Amancio D'Silva

Amancio D'Silva was a pioneering guitarist and composer who blended Indian musical traditions with jazz, creating a unique and innovative sound that set him apart in the British jazz scene of the 1960s and 1970s. Born in India in 1936, D'Silva moved to the UK in the 1960s, where he quickly became a sought-after collaborator, working with prominent musicians like Don Rendell, Ian Carr, and Joe Harriott. His debut album, Integration (1969), remains a landmark recording in the Indo-jazz genre, showcasing his lyrical guitar style and deep cross-cultural musical sensibility.

Known for his gentle touch on the guitar and fluid improvisational style, D'Silva released a number of albums throughout his career that quietly influenced generations of jazz musicians and world music innovators. Though not widely known outside niche jazz circles during his lifetime, his work has been rediscovered and reissued in recent years, earning him posthumous praise as a visionary who was well ahead of his time.

Genres