This performance has been been a big part of my life for several years now. I got the bootleg many years ago and fell for it right away. I had no idea that it was a trio appearance that was about 50% sequenced. I have looked askance at backing tracks and sequenced music when employed by rock bands to enhance their sound without adding (touring with and paying) additional musicians. U2, I am looking directly at you right now.
So, until tonight, I had no idea that such tactics had been employed in the transcendant 2002 Trilok Gurtu North Sea Jazz Festival appearance. I only had the audio portion and was unaware that the whole show was on youtube.
If you can’t be troubled to sit patiently, then just skip ahead to 24:50 and see what happens when tabla master Gurtu steps behind his drum kit. Swami DRUMS indeed!
But the real show here, even more extraordinary that Trilok’s other-worldy percussion, is the grace and perfection of Sabine Kabongo’s vocal performance. Her beauty and passion are a huge part of this entire performance, as they have always were in her days with Joe Zawinul.