Nitin Sawhney

Nitin Sawhney is a British Indian musician, producer and composer from Camberwell, United Kingdom, and is based in London. He is born in 1964 and works across downtempo, drum and bass, electronic, nu jazz, R&B and trip hop, as well as jazz, hip-hop, flamenco and modern orchestral composition. His music is often associated with the Asian Underground scene, where he is widely regarded as one of the key pioneers, combining South Asian musical influences with western electronica and breakbeat styles.

Early work and collaborations

Raised in Rochester, Kent, he attends Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School and studies law at Liverpool University for a short time. After moving to London, he meets Sanjeev Bhaskar and the two form the comedy double act The Secret Asians, which leads to a BBC radio contract and later develops into the award-winning BBC television sketch show Goodness Gracious Me. He also reconnects with old school friend James Taylor and joins The James Taylor Quartet for a 40-date tour, which introduces him to the jazz club scene. He then forms The Jazztones, and later works with tabla player Talvin Singh in the Tihai Trio.

Albums and labels

After the Tihai Trio ends in 1993, Sawhney releases his debut album Spirit Dance on his own label. He later signs to Outcaste Records and releases Beyond Skin there in 1999. He is then signed by V2 for six albums. His major works include Beyond Skin, Prophesy, Human and Philtre.

Style and themes

Sawhney's work is strongly shaped by Indian musical traditions, using Urdu and Hindi lyrics, qawwali singing, tabla and other South Asian instruments, along with raga phrases. Although much of it is aimed at the dance floor, it also addresses multiculturalism, empowerment, identity, immigration, poverty and spirituality. He dislikes the label of “world” music and describes it as musical apartheid.

Awards, scoring and later work

Prophesy, released in 2001 on V2's Virgin subsidiary, wins a MOBO Award and a BBC Radio 3 Music Award. Sawhney also works extensively in film, television and advertising through his London-based Spirit Dance Studios, scoring more than 25 films and ads for Sephora and Nike. In 2004 he is nominated for an Ivor Novello Award for Film and TV Composition for music on Channel 4's Second Generation. He is also active as an artist in residence for five performing arts organisations in Europe and Asia, and with George Martin serves as a patron of the British Government's Access-to-Music Programme. He receives commissions from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the Britten Symphonia, and is invited by the Royal National Theatre to write, direct and score a work for 2005.