Bornin the US, Sarathy Korwar grew up in Ahmedabad and Chennai in India. He beganplaying table aged 10, but was also drawn to the American music he heard on theradio and leaking through the doorway of his local jazz music shop. At 17,Korwar moved to Pune to study environmental science, but instead dedicated histime to music, practicing table under the tutelage of Rajeev Devasthali,translating his skills to the western drum kit and playing as a sessionmusician.

On completing these studies a decade ago, he moved to London where he trainedas a classical table player under the guidance of Sanju Sahai at SOAS, focusingon the adaptation of Indian classical rhythmic material to non-Indianpercussion instruments.

Korwar has since established himself as one of the most original and compellingvoices in the UK jazz scene, leading the UPAJ Collective – a loose band ofSouth Asian jazz and Indian classical musicians brought together through a loveof collaboration and improvisation who set up a residency at the Jazz Café inLondon. Korwar has collaborated with the likes of Shabaka Hutchings,clarinetist Arun Ghosh and producer Hieroglyphic Being, as well as groups Penyaand Ill Considered. He has toured with Kamasi Washington, Yussef Kamaal, andMoses Boyd.

Korwar’sdaring debut album, Day To Day, recorded with the support of the Steve ReidFoundation, was released by Ninja Tune in 2016. The album fused traditionalfolk music recorded with the Sidi community in India with contemporary jazz andelectronics.

In November 2018, Gearbox Records released a triple vinyl live album by SarathyKorwar and UPAJ Collective. My East Is Your West, performed and recorded at asold out Church of Sound show, is a brilliant and unique blend of London’s newjazz talent, with Indian classical instrumentation. A critically-acclaimed takeon the cultural appropriation of ‘spiritual’ Indo-jazz, the three hour show wasrecorded following a single 45-minut rehearsal. The resulting album was awardedThe Guardian’s Contemporary Album of the Month.

Korwar released his second studio album, More Arriving, through The Leaf Labelin July 2019. With this latest release, Korwar blasts out his own vibrant,pluralistic narrative for the world to hear. This is not necessarily a recordof unity; it is an honest reflection of Korwar’s experience of being an Indianin Britian, and as such is a leap forward from his previous releases,incorporating rappers from Mumbai and New Delhi, spoken word and his own Indianclassical and jazz performances. More Arriving is a record born ofconfrontation; on for our confrontational times.

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