999.
Style and influences
Singh is an accomplished Tabla player, electronic musician, music theorist, record producer and DJ. As a solo artist, he 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 artform 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, which helped to popularize the burgeoning Asian underground sub-culture movement. Singh has collaborated with several musical pioneers in various genres including
BjorkBjörk Guðmundsdóttir is a critically acclaimed Icelandic avant-garde singer-songwriter, composer, actress and music producer, whose work includes seven solo albums and two film soundtracks....
,
BlondieBlondie, Blondy or Blondi may refer to:* Blondie , an American rock band** Debbie Harry, lead singer of Blondie who is often referred to by that name**Blondie , the eponymous debut album from Blondie...
,
Siouxsie & the BansheesSiouxsie & the Banshees were a British rock band formed in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bassist Steven Severin, the only constant members....
,
MadonnaMadonna is an American recording artist, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, and raised in Rochester Hills, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977, for a career in modern dance...
,
DJ SpookyDJ Spooky, That Subliminal Kid , is a Washington DC-born electronic and experimental hip hop musician whose work is often called "illbient" or "trip hop". He is a turntablist and producer. He borrowed his stage name from the character The Subliminal Kid in the novel Nova Express by William S....
, 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 genres in the late 1980s and early 1990s. 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 GalleryThe Tate is an institution that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art...
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.
Albums
- Anokha - Soundz of the Asian Underground
-Track listing:# "Jaan" - Talvin Singh – 6:02# "Flight IC408" - State of Bengal – 7:21# "Kizmet" - Lelonek – 5:16# "Shang High" - Future Soundz Of India – 5:52# "Chittagong Chill" - State of Bengal – 8:25# "Mumbai Theme Tune" - A. R...
(1997) Island
- Ok
Ok is the debut release of tabla player and music producer Talvin Singh, and it was nine months in the making. The title was chosen because of the universality of the word OK, which can be understood almost anywhere in the world...
(1998) Island
- Ha
Ha is the second release of tabla artist and music producer Talvin Singh. With yet another near-universally understood title, the album mellows down the crossbred musical concepts of his previous album and draws more inspiration from the Indian sub-continent...
(2001) Island
- Back to Mine
Back to Mine is a series of mix albums, usually mixed by renowned DJs or composers of electronic music. The compilations usually feature artists other than the artist compiling the album, and are based on what the artist would play at home after a night out, rather than as part of a nightclub...
(2001) DMC
- Vira (2002) Navras
- Calcutta Cyber Cafe (2009) Chilly
Collaborations & original contributions
- Madonna
Madonna is an American recording artist, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, and raised in Rochester Hills, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977, for a career in modern dance...
, "Cyber-Raga", MusicMusic is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on September 19, 2000 by Maverick Records. On its release, it set a new company record for Warner Music International in shipping three million units worldwide, and entered the charts at number one position in 15...
(2000)
- Voxygen, a commission by [English National Opera]
- Talvin Singh & Sangat - Songs for the inner world (2004) Live French Import.
- Talvin Singh & Rakesh Chaurasia - Vira (2002) Navras.
- Tabla Beat Science - Tala Matrix (2002) Palm Pictures.
- Remixsingh OK (2001)Island / Japan Import.
- Master Musicians of Jajouka (2000)
- Randall & Hopkirk - Original soundtrack (2000) Island.
- Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Star rise (1997) Realworld.
- Anokha - Soundz of the Asian Underground
-Track listing:# "Jaan" - Talvin Singh – 6:02# "Flight IC408" - State of Bengal – 7:21# "Kizmet" - Lelonek – 5:16# "Shang High" - Future Soundz Of India – 5:52# "Chittagong Chill" - State of Bengal – 8:25# "Mumbai Theme Tune" - A. R...
(1997) Island.
- Calcutta Cyber Cafe: Drum + Space (1995) Omni Records.
- Talvin Singh feat. Amar-Jaan
- Back to Mine
Back to Mine is a series of mix albums, usually mixed by renowned DJs or composers of electronic music. The compilations usually feature artists other than the artist compiling the album, and are based on what the artist would play at home after a night out, rather than as part of a nightclub...
(2001) DJ-Series
- Abracatabla (1994) Sampling CD(time and Space)
Remixes
- Blondie
Blondie is an American rock band founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American new wave and punk rock scenes of the mid 1970s...
- "Maria"Maria" is a song by the American band Blondie, taken from their 1999 album No Exit. This song was Blondie's comeback single, their first since "War Child" in July 1982. In the UK, it was the band's sixth no.1 single, topping the charts exactly 20 years after their first UK no.1 "Heart of Glass" in...
"
- Madonna
Madonna is an American recording artist, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, and raised in Rochester Hills, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977, for a career in modern dance...
- "Nothing Really Matters"Nothing Really Matters" is a pop-dance music song written by American singer Madonna and Patrick Leonard for Madonna's seventh album Ray of Light . It was produced by Madonna, William Orbit and Marius De Vries, and received a positive reception from music critics...
"
- Nagma
Nandita Morarji or Namratha Sadanah better known as Nagma , is an Indian actress of Bollywood, Tollywood and Kollywood. At her peak in the 1990s, she "dominated Tamil cinema," to quote The Hindu. Born of a Muslim mother and a Hindu father on Christmas Day...
- "Ghoom Charakhana"
- Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir is a critically acclaimed Icelandic avant-garde singer-songwriter, composer, actress and music producer, whose work includes seven solo albums and two film soundtracks....
- "Possibly Maybe"Possibly Maybe" is a song by Björk, released as the fifth single from her 1995 album Post. It is a dark song reflecting on potential love with deep electronic tones and soft beats. Björk says it was "the first unhappy song I wrote.....
"
- Ryuichi Sakamoto
is an Academy Award-, Grammy-, and Golden Globe-winning Japanese musician, composer, record producer and actor, based in New York and Tokyo. He played the keyboards in the influential electropop band Yellow Magic Orchestra. His 1999 musical composition "Energy Flow" is the first number-one...
- "Grief"
- John Martyn - "Sunshines Better"
- Sarah McLachlan
Sarah Ann McLachlan, OC, OBC is a Canadian musician, singer and songwriter.She is known for her emotional ballads and mezzo-soprano vocal range. As of 2006, she has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. Her best-selling album to date is Surfacing, for which she won two Grammy Awards and eight...
- "Answer"
- Natacha Atlas
Natacha Atlas is a Belgian singer known for her fusion of Arabic and North African music with Western electronic music. She once termed her music "cha'abi moderne"...
- "Duden"
- Asa-Chang & Junray
Asa Chang & Junray is the band of the Japanese percussionist Asa Chang, who was the founder and original bandmaster of Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra. After leaving that group in 1993, he formed Asa Chang & Junray in 1998 with programmer and guitarist Hidehiko Urayama. They were joined in 2000 by...
- "12 Bushi"