Nitin Sawhney is a London-based composer and DJ of various styles of music, including jazz, drum and bass, hip hop, flamenco and modern orchestral compositions. His major works include "Beyond skin", "Prophecy", "Human", and "Philtre". He is considered a one of the pioneers of what is known as the Asian Underground music scene, defining a music genre that mixes south-Asian musical influences with western electronica and breakbeat style.

Life

Nitin was raised in Rochester, Kent, England. He used music and comedy to escape the ever present racist attitudes of the other students. He was even at one time banned from the music room by a teacher who was a member of National Front. He studied law at Liverpool University for a short time. Then he went to London, where he met Sanjeev Bhaskar. The pair became friends and created a comedy double act, The Secret Asians, together. The show sought to turn absurdly dated Asian stereotypes on their heads. It led to a contract with BBC radio and eventually grew into the award winning BBCTV sketch show

During that time he met up with an old school friend, acid-jazz keyboards-player James Taylor. He joined Taylor for a 40-date tour in as part of The James Taylor Quartet. It introduced him to the jazz club scene and provoked him into forming his own band, The Jazztones. He moved on to join forces with tabla master Talvin Singh to form the Tihai Trio and, after that collaboration ended in 1993, released his debut album, 'Spirit Dance' on his own label. Shortly afterwards, he signed with Outcaste Records.

Activism

Sawhney's music is intensely political, commonly approaching themes of multiculturalism, empowerment, identity, immigration, poverty, and spirituality. He is active as an artist in residence for five different performing arts organizations in Europe and Asia, and along with George Martin is a patron for the British Governments Access-to-Music Program which brings music education to the inner-city students. He has written commentaries in The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, and The Observer.

Music

Sawhney's skills include classical and jazz piano and flamenco guitar. He has released six studio albums, as well as countless remixes and collaborations. After releasing 'Beyond Skin' on London's Outcaste Records in 1999, he was signed by V2 to do six albums. His first album with the Virgin subsidiary, the millennial/apocalyptical 'Prophesy', in 2001 won a MOBO Award and a BBC Radio 3 Music Award.

Sawhney's music is influenced by his roots in India, utilizing and featuring Urdu and Hindi lyrics, Qawwali singing, tablas and other instruments from the subcontinent, and Raga phrasings in music which is often primarily

Producing and Composing

Sawhney's work in production and arrangement has led to his working in film and television scores. He has scored television ads for Sephora and Nike, as well as over twenty-five films from his London-based Spirit Dance Studios. He was nominated for an Ivor Novello Award for Film and TV Composition in 2004 for his music on Channel Four's film, Second Generation. From there, he has begun to see acceptance from the "classical" community, and in 2004 he was commissioned by the city of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the Britten Symphonia to compose new performance works. London's Royal National Theatre invited him to write, direct, and score a work to be opened in 2005.

Recorded Work

Albums

• Philtre (2005) V2
• Human (2003) V2
• Prophesy (2001) V2/BMG
• Beyond Skin (1999) Outcaste Records
• Displacing the Priest (1996) Outcaste Records
• Migration (1995) Outcaste Records
• Spirit Dance (1994) World Circuit

Compilations

• All Mixed Up (2004) V2
• Fabric Live 15 (2004) Fabric

Film Scores

• Lila Says (2004)
• Hari Om (2004)
• Second Generation (2003)
• Pure (2002)
• Anita & Me (2002)
• Split Wide Open (1999)
• The Dance of Shiva

Television Scores

• Major BBC 2 documentary series, The Sikhs
• Channel Four production of Twelfth Night

Theatrical Work

• Urban Prophesies

Remixes, Side Projects, and Related Artists

Sawhney's work has been remixed by:

• 4hero
• Bugz in the Attic
• Joe Clausell
• Fink
• KV5
• London Electricity
• MJ Cole
• Nasha
• Ojos de Brujo
• Rishi Rich
• Sei-ji
• Talvin Singh

Sawhney has written or produced music or remixes of various artists including:

• Amar - Warner Brothers recording artist
• Natasha Atlas
• Aya - Island Records recording artist
• Jeff Beck
• Bugz in the Attic - produced album Got the Bug and
• Cirque du Soleil - produced music for Varekai in 2000
• Aref Durvesh - Tabla player
• The Fireman - a project by Sir Paul McCartney
• Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
• Lamb - produced album Back to Mine
• Cheb Mami - produced album Dellali
• Robert Miles
• Momndo Gross - produced album Now You Know Better
• Khaled - Virgin France recording artist
• Joanna MacGregor - leading British Pianist
• Sinéad O'Connor

Sawhney has scored works such as:

• Stephen Clarke's Mahabharata adaptation
• Anish Kapoor
• Akram Khan's acclaimed choreographed work Kaash in 2002

Sawhney has worked together with these artists:

• Reena Bhardwaj (Albums Human, Philtre)
• Kavita Krishnamurthy

Awards

2004

Nominated for Best film or Television Score at the Ivor Novello Awards

2003

Commission for Racial Equality Award

2002

Nominated for Media Personality of the Year at RIMA Awards

The EMMA Award for Prophesy

The MUSO Award for Prophesy

2001

The BBC Asia award for music for Prophesy

The MOBO Award for Prophesy

The Boundary Crossing Award from BBC 3 Music Awards for Prophesy

2000

Best Mainstream Fusion Act for Beyond Skin at The Asian Pop Awards

Nomination for Technics Mercury Music Prize for Album of the year for Beyond Skin

The South Bank Award for Popular Music for Beyond Skin

1998

The EMMA Award for Displacing the Priest

Similar or related artists

• Reena Bhardwaj
• Kavita Krishnamurthy
• Asian Dub Foundation
• Talvin Singh
• Tabla Beat Science