MUMBAI: Indian-born percussionist Trilok Gurtu released his latest album 'Spellbound' in India through Times Music, in which, he pays homage to avant-garde trumpeter Don Cherry. Gurtu, now based in Germany, was a member of Cherry's band from 1976 to 1978 and he experienced Cherry's cross-cultural approach to music firsthand. The album begins and ends with two tracks, each of which was recorded with Cherry prior to the trumpeter's death in 1995.

Joining Gurtu on this album are a handful of trumpeters who, in their own way, evoke the adventurous spirit of Cherry's improvisation, including Italy's Paolo Fresu, Norway's Nils Petter Molv?r, German multi-talent Matthias Schriefl, Lebanese quarter-tone trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf, and Turkey's Hasan Gözetlik.

Gurtu said, "I found a cassette of our recordings (with Cherry) from my collection and I realised that they were all fantastic pieces that would work here today as well. That is when I thought that I should dedicate a piece of work to western classical music and all the legends. The theme in the album is solo trumpet pieces."

'Spellbound' has been deemed as a jazz record by many, which Gurtu does not agree with. He said, "People keep saying that I am a jazz musician just because I play with so many American jazz musicians. That is not very true. I believe that I make my own kind of music and it is not necessarily jazz."

The percussionist also admitted that he has been influenced by almost every musician he has worked with. He has worked alongside legends like John Mclaughlin, Robert Miles, Joe Zawinul and many others. He expressed, "I have learnt both good and bad things from all the people I have worked with and it has been a great journey."

"In all these years of my career and my entire journey in life, spirituality has been my biggest lesson. My teacher, who was not my music teacher, taught me that being spiritual in life was more important than anything else. Even though music has always been there and I have learnt a lot, asking questions related to spirituality has always been there in the back of my head," Gurtu added.

He revealed that he took a year to complete the album and wanted it to be just right. The musician will be performing in New York, after which he will come to India on 27 December and play in Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Goa and Kolkata. He will be accompanied by a few Indian musicians on stage for his performances, including bass player Sheldon D'Souza. While he is in the country, he will also be playing for a memorial ceremony dedicated to his mother, along with Indian classical flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia and tabla player Vijay Ghate.