Pune/London Based Sarathy Korwar Signs to Ninja Tune For Debut LP

This is big news.

Ninja Tune x Steve Reid Foundation have just announced that they will be releasing the debut LP of US born and currently Pune/London based composer and percussionist - Sarathy Korwar. The LP is called ‘Day To Day’ and combines the traditional sufi and African incfluenced folk music of the Sidi community in India with jazz and electronics. It really is nothing like we’ve ever heard before.

‘Day To Day’ is a collaborative release by legendary London based Ninja Tune with The Steve Reid Foundation – a charitable trust established by Brownswood / Gilles Peterson with the dual objective of helping musicians in crisis and also supporting emerging talent. Ninja Tune, as many of you would already know is home to some of the globe’s most undeniably massive talents – check their roster here because we can’t begin listing.

Sarathy is an alumnus of the Steve Reid Foundation’s development program, mentored by Four Tet, Emanative, Floating Points, Koreless and Gilles Peterson – all trustees.

“Sarathy instantly caught my attention when he said he wanted to make an album that embraced both Indian folk music and jazz - two worlds that have had a big influence on me. His album succeeds in bringing these things together in an elegant way, but it’s his own style and ideas that come through the most in the music. Refreshingly different, this is a deep and powerful listening experience.” - Four Tet

Korwar moved to Pune when he was 17 and dedicated his time practicing tabla under the tutelage of Rajeev Devasthali. He then went on to study music in London where he graduated with an MMus in Performance from SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) focusing on the adaptation of Indian classical rhythmic material to non-Indian percussion instruments.

Field recordings of The Sidi Troupe of Ratanpur, which Korwar acquired after a trip to rural Gujrat, form the foundation of the LP, which combines its polyrhythms with percussive jazz and electronics.

“The record is about how we individually and collectively live from day to day. The everyday rituals and tasks that bind us together, it’s a celebration of the trivial and mundane,” explains Sarathy. The colourful handmade rag quilts that the Sidis make using everyday fabrics serve as a perfect metaphor for the record: “The Sidi women make these amazing collages of colour using everyday rags,” he says. “That’s how I see this album”.

You can listen to the first track off the upcoming album - 'Indefinite Leave To Remain' below. Follow Sarathy on Facebook and check out his website for updates – it’s best to keep a close eye on this one

Image credit: Fabrice Bourgelle