The Daily Telegraph -27th August 2005 Rasayana Ganesh and Kumaresh Sundaram Leicester is a long way from the traditional centres of Indian classical music, but the city's Sense label is currently producing far and away the best CDs in this field - and they have a whole stable of formidably gifted younger artists. Following on from Radio 3 Award-winning vocal prodigy Kaushiki Chakrabarty, youthful sitar master Purbayan Chatterjee could be the next Sense artist to garner international attention. While Chatterjee follows the Persian-influenced north Indian Hindustani tradition made famous by Ravi Shankar, 27-year-old flute phenomenon Shashank represents the older Carnatic tradition of southern India. If the peculiarities of the two schools may be beyond the casual listener, the combination of the airy and the sinuously metallic is immediately arresting, and the players' speed, virtuosity and mercurial invention are nothing short of astounding. Violin-playing south Indian brothers Ganesh and Kumaresh present a gloriously slippery play with symmetry - sliding in and out of unison and swirling and skittering around each other with telepathic ease. While the violin has been a feature of south Indian music for nearly 200 years, the instrument's sound still brings faint, but delightful echoes of Western classicism to this entrancing international debut. MH Songlines Sept/Oct 2005 Purbayan Chatterjee and Shashank Rasayana Sense World Music 060 Exuberant summit of North and South With a light brush on the sitar strings and birdlike chirruping on the flute, the opening of this CD is like a veil lifting on an enchanted garden. We enter a world of luxuriant beauty, the sitar reminiscent of vigorously entwining plant-life and the flute evoking assorted paradise birds. Puriya Dhanashri, the raga the musicians perform, is a sunset raga and the languorous atmosphere suggests the seductive warmth of a tropical garden at dusk. At around twelve and a half minutes into the opening alap the flute clearly sounds like a bird playfully flitting between the trees, answered by the sitar. The instrumentalists constitute a meeting of the North Indian and South Indian (Karnatic) traditions, something that¹s happening more and more often these days, although sitar and flute is a pretty novel combination. Purbayan Chatterjee is emerging as one of India¹s top sitar players and appears on Samwad (Sense) another brilliant duo recording with violinist Kala Ramnath. Shashank, born in 1978, was a child prodigy on the bansuri (bamboo flute). The Karnatic variety is shorter and higher than the deeper, more seductive instrument of the Hindustani tradition ­ as played by Hariprasad Chaurasia ­ but Shashank occasionally uses a deeper instrument here too. What makes this disc so refreshing is the audible joy of the two musicians responding to each other ­ in the imitative passages at the end of the second section (on the covermount CD) for example ­ and the exuberant virtuosity. The percussionists also hail from North and South with Yogesh Samsi on tabla and Patri Satish Kumar on mridangam, the South Indian barrel drum. They have a dynamic percussive duet to themselves to finish. A great first disc for newcomers to Indian music. Simon Broughton Songlines Sept/Oct 2005 Ganesh and Kumaresh Sundaram Sense World Music 062 Sibling seminal superstars of strings Ganesh and Kumaresh are brothers, a pair of young violinists who, alongside Purbayan Chatterjee and Shashank (also reviewed in this issue), promise to be the superstars of their generation. In the South it seems to be increasingly common for siblings to pair up to perform duets ­ think of the incomparable U. Srinivas and U. Rajesh on mandolin, or the Sikkil sisters on flute. Ganesh and Kumaresh had a good start, being trained by their famous father Sri Rajagopalan, and if there is any truth in the saying blood will out, it is made manifest here. This is a blistering display of Karnatic music, from the initial kriti by Tyagaraja to the superb demonstration of ragam-tanam-pallavi, said to be the ultimate challenge for South Indian musicians. Here they explore the raga in a manner similar to the alap-jor-jhala of the North, and then take a short composition through a series of demanding variations. Towards the end, their excellent accompanists Patri Satish Kumar on mrdangam and Tripoonithura Radhakrishnan on ghatam (a clay pot), get the chance to show what they are capable of, and very impressive it is indeed. Maria Lord Songlines Sept / Oct 2005 Daya Shankar Shehnai Sense World Music 053 A regal appearance from the king of flutes Shehnai, the oboe of North India, derives its name from the Persian shah (king) and ney (flute) ­ the king of flutes. Although a prominent folk instrument in India for several centuries, the shehnai really only attained its full classical status during the 20th century, mostly due to the efforts of the veteran maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan of Benares. For me, he was always the first and last word in shehnai. So it comes as something of a delightful surprise to discover that Daya Shankar is no less a true master of this ancient, most beautiful of instruments. Raga Maru Behag is given the full treatment of alaap (slow introduction) and two gats (compositions) in two different beat cycles, while Manj Khamaj and Mishra Pilu feature as dhuns, or light tune forms of a raga which permit the addition of notes not normally included in the scale. All three ragas are extremely well suited to the somewhat ambivalent sound of this mournful yet celebratory instrument. In the old days, it was easy to identify a house where a wedding was soon to take place because the first sign of such festivities was the arrival of the local shehnai player, who would sit on the rooftop and play non-stop from the run up to the ceremony right through to the tearful departure of the bride. Daya Shankar, whose ancestors have been associated with the shehnai for over 250 years, has a style that is distinctly devotional yet intensely romantic. Although Shehnai used to be accompanied by a nakkara, a pair of small kettledrums played with sticks, this role has now been replaced by tabla, beautifully played on this disc by Anand Shankar. Jameela Siddiqi Songlines Sept/ Oct 2005 Ronu Majumdar A Sacred Space Sense World Music 059 Music for hypnotising gopis with Ronu Majumdar plays the bansuri (a side-blown bamboo flute), a folk instrument laden with mystical properties in two devotional traditions: the classical Hindu Bhakti and the Persian Sufi. It was the instrument of Lord Krishna, its very first strains driving more than one gopi (milkmaid) of Vrindavan to absolute distraction and a complete neglect of other duties. The Persian Sufi poet Rumi referred to the sound of the flute as symbolising the cry of the human soul separated from its source, much as the bamboo is torn from the reed. On playing track four, I decided that this was certainly the strangest Raga Kedar I¹d ever heard. It appears that tracks 3-4 and 5-6 are mislabelled. Of course, one knows from experience that writers of liner notes are seldom kept abreast of the final running order of tracks. However, no matter how good the album¹s music, messy information can often ruin the initial experience and, more dangerously, is apt to misguide those who don¹t recognise a raga but take the liner notes as gospel. Even so, the confusion eventually gave way to a very soothing, pleasing time. By the time the disc reached its final track, Chalo Man Gunga Jamuna Teer (My Soul, transport me to the banks of the holy rivers), Majumdar¹s lilting lyricism ­ enhanced by both tabla from Shridhar Partha Sarathy and pakhavaj drum from Partho Sarthi Mukherji ­ had succeeded in making me every bit the joyfully entranced, swaying gopi. Jameela Siddiqi Songlines Sept / Oct 2005 Rajan and Sajan Mishra Sadhana Sense World Music 058 Sombre, restrained but spiritual khayal Sadhana means prayer and on this double album the classical vocalists and brothers Rajan and Sajan Mishra attempt to create the sort of music that soothes the mind, body and soul. Being singers of khayal (a romantic style of pure classical North Indian song) and, having been trained in the Benares school of this style, the brothers have something of an unimpeachable reputation when it comes to exhibiting technical expertise with an overtly devotional sensibility. These two discs are an interesting combination of live performance and studio recordings. The first disc is a full rendition of South India¹s famous Raga Hansadhwani, which has become a prominent import into the North Indian repertoire. Following on from the slower tempo compositions, there is an enchanting tarana (a rendition of rhythmic syllables) on track five. The second disc is meatier, with an impressive variety of heavy-duty ragas all derived from the Kanada (or Durbari Kanada) family of ragas, the most interesting of these being a combination of Kanada and the Shahana ­ the latter being North India's prime qawwali (Sufi music) raga. Other tracks feature the rare daytime ragas Suha and Sughrai, both melodies imaginatively combined to produce an evening melody. The disc¹s fifth track features a composition attributed to Sadarang, a pioneer of the khayal form during the 17th century. Taken together, the two discs are both soothing and pleasing. While I tend to prefer heavier voices, coupled with an unashamedly overt romanticism, this double album should delight Rajan and Sajan Mishra fans, as well as those who like their khayal delivered in a sombre, somewhat restrained tone. Jameela Siddiqi Songlines March/April 2005 Lineage of Dhrupad Sayeeduddin Dagar Sense World Music 057 Dhrupad Wasifuddin Dagar Sense World Music 050 A superb brace of dhrupad discs from Sense The release of a new dhrupad album is always something of an event. And the simultaneous release of two, both bearing the legendary Dagar name, should suffice to firmly debunk the idea that this ancient music is becoming extinct due to lack of listeners and performers. Dhrupad is a somewhat austere song style that demands clear-cut purity of musical note over and above any adornment. Unlike other North Indian classical music, it is accompanied by the deeply resonant sound of the double-barrelled pakhawaj drum rather than the normal tabla. I hadn’t heard Sayeeduddin Dagar, nineteenth generation of dhrupad performer, since his mesmerising, dreamlike renditions on the Musique du Monde disc The Art of Dagarvani (2003). On Lineage of Dhrupad he sounds richly robust. How I used to yearn for this kind of sound quality while listening to his illustrious ancestors! The early morning raga ‘Bhairav’ is well-suited to this style, the alap (slow introduction) offering the perfect platform on which to unfold the full emotional potential of this sombre, devotional melodic mode. Shorter, fast-tempo pieces in ‘Raga Gunakali’ and ‘Raga Komal Rishabh Asavari’ – with its flat, or literally ‘soft’, second note – conclude this landmark album from one of dhrupad’s outstanding voices. (For best results, listen early morning!) Sayeeduddin Dagar is the maternal uncle of Wasifuddin Dagar, whose ‘Raga Chandrakauns’ on the other new disc has one of the most seductive alaps I’ve ever heard: tentative and subtle without once bordering on the ambiguous. Each and every note is delivered as though it were a raga on its own. There’s also a ‘Raga Khamboji’, the song text of which is delivered in the female persona and speaks of moksha (final deliverance from rebirth) in tones of devout sincerity. All in all, then, a double treat, and one that made my Christmas break go with a bang. Or, more accurately, the ‘thaap’ of the magical pakhawaj drum, by itself quite sufficient to make the spirits soar, even without the exquisite Dagar voices! Jameela Siddiqi Songlines March/April 2005 Samadhi Vishwa Mohan Bhatt Sense World Music 056 Another winner from the world’s greatest slide guitarist. It’s not unusual in Indian classical music for performers to adapt and develop instruments to suit their artistic vision. And this disc offers the opportunity to experience ‘Raga Maru Bihag’ through the stunning musicianship of Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (first brought to international attention by Ry Cooder) on his Mohan vina: a slide guitar modified in various ways, including the addition of ‘sympathy’ strings, as found on the sitar, to add resonance. The album starts slowly – the opening alap lasts more than 20 minutes – and takes off with the jor, where joys abound in the thrilling contrasts of sublime and passionate phrases. Track three takes us to further heights, with remarkably sensitive interactions between tabla and guitar. Played by Ramkumar Mishra, the tabla delicately sustains the rhythmic cycle, anticipating and emphasising key phrases, and allowing the breathtaking melodies to shine and dazzle. But the greatest delights come in the medium-tempo gat on track four. Here, the Mohan vina teases with humour, charm and vitality, leading to an ecstatic climax. One small irritation are the audience responses, which occasionally sound inappropriate and contrived. But this cavil aside, Samadhi is a marvellous disc from one of India’s most remarkable talents. Linda Shanson Songlines March/ April 2005 Sitar 2 Shahid Parvez & Akram Khan Sense World Music 054 Shahid Parvez, a nephew of the late sitar maestro Vilayat Khan, delivers the kind of quality performance that we have come to expect from the first family of sitar It’s no secret that I’m extremely partial to ‘Raga Bihag’ – in any shape or form – and Parvez’s recital of this mode on his new Sense disc had me gagging for more. It never ceases to amaze me how, when the rules and regulations of raga performance are so stringent and the same ragas have been played and sung thousands of times, some musicians still manage to bring a freshness that is tantamount to an exciting new discovery. Although he improvises on some characteristic, instantly recognisable phrases of that raga, Parvez does so with such intensity of feeling and such originality – topped off by a delightful twist at each reaching of the ‘sum’ (the end of rhythm cycle) – that you’re left with the impression that this raga is brand new. The recording is made perfect by the tabla of Akram Khan. Every syllable of his accompaniment falls exactly in line with your heartbeat as the raga picks up momentum and leads to an enormously satisfying finish. Jameela Siddiqi Songlines Jan/Feb 2005 Kaushiki Chakrabarty Pure Sense World Music 047 Ajoy Chakrabarty Shrine Sense World Music 045 A vocal legend and his extraordinary daughter Pure is a live recording by Indian classical singer Kaushiki Chakrabarty, daughter of revered vocalist Ajoy Chakrabarty and a superstar in the making, complete with a nomination for the 2005 BBC Radio 3 World Music Awards. The main attraction here is an exposition of ‘Raga Madhuwanti’: a short alap followed by bada khayal (in which Kaushiki performs her father’s composition ‘Shyam Bhaee, Ghanshyam Nahi Aye More Dware’) and chhota khayal (with the Jnan Prakash Ghosh composition ‘Kahe Maan Karo Sakhiri Ab’). If the format of the performance is pretty standard, the quality of the singing is out of the ordinary. Kaushiki has all the prerequisites for a great classical performer: a musical family background, a good sense of rhythm and a strong grasp of aesthetics and interpretation. However, it’s the remarkable control of emotions and the extraordinary maturity that she possesses in her voice at such a young age that marks her out for great things. This is the best recording of ‘Madhuwanti’ I’ve heard in a long time – by a performer of any age. And the concluding thumri in ‘Raga Mishra Mand’ has become a personal favourite. Also from Sense records comes a new disc from Kaushiki’s father. As the title suggests, Shrine has a meditative, devotional mood. In contrast to the relatively new raga chosen by Kaushiki, Ajoy chooses the age-old ‘Raga Kalyan’ for his main performance. After a short alap, there’s a slow-tempo bada khayal in a 12-beat ‘Vilambit Ektal’ cycle; here Ajoy explores every nuance and melodic phrase of this ancient raga. The pace increases for the chhota khayal in a 16-beat ‘Tintal’ cycle, with the emphasis shifting very much onto the rhythmic component. The singer takes the audience on a rollercoaster ride through ‘Kalyan’, with every movement performed to near perfection. The following thumri in ‘Raga Mishra Tilang’ and bhajan in ‘Raga Mishra Bhairavi’ act as a release from this captivating delivery. Both recordings were made at Queen’s Theatre London, and feature accompaniment from Yogesh Samsi (tabla) and Chiranjib Chakrabarty (harmonium). If there is one negative aspect to both recordings, it’s a slight over-use of reverb. Otherwise, very highly recommended. (Raj Chandarana)- Songlines Channulal Mishra Spirit of Benares Sense World Music Sense 041 A pilgrimage in music to the banks of the Ganges Situated on the banks of the river Ganges, the Indian city of Benares is known as an ancient seat of learning, a pilgrimage site, and also a centre of long-standing music traditions. It’s associated primarily with light classical and folk styles, though the ‘straight’ classical tradition is certainly not excluded – the city has produced stalwarts such as sitarist Ravi Shankar and shenai player Bismillah Khan. Another musician hailing from Benares is singer Channulal Mishra, who performs both classical and light classical music on this CD, a live recording made in early 2004. In the performance of ‘Raga Maru Behag’, the short introductory alap gives an unusual sense of pace to what should be a slow unfolding. But the rendition of the khayal admirably captures the romantic mood of the raga, even if you sense that the performer responded to the audience mood and kept it shorter than it might have been. There’s a clear sense of enjoyment and excitement in the delivery of the thumri, the dadra and the holi. Here we’re taken on a musical sightseeing tour of Benares. Mishra explores little avenues, illuminating the finer points of the musical attractions, changing ragas and bantering with someone in the audience. The years of training behind the singing in both the khayal and the lighter items are clearly in evidence, and the accompanying artists provide sensitive and skilful support, never overpowering the vocal line. An enjoyable disc, then, which allows you to hear Benares both from the banks of the Ganges and the hustle and bustle of the city. (Utkarsha Joshi) - Songlines Hariprasad Chaurasia Shikhar Sense World Music 044 The bansuri guru, alone and with company For the greater part of the 20th century, the bansuri (Indian bamboo flute), was regarded as a folk instrument and, in spite of its many devotional associations, unfit for a classical solo recital. That the instrument has found ever-growing acceptance on the concert stage is in no small part due to Hariprasad Chaurasia, who uses the bansuri to perform the ragas of North India with immense depth and clarity. Both pentatonic, the two ragas blend together effortlessly, with Ramani playing the higher pitches of the south while Chaurasia does his usual soul-stirring stuff in the lower registers. The combined effect of these two distinct Indian traditions provides a nice mix of the soothing and the sprightly, taking listeners from states as varied as contemplative languidness and sit-up-and-listen alertness. ‘Malkauns’, a heavy-duty raga suited to the deeper sounds of sarod or veena, or mature male voices, takes on a somewhat softer guise on the bansuri, revealing an entirely different side that is very much in keeping with the devotional nature of the bansuri. This double-raga takes up all of disc one and continues on the first track of disc two, which concludes with a tune in the folksy ‘Raga Pahadi’, the ‘melody of the mountains’. ‘Pahadi’ is also the final track, following on from the romantic raga ‘Jog’, on the second disc of Shikhar, a Chaurasia solo performance recorded live at the Saptak Festival of Ahmedabad in Gujarat (audience appreciation is clearly audible during some of the lilting phrases of ‘Jog’). On the first CD, there is a haunting rendition of ‘Jaijaiwanti’, a raga well known to Indian music lovers as a favourite of vocal musicians, evoking romance with a hint of melancholy. Chaurasia delivers the complex phrases of the raga with an unbelievable tenderness and lyricism, particularly in the slower introductory section. Of the two albums, for me Shikhar was much more in keeping with what we have come to expect from Chaurasia – a deeply satisfying continuity of mood without interruption from other instruments or styles. (Jameela Siddiqi) - Songlines Begum Parveen Sultana Parveen Sense World Music Sense 046 Rupande Shah Aanand Sense World Music Sense 043 As ever, the queen of khayal shows how it should be done- The Urdu word for a queen is begum, and that’s exactly what Parveen Sultana has been to the Indian classical khayal vocal style for more than a generation. In this fine new disc she brings out the bright and cheerful mood of ‘Raga Rageshri’. For the first half an hour, you can enjoy the skilful unfolding and development of the performance, bathing in the splendour of the notes. As the pace picks up, you can’t help nodding your head or tapping your feet to the intricacies of the tans (note patterns). Then she brings the raga to a scintillating finale, showing off her command of her sweet voice by cautiously stretching to three octaves and producing an echo effect. This is definitely a benchmark of how a khayal should be performed. Parveen maintains the atmosphere of this live concert recording by changing to ‘Raga Mishra Mand’. It sounds deceptively simple, but this consummate artist explores all the subtleties. And the tarana finish is simply breathtaking – for both performer and listener. Faithful accompaniment on harmonium adds to the enjoyment of a disc that should make a welcome addition to any collection. The Rupande Shah album can’t match Parveen’s, though the performance is passable in its own right. Two different time cycles, at different tempi, are used for the delivery of ‘Raga Kedar’ to highlight the criss-crossing melodic structure of the raga. Although words are not central to maintaining the mood of a khayal, here we could have done with more eloquent delivery of the texts; the compositions in ‘Raga Basant’ (associated with spring) rely more on the lyrics than the melodic potential available in the raga. (Utkarsha Joshi) - Songlines Songlines March/April 2005 Akaash Rahul Sharma Sense World Music 052 This album provides a perfect showcase for the extraordinary santoor (hammered dulcimer) playing of Rahul Sharma. Together with Shafaat Ahmed Khan on tabla, he performs ‘Raga Chandrakauns’ with a divine combination of delicacy and strength, the two artists knitting raga (melodic mode) and tala (rhythmic cycle) perfectly together. Rahul Sharma instantly casts a spell and the enchantment lasts throughout the recording. At last a santoor album where it is possible to experience the sense of stillness and silence behind the music! In the opening alap, notes hang like droplets of sound in a mist eerily conjuring up the shimmering lakes of Kashmir, where this multi-stringed instrument is used by folk musicians. In the following jor, notes are carved out of a increasingly intense mesh of sound, giving the melodies a ghostly quality. The tabla enters with an equally subtle nine-beat tala, lending corporality to the sound, and coming to the foreground to perform a series of solos. Towards the end, synchronous playing with sudden pauses delightfully highlights the silence that was implicit in the alap and jor. This highly refined and exquisite album lives up to its title, Akaash, which means ethereal, or the ether from which consciousness emerges. Never mind that ‘Chandrakauns’ is an evening raga; this will blow your mind at any time of day. Linda Shanson fROOTS Jan/Feb 2005 Kaushiki Chakrabarty - Pure Sense World Music- 047 When discussing the Hindustani vocalist Kaushiki Chakrabarty it is necessary to talk in superlatives.That has nothing to do with the reputation of her father, Ajoy Chakrabarty.It has everything to do with her own artistry, especially on the strength of her Khayal singing on this live recording made in August 2003 in London. Here she is supported by Yogesh Samsi (tabla),her father,and Chirajib Chakrabarty ( harmonium) and Ranjana Ghatak (tabla). According to John Ball and Ranjana Ghatak's notes,she was in Kolkata in 1980.That makes her vocal virtuosity pretty astonishing. The main part of her recital is two Khayal compositions in Madhuvanti- the first is a so-called (big) composition of her father's composing,rounded off with a chotta (litttle) composition by Gnan Prakash Ghosh.She has a voice that, i would like to say,resonates across cultural divides.More importantly ,she has a transfixing voice.Mind you, when she sings the thumri in Misra Mand that concludes the album,to my mind she is not as convincing.Thumri is an art form that deserves a lusciousness befitting its courtesan upbringing.( As i write this i am comparing her, maybe unfairly, to Shobha Gurtu, 1925 -2004) When it comes to thumri, Kaushiki Chakrabarty delivers, but she delivers in a way that Ute Lemper delivers Kabarett, a smoothie version of Kabarett compared to, say,Dagmar Krause.The artistry is superb but i want the edginess that the genre (thumri) deserves.I am marking hard because she deserves it.Kaushiki Chakrabarty's Khayal interpretations are one of the great discoveries of 2004 for me. Pure is one of those recordings where you just want to discover all that the artist has released before.That Good. Veena India Arts Review Dec 2004 Kaushiki Chakrabarty - Pure Sense 047 Very much the art music voice of today,the daughter of Pt. Ajoy Chakrabarty is a worthy nominee in the BBC Radio 3 World Music Awards.She is the sole representitive of India, so don't forget to vote for her in the Audience Award, from January at www.bbc.co.uk/radio3. Listening to Pure, you can hear what the fuss is about.The voice is warm and the performances are mature and authoritative.It is hard to credit that this is a live concert recital (recirded in London in 2003) such is the singer's focus and fluency.No coughs, no stumbles,Pure is pure pleasure. A very short,languid alaap leads seamlessly into an extended khayal in raag Madhuvanti.This is distinguished both by some astonishing sargam and sensitive,restrained accompaniment on harmonium and tabla.Yogesh Samsi, a former student of Ustad Allah Rakha,does an excellent job in the latter capacity.The recital is completed with a shorter khayal and a thumri in raag Misra Mand. Recommended. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Vijay Ghate & Bhavani Shankar - Shikhar Sense World Music- 044 The Master! Hariji's concerts are always deeply pleasurable and this Saptak Festival 2003 performance is no exception.Moreover,this double CD allows a full evening's blissful enjoyment in real time. One can only be awed by the sensous tone,powerful expression and thoughful improvisation in the artist's alaap in Jaijavanti.Time stands still while Hariji plays.This is the sound of eternity.Joined by Bhavani Shankar's pakhawaj, the playing takes on a stately character.The pairing is appropriate.Among his achievements, Hariji has embraced Dhrupad and introduced some of that form's conventions into bansuri repertoire.The jor and jhalla here are exciting,spiced as they are with Bhavani's rippling sat-sangeet accompaniment. For the second CD, Hariji is joined by Vijay Ghate on tabla,in performances of a composition in raag Jog and, typically of this artist, a Dhun in Pahadi.The whole concert is beautifully recorded and produced by Derek Roberts. A treat for anyone who enjoys bansuri. Jazzwise September 2004 Kala-Kala Ramnath SWMCD 038 Exactly what happened when the violin fell into the hands of Indian musicians is a story that many of Jazzwise's readers will think they are familiar with,through violinists L.Subramaniam and his brother L.Shankar.As ever,a little knowledge is a dangerous thing,for they represent but part of the tale.What they represent is what happened ehen the violin fell into South Indian hands.Kala Ramnath represents what happened when one multi-minded man called A.Narayana Iyer decided to steer two branches of his family in different directions,in order that they would not compete with each other.His son T.N Krishnan took the southern path; his daughter N.Rajam the Northern one.Rajam's niece,Kala follows the northern tradition.If you have never heard violin played in the Northern Indian style,do yourself a favour and try Kala out.Her repertoire here comprises 'Jogkauns' played as three original compositions in,respectively,a slow,medium and fast tempo.A 10-minute 'Bhatiyar' concludes the proceedings.If Mozart had been transported to the South Asian subcontinent this is what he and improvised Western classical music might have sounded like. The comparison is not thrown in to befuddle or impress.Kala Ramnath is a musician of giant - like qualities. Ken Hunt - Jazzwise Songlines July/August 2004 The most impressive album is Kala by Kala Ramnath.Here's a wonderful musician whose mastery of both rhythm and melody enables her to explore fully the expressive range of ragas presented.Opening with 'Raga Jogkauns', she establishes a mood of profound serenity (something tradionally described as 'religious') and the yearning expression is seductively borne by Subhankar Banerjees sparse tabla accopaniment, which draws the listener into the heart of the melody during the slow 12-beat 'Vilambit Ektal'.The piece progresses in speed and intensity using different time cycles to carve character out of the raga.Next up is 'Raga Bhatiyar', in which Kala conjures a scene of desolation that is gently lifted by the entrance of the excellent tabla accompaniment.This talented performer has both imagination and flair,and makes the violin sing and dance with ease. LINDA SHANSON fROOTS Aug/Sept 2004 Kala-Kala Ramnath SWMCD 038 Samwad- Purbayan Chatterjee & Kala Ramnath SWMCD 039 The Western violin in the hands of an Indian musician of real stature can become ethereal,a passport to listening revelation.The instrument arrived in the subcontinent with Europe's colonising powers,although claims have been made for the existence of an indigenous violin.What is undisputed is that the violin found a niche for itsrlf ine the South within devotional music.In the North it had to compete with the sarangi,an instrument capable of sublime vocal mimicry.To this day there are far fewer Northern Indian violinists.Kala Ramnath belongs to a dynasty of violinists founded by A.Narayana Iyer, a true visionary of Indian music.As his name indicates,he is South Indian.Yet in an unparalled move,he put his son T.N Krishnan and daughter N.Rajam on two different paths:Krishnan took the southern fork and Rajam the northern one.One generation on,Rajam's niece,Kala Ramnath,plays violin in the full-on northern art music style of slides and swoops in the service of lyricism. Nothing that Kala Ramnath has released has ever disappointed,though some recording take listening pleasure to unfeasible levels.Kala the album falls into the unfeasibly pleasurable category, with illumination a by-product.Accompanied by Shubhankar Banerjee on tabla,the repertoire revealed here consists of Jogkauns in three of Ramnath's own compositions, which increase in tempo step by step.Bhatiyar completes the package.There is nothing to fault about the performances.They are perfect statements in musical logicality,individualistic and imbued with emotion.Here comes an awfully big comparison:her Jogkauns displays the verve,flair and logicality of the unprdictable,the way Mozart's compositions for smaller ensembles do.( In that yuo may think you see it coming,but it is still surprising when comes and afterwards you cannot imagine a better approach for tackling the problem) With that sort of build-up,it may sound as if Samwad might linger in the shadow of the other recording.Again the clarity of vision matches the clarity of sound.On Samwad she is to be heard duetting with Bengali sitarist Purbayan Chatterjee, a relatively rare instrumental combination, taking Kedar and Bageshri as thei texts.Kedar recieves a marvellous slow unfolding,lasting some 12 minutes before they go into a slow and evocative original composition of Ramnath's,followed by a faster traditional compostion in the same raga.Illumination guaranteed. Ken Hunt Songlines July/Aug 2004 Anjali- Arati Ankalikar SWMCD 035 This is a fabulous CD,marking out vocalist Arati Ankalikar as a truly gifted performer.She has a unusual depth and sureness of pacing,and her powerful voice is remarkably consistent across its full range-as strong and controlled in the lower register as it is in the upper. Most of the disc is taken up by a rendition of 'Raga Purva Kalyan'.This evening raga has a seriousness tinged with sensuality, and the performance- recorded live at last year's Saptak festival in Gujarat-brings out its character wonderfully. Arati Ankalikar keeps you gripped from the assured alap (introduction) to the concluding drut(fast) khayal, with its extraordinary clear tans (quick melodic runs). The whole is knitted together by some excellent playing by Vishvanath Shirodkar on tabla and Bharat Bhushan Goswami on the bowed sarangi. Along with Seema Shirodkar on Harmonium ,they create a beautifully solid background over which the voice weaves some truly magical lines. Equally fine is the powerfully devotional bhajan (to a text by the 16th century singer-saint, Mirabai) with which the disc concludes.At the risk of descending into hyperbole,this is by far the best recording i have heard this year. Highly Recommended.- Maria Lord - Songlines Global Rhythm July 2004 ARATI ANKALIKAR Anjali Sense World Music 035 PURBAYAN CHATTERJEE Nirman Sense World Music 037 PANDIT SHARDA SAHAI & VISHNU SAHAI Gurukul Sense World Music 040 World Sense Music, a new UK-based label, has begun to make an impressive impact on the global music scene. Initially focusing on studio and in-concert recordings from extremely talented Classical Indian artists, the label plans to present East/West fusion projects as well. Currently recognized as one of the principal female Classical Indian vocalists today, Arati Ankalikar’s performances are marked by her excellent command of rhythm and melody. On “Anjali”, recorded at the Saptak Festival 2003, she is accompanied by harmonium, sarangi, and tabla. For those whose only exposure to Indian music is through Bollywood soundtracks or some of today’s excellent fusion projects, Ankalikar’s vocal style may require some serious acclimation – particularly by Westerners unaccustomed to hearing such mellisonant pyrotechnics. For those likewise unfamiliar to concentrating on music’s percussive elements – particularly the sophistication, form and techniques of tabla playing -- “Gurukul” may be initially too esoteric. Notwithstanding, both father (guru) and son (disciple) both perform brilliantly throughout the concert. Particularly stirring is when the two employ cross rhythms (layakari) of seven and nine beats against four, further displaying Indian music’s keen perception of rhythm. More accessible – perhaps because of its improvisatory and sonic nature -- is “Nirman”. Throughout this studio recording, sitarist Purbayan Chatterjee and tabla player Satyajit Talwalkar astoundingly articulate command of their respective instruments. The two are masters at the sawal-jawab (question and answer) where the musicians trade solos with gusto. All of the CDs’ liner notes are informative and graphically attractive. Kudos to Sense World Music for expertly marketing its impressive roster of artists. ROBERT KAYE Dirty Linen April/May 2004 New Dawn Mind- Purbayan Chatterjee -SWMCD 025 Mohan's Veena -Vishwa Mohan Bhatt- SWMCD 024 Purbayan Chatterjee is younger sitarist, son of Partha Chatterjee, an acclaimed player and a disciple of Nikhil Banerjee, whose influence is abundantly clear on this extremely impressive recording. Whether through study or sheer talent, Chatterjee approaches his stylistic forebear's ability to create a melodic line that seems incessantly varying and endlessly inspired. As this writer has noted before, Sense World Music is really delivering the goods with its Indian releases, and serious listeners should not be put off by the new-agey covers and titles; "New Dawn Mind" here is in fact a relevant reference to the fact that the music consists of morning ragas. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt's most significant contributions have been within his own tradition. He comes from a long line of musicians, including his brother Sashi Mohan Bhatt, a renowned vocalist. Certainly one hears the influence of vocal music in the way Bhatt uses the slide. The name of this excellent release is taken from that of the greatly adapted guitar he uses, which has only three strings for melody but many additional drone and sympathetic strings. The sound of this member of the steel guitar family reminds one of the brilliance of the sarod. On this fine live recording; Bhatt is joined by his son Salil Bhatt, who also plays instrument of his father's invention, for masterful interpretations of ragas, folksongs, and light classical pieces. Highly Recommended. Duck Baker (Richmond, VA) Songlines March/April 2004 Sitar-SWMCD 033 - Shahid Parvez "An extraordinary sitar talent displays his many subtle colours" Nephew of the sitar legend Vilayat Khan, Shahid Parvez began his musical training at the age of three and certainly lives up to the family reputation.In this remarkable performance of the evening raga ' Bageshri', he takes his listeners through every single nuance of that emotional and romantic melody.It's an intensely lyrical rendition- not really surprising considering he trained as a vocalist before turning to the sitar,believing that to do full justice to any instrument you first have to master vocal technique. The overall mood of 'Raga Bageshri' is that of a woman waiting to be reunited with a long absent lover, so the emotions are many and varied - even conflicting. The alap (slow introduction) sets the scene with a mood of tentative anticipation from which the jor and jhala (intermediate rhythmic sections before the fast-tempo) extend the mood into one pulsating nervousness as Parvez brings in the chikari (drone) string. The third track, a set composition,affords Kumar Bose, renowned tabla player of the Benares style, a chance to exhibit his mastery,albeit with a degree of restraint and subtlety.And this is followed by two fast-tempo tracks,one in 'Ektal' (12 beats) and the other in 'tintal' (16 beats), by which time the waiting game has reached fever pitch.Both tabla and sitar weave intricate patterns of coquettish hide-and-seek- much as lovers meeting after a long absence might try to suppress a surge of emotions whilst surrendering to pure joy.Exquisite,joyful listening! Jameela Siddiqi (Songlines) Songlines March/April 2004 Voice Of India- SWMCD 032 Rashid Khan Darbar - SWMCD 031 Pt Jasraj "Vocal greats old and young in top-class live recordings" Aged 72 and the doyen of the Mewati gharana (house of music), Jasraj is one of only a handful of male vocalists remaining from the old school.In this excellent live recording,made at the prestigious Saptak festival with Nandan Mehta on tabla, he performs 'Raga Darbari Kanada',often referred as the 'King of ragas'.It was written by the great 16th - century composer Tansen,who instilled in his masterpiece the atmosphere of the majestic palaces where he lived and worked-something everyone who has performed the raga since has strived to recreate. Jasraj begins with a short alap,in form of an invocation,and proceeds in the khayal style.He develops the essence of the raga to a 12-beat cycle much favoured by Darbari performers before changing tempo for 'Asi Darbari Gunijangave',a composition in a ten-beat 'jhaptal' cycle.The introduction of the ancient pakhawaj drum is interesting,sinse it's usually associated with the dhrupad tradition,not with khayal.The CD finishes with a performance of the rare 'Raga Bhinnasadja', in which Jasraj's ability to maintain clarity from one register to the next is astounding considering his age. Praised by Bhimsen Joshi and described by Vilayat Khan as the saviour of the Hindustani vocal tradition,Rashid Khan represents the cream of a younger generation of singers.Also recorded in Saptak,his Voice of India album features a complete rendition of 'Raga Malkauns', an ancient melody known for its devotional atmosphere.Like Jasraj, Rashid begins with a short alap and then slowly develops the raga in khayal.The rhythm moves from a slow 12-beat 'Ektaal' to a medium 16-beat 'Tintal', but the tranquil mood is shattered by the explosive fourth track ('Aaj More Ghar Aye Balma'), sung in a very fast 16-beat cycle.This popular composition is full of the sargam and taan singing styles that were trademark of its composer, Amir Khan, whose influence shines through in Rashid's performance. Raj Chandarana (Songlines) Dirty Linen Feb/March 2004 The Inner Path - Shiv Kumar Sharma -SWMCD 027 Native Signs - Rahul Sharma - SWMCD 028 These two live recordings,both made at this year's Saptak Festival in Amhedabad Gujarat, India, feature a father and son who are masters of the santoor,one of that country's most challenging and alluring stringed instruments. The inner Path is a performance by Shiv Kumar Sharma,who played a key role in adapting the santoor ( a member of the hammered dulcimer family of instruments ) to classical Indian music.The program consists of the popoular night raga," Raga Kirvani," on which he is accompanied by the gifted tabla player Shafaat Ahmed Khan. Native signs is a performance by Shiv Kumar Sharma's son,Rahul, who has taken the santoor to new levels of popularity, adapting folk tunes to the instrument and composing and playing music for the Indian Film Industry.Accompanied at times by each of two percusionists,Khan and pakhawaj player Bhavani Shankar,the younger Sharma performs "Raga Kalavati," a familiar evening raga.Both discs are beutifully recorded, and represent part of an ongoing project by Sense to record the best performances from each year's Saptak Festivals. (MP) Songlines Nov/Dec 2003 The Golden Bow - SWMCD 030 Santosh Nahar "Outstanding violin playing from North India" The violin has been an integral part of South Indian music since the 18th century but it is now also fast becoming a solo instrument of the North,from where Santosh Nahar is one the many promising players to have recently emerged.The Indian violin is exactly the same as the Western one but it is tuned to meet the demands of Indian ragas (melodic scales) and is played sitting down,with the violin's head resting on the collar bone, rather than standing up and with the instrument balanced under the chin. In terms of presentation,this recording is everything i have come to associate with the Sense label: the highest technical quality along with succinct and relevant liner-notes.This sets the scene for luxuriating in some of the finest classical music you'll here these days-outstanding performances recorded before a live audience at the famous SAPTAK music festival in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The first two tracks,'Raga Yaman Kalyan', performed in two tempos and two different tals (or rhythm cycles), is a raga i can usually lap up in any shape or form.But,played on the violin, it seems to come into its own,with Nahar's intensely lyrical style coaxing the strings to really sing.There is an array of ragas,ending with,what else,but the Rajasthani 'Mand'- a current favourite of classical musicians-of which Nahar supplies a haunting version conveying remote desert landscapes and pining lovers. - Jameela Siddiqi (Songlines) A light from the East - SWMCD 029 Tejendra Majumdar The sarod player Tejendra Majumdar (on the Sense label) chooses 'Raga Bilaskhani Todi',which, according to some historians,was invented by Tansen's son, Bilas Khan.Whatever its origins,Bilaskhani Todi is now an important part of the 'Todi' family of morning ragas and has much in common with 'Miyan ki Todi'.The ragas of this group are great favourites among players of the sarod,which has a suitably deep,majestic tone. Majumdar is also a high-profile exponent of the Maihar Gharana.His 'Raga Basant Mukhari',another morning raga, is a rare treat, but the high point for me is 'Misra Mand', based on a Rajasthani folk tune which has recently become very popular in North Indian classical music.Of the ten or so new Indian classical discs i've heard over the past two weeks,no fewer than six have featured 'Mand'! But that certainly doesn't make the tune any less captivating. -Jameela Siddiqi (Songlines) Songlines Sept/Oct 2003 Mohan's Veena - SWMCD 024a/b (Top Of The World) 'Superlative stuff fron the indian slide-guitar legend and son' This is a fine pair of discs.The father-son combination works admirably,perhaps particularly so given the rather unusual instrument that takes centre-stage here-the Mohan Vina.Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (doyen of a number of notable recordings,including a Grammy award-winning disc with Ry Cooder) was initially a sitar player,but in 1967 turned to an adaptation of the slide guitar with added sympathetic and drone strings.With its very attractive sound-somewhere between sitar & sarod- and suitably for complex gamaka (ornaments),it lends itself wonderfully to indian music.Bhatt has passed on the instrument to his son,Salil,who from the evidence of this disc is no less virtuosic than his father. The first disc contains a thrilling performance of 'Raga Bageshri".The opening unmetered sections gain the clarity of the instrument's sound and there is some truly amazing playing in the fast jor and jhala passages.This excitement carries on through the two folowing compostions and the atmosphere of the live recording is added to by obviously enthusiastic audience.In contrast,the second disc is given over 'lighter' pieces,with one based on a local melody from Rajasthan,their home state.Of yhe three pieces here,it is perhaps the utterly charming 'Lori' in 'Raga Tilak Kamod' that comes out on top,though it's a close-run thing. All in all,this is one of the best recordings i have heard for ages,it kept me on the edge of my seat and left me thoroughly disarmed. - Maria Lord (Songlines) Jazzwise (August 2003) Mohan's Veena - SWM 024 Vishwa Mohan Bhatt's namesake Mohan veena (or vina) is a modified guitar,once pubescent, now mature and bristling with sympathetic strings.Its mastermind is Vishwa Moha Bhatt,a disciple of Ravi Shankar who entered the wider Indian and international consciousness with his Grammy- winning collaboration with Ry Cooder called Meeting By The River.This concert recording ranks among the finest albums that he has recorded,either in terms of repertoire or playing finesse. On it his son Salil joins him and that is a great part of the recording's charm, if not power,because jugalbandi (duet) is one of the highest stations of Hindustani expression.The first disc opens with 'Bageshri' in an extended exposition that will not disappoint nobody.The second disc is lighter in tone.It opens with a lori (lullaby) that, pardon the paradox,would keep any babe awake,follows it with a Rajasthani folk tune in 'Raga Mand' and concludes with the concert staple, the resonant 'Bhairavi'. Let's not flower this unduly: this double is a tiny piece of perfection. Jazzwise - Aug 2003 Ken Hunt fRoots- Aug/Sept 2003 Mohan's Veena - SWMCD 024 Indian Delta - SWMCD 005 Radiant - SWMCD 022 Touching Air - SWMCD 008 Jewels Of India - SWMCD 006 Power & Grace 1/2 SWMCD 007/010 Dynamic - SWMCD 002 Pakhawaj Beat - SWMCD 012 Few post-Ravi Shankar Hindustani instrumentalists have matched Vishwa Mohan Bhatt's international profile.After he won a Grammy for 'Meeting By The River', his name was fluted in an unfeasibly large number of colomn inches internationally. Blinded by the flashbulbs,ego-stroked by at times totally uncritical press,he temporarily lost the plot,or so it appears,let hinself become a recording trollop (smile Vishwa). Thankfully he woke up and smelled the karela (bracketed bitter gourd down our Tesco's). Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and Sandeep Das's 'Indian Delta' (sense world music 005) is an excellent album,Played on Bhatt's namesake modified guitar,the Mohan Vina and beautifully recorded at the 2001 Saptak Festival.Das accompanies on tabla.It opens with an extended, unaccompanied exposition of Puriya Dhanashri followed by two pieces in Shyam Kalyan. The same duo, this time joined by Salil Bhatt,Vishwa Mohan Bhatt's son, also on Mohan Vina, is responsible for Mohan's Veena (sense world music 024), a live double from the Ahmedabad Festival (2002).The first disc explores Bageshri,while the second follows the performance convention of closing with lighter material, here a lori (lullaby) and a Rajasthani folk air (in Mand).The old reliable Bhairavi concludes. Approach with utter confidence. If going for one,go for Mohan's Veena and its jugalbandi (duet) playing. Bhatt is back and playing with fire in his belly. As far as imported instruments go, the Western Violin must rank as the subcontinent's most important musical adoption.The Karnatic tradition in particular has taken the violin yo its bosom.To give a gastonomic analogy, imagining the subcontinent without the violin now is almost like imagining its cuisine with out chillies. One dynasty especially associated with the violin was founded by Narayana Iyer,a major musical visionary.In order that his chidren would not compete with each other, he far-sightedly had his son,T.N Krishnan, study the southern style of violin playing and his daughter N.Rajam the Northern style (not that there was any great Northern violin tradition). N.Rajam's Radiant ( sense world music 022), recorded live at the Saptak Festival in 2002,is such a glorious release that anyone interested in the violin (full stop) should listen to it. The same applies to Kala Ramnath, another scion of the true vine.She too has followed the Hindustani path and specialises in Khyal-style interpretations,as her haunting playing on Touching Air (sense world music 008) illustrates.Her choice of the composite raga, Nat Narayan is inspired,as is her performance and interpretation.And she suffuses bow strokes with nuance and length that gets fingers broken down dark alleys. Ronu Majumdar plays bansuri,the Northern Indian transverse bamboo flute.Majumdar plays a variety of them,which he switches between in order to go to places that one range can't reach. For aeons the bansuri has held a special place in Hindu cultural life,most notably courtesy of Lord Krishna,and therefore the subcontinent's flutes remain somehow apart from other instruments,except for the human voice.Look to Pannalal Ghosh,Hariprasad Chaurasia and Ronu Majumdar to dicover how the tradition has been handed down over three successive generations to the present day. During the opening movement of 'Jhinjoti' on Jewels Of India (sense world music 006), Ronu Majumdar sounds to my ear closer than usual to Hariprasad Chaurasia's style of alap and i have no problem with that,because Majumdar is his own man. No kidding, this studio recording touches on the divine.It reminds how stock repertoire can be renewed and rejuvenated to create new insights. Hariprasad Chaurasia has recorded soextensively that the reviewer in me doesn't know whether to toast his popularity or curse the latest disruptions to alpha-chronological shelving. Power & Grace 1 (sense world music 007) and Power & Grace 2 (sense world music 010),both recorded at the 2001 Saptak Festival, show off the maestro and his impeccable sense of dynamics.Hear Durga on volome one with Bhavani Shankar on pakhawaj (barrel drum) by way of example. Anindo Chatterjee shares the ' percussion chair' on both volumes, but comes into his own on the first volume's Malkauns. The second volume is lighter, consisting of a dhun and a bhajan (hindu hymn).My preference is the first volume.Each has its merits and moments.Given a different mood or state of mind,it might well be the other way around. As with the other Sense albums reviewed Derek Roberts' sound has captured a marvelous warmth,clarity and depth. Kumar Bose is such an illustrious tabla player it is hard to believe John Ball's contention in the notes to the double Dynamic (sense world music 002), that this recording from Saptak Festival is his live recording debut under his own name.A disciple of the fearsomely talented tabla maestro Kishan Maharaj,of the Benares school of tabla playing,Kumar Bose came to wider national and international attention playing tabla with Ravi Shankar. He followed the first wave of tabla virtuosi,that is Chatur Lal and Alla Rakha, that ripped Western heads around with their heady percussive amd rhythmic finesse. Two albums of variations on a theme of tintaal may sound off-putting,but the stylishness with which he walks and talks in rhythm justifies it. Bhavani Shankar (whom we encountered earlier with Hariprasad Chaurasia),plays the pakhawaj.Pakhawaj Beat (sense world music 013) opens with a slow 16-beat exploration,with Ikram Khan's sarangi maintaining a close commentary on the percussive proceedings.Everything that Hindustani percussion music should be,the sound captures the real ring of skin on wood and hide.One for every pakhavaj devotee out there. fRoots- Aug/Sept 2003 Ken Hunt Dirty Linen (USA) Aug/sept 2003 The Ancient Weave - Shubhendra Rao & Partha Sarothy (020) Synergy - Shahid Parvez (021) The New English label,Sense World Music,offers released adorned with pastel covers and somewhat new-agey titles,but hopefully this will not deter serious listeners from checking them out,as the music is excellent. The Ancient Weave is the name given to a recording that features that actually fairly modern and extremely challenging form,the raga duet.Sitarist Shubhendra Rao and sarod player Partha Sarothy display an impressive mastery of duet playing on "Charukauns,"the raga that was created from two older ones by their teacher,Ravi Shankar.This almost somber minor piece is followed by "Raga Manj Khumaj," a major raga that utilizes both the raised and natural fourth.Neither artist ever fails to inspire his partner and the listener alike on this excellent outing. Just as impressive is the 2-CD set by sitarist Shahid Parvez, a nephew of illustrious Vilayat Khan.This outstanding recording comes from the Saptak Festival in India,and features breathtaking expositions of two beautiful ragas,"Jog" & "Pilu." One can only marvel at the way Parvez intersperses almost ferocious rapid-fire passages that are always articulated perfectly with slow melodic statements of great subtlety.The interplay with the highly regarded tabla player Kumar Bose is especially rewarding.To judge from the music on these fine releases,Sense World Music could become as trusted a name in the field as India Archive. Dirty Linen Aug/Sept 2003- Duck Baker ( Richmond,VA) Global Rhythm -June 2003 The Ancient Weave (Shubhendra Rao & Partha Sarothy)-Sense 020 Synergy (Shahid Parvez & Kumar Bose)- Sense 021 Radiant (N.Rajam) - Sense 022 Desert Charm (Gypsies of Rajasthan)- Sense 019 Credit Sense World Music for offering ears one of the planet's oldest unbroken musical traditions.Indian classical music is broadly characterized by a guidance of the taala (rhythm) and respect of the raga (mood). Recorded annually at the acclaimed Saptak Music Festival ( and in North Indian recording studios),this series connects past to present seamlessly.Such style is difficult to deliver as faithful to origin.Indian music is also not easily translated into novel form-past masters have exhausted nearly all possibilities.The series challenges these notions,offering a glimpse into the present state of India.Sense World Music represents a pre-indoctrinated period,when music as feeling was King. On The Ancient Weave, Shubhendra Rao & Partho Sarothy emulate the Indian music duet brought to prominence by Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.Accompanied by tabla player Akram Khan,Rao & Sarothy pat homage by performing Shankar's own "Raga Charukauns."Sitar player Rao and Sarod player Sarothy perform the blended raga in three-part alap (or freestyle),exploring chikari string pulses and jhalla improvisations.These performances reflect their combined mastery,thriving on improvisation to create new ragas,which after millennia is a hearty task. Shahid Parvez represents a seventh generation of sitar players,while Kumar Bose is worthy of his tabla Ustad (master) moniker.On Synergy,"Raga Jog" is featured,moving through its introductory alap to morph into a rarely performed cycle of 11 beats (Rudratal) and culiminates in 16-beat teental and 12-beat ektaal.Parvez' supreme knowledge helps form an impeccable weave with Bose.The two-disc live recording concludes with "Raga Pilu" in the style of thumri,composition and romanticism one and the same. Dr.N.Rajam is a prophet in her own right,introducing a vocal style (Gayaki ang) into her violin repertoire.Recorded live at the 2002 Saptak Music Festival, Radiant begins a rendition of "Malkauns," one of six original Indian ragas. The mood begins deep and musically sparse,N.Rajam exploring themes of love and loss in "Raga Khamaj".Educated in the romantic form of thumri,this is a tour-de-force of Rajam's violin painting such beautiful darkness. Gypsies Of Rajasthan moves away from classical form,featuring some of India's finest Langa and Manganiar musicians.The set is a pulsing performance featuring sufi vocals,double flute and inspired Rajasthan percussio. Such widespread collaboration renders a powerful point to tradition:human unity and the poer of percussion and voice.