Trilok Gurtu: The Beat of Love

Trilok Gurtu’s latest project, The Beat of Love, is another shameless polyglot musical pastiche from the virtuoso percussionist who has managed to create some of the most unbridled and most enjoyable world-beat concoctions around. The beat here, in fact, tilts an ear toward Africa, as did last year’s African Fantasy. Wally Badarou produced and ladled on the electronic keyboards and beats, and the guest vocalist list includes Senegalese Wasis Diop, Angelique Kidjo and Mali’s musical royalty, Salif Keita, who sings rapturously on “Have We Lost Our Dream?” Indian film singer Roop Kumar eases us into the album on the seductive opening track, “Maya”; she sings again on the energetic, exotic groove machine that is “Jhulelal.”

The Beat of Love doesn’t feature as much of an instrumental focus as some of Gurtu’s other work, and his own contributions tend to be relegated to the thick of the mix rather than a spotlighted aspect, but this music succeeds in celebrating the power of Indo-African groove-making.

Originally Published October 1, 2001