Tana Mana

1. Chase

2. Tana Mana

3. Village Dance

4. Seven and 10½

5. Friar Park

6. Romantic Voyage

7. Memory of Uday

8. West Eats Meat

9. Reunion

10. Supplication

Tana Mana,The Ravi Shankar Project,Private Music,Asia,Ethnic Fusion,India,Indian Classical,New Age / Meditation,Raga,World Fusion

Average customer rating:

Pop Vs Raga
Ravi's creative best
Not the same - but excellent!
A perfect blending of the East and the West
Excellent mood music, something transadental.

The Ravi Shankar Project; Tana Mana
The Ravi Shankar Project
Manufacturer: Private Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000000IE
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Chase
Tana Mana
Village Dance
Seven And 10 1/2
Friar Park
Romantic Voyage
Memory Of Uday
West Eats Meat
Reunion
Supplication

Customer Reviews:

Pop Vs Raga.......2001-05-29

TANA MANA sounds more like an attempt to "westernize" Indian music than the traditional Shankar sound.

Gone are the extended ragas, replaced by 3-minute, uptempo tunes. Gone are the tabla-sitar exchanges, replaced by synthesizer coloring.

That doesn't mean this is bad stuff. In fact, most of it is very good. This might be the perfect album to introduce western ears to eastern music. "Chase," "Village Dance," "Friar Park," and "Reunion" are stand out tracks.

Ravi's creative best.......2001-02-07

One of the most colorful excursions in Ravis career.Aside from the traditional Sitar,Tamboura,Tabla sounds, Ravi makes great use of flutes,autoharp(George Harrison in a guest performance)and synthesizers(!).Fantastic album,Highly recomended.

Not the same - but excellent!.......2000-12-14

For those who are more familiar with the "classic" Ravi Shankar style (i.e. long extended sitar solo with tablas inbetween solos, or the occasional flute chiming in) will be surprised when listening to Ravi Shankar's Tana Mana. This disc doesn't have the long Ragas that you might be used to. It doesn't feature the sitar as much as his other works. But that doesn't mean that this isn't a great album. Instead, Shankar expands to new levels of excellence. The songs on this album are more accessable to larger audiences than his other works. Some of the tunes are accually pretty catchy. But it doesn't even come close to anything remotly 'pop'. The songs are limited usually to 4 minutes or less, and the entire disc only manages to squeeze 40 minutes of this musical bliss into our ears. But most will find that the shorter songs allow the listener to appreciate them even more - and they don't ever have enough time to get repetitive.

Like I said before, the sitar isn't featured as much on this album as it is on others. Instead, there is a very good balance of instruments, ranging from flutes, tablas, marimbas, sarods, basses, and even synths. It has a very up to date sound, due to the synths. But the sitar isn't just shoved into the background - it is still fairly prominent - and what we do hear of it makes us appreciate it even more. The other instruments do a fabulous job at accenting the sitar. The only songs coming close the the more traditional Shankar sound are Reunion and Friar Park.

A couple of the songs on this album have vocals, like Tana Mana, Seven and 10, and West Eats Meat. Many of the songs have a very dark and forboding mood to them, which is mainly because of the added bass and synths - and deep tablas. But then some songs have a very happy and upbeat mood, like Village Dance and Chase. But the styles don't interfear with each other. Everything just blends perfectly.

I think that the song "Chase" is one of my favorite Shankar songs ever. It is very emotional. It is amazing how much emotion can be put into an instrumental song.

Every song on this album has some special quality to it that makes it stand out and strike a chord with the listener. West Eats Meat is a very different song, featuring an upright bass, playing a very cool bass line, while the sitar chimes in and some vocals said from time to time with an added reverb effect. This song reminds me of some very cool and dark techno music.

If you are a fan of Ravi's earlier or more traditional work, then you might not like this one at first, but hopefullly you will find that this album is one of the most amazing albums that he has ever put together. Everything on this album is fresh and never starts to sound the same. And none of the feeling or emotion from the traditional songs was lost - in fact, these tracks hit harder to me than his others.

This album could be labeled as "Experimental Indian", but if this was an experiment, it went very very well! If you are a fan of Indian music, or if you are a Westener looking to get introduced to Indie music, I really can't reccomend this album enough. I only wish that Ravi Shankar had done more work like this.

A perfect blending of the East and the West.......2000-05-02

Yes, Its a perfect blending. Only a artist who carries music in his veins can perform such a mix which leaves the listener still, only to appreciate the strings and pitches. I came to hear this on CD during 1989 and still love it.

Excellent mood music, something transadental........1998-08-10

I first heard this album (when it was before CD) ten years ago. It still has the same effect on me, it is very fresh and appealing to the ears, soul, and spirit. I noticed on the credits that George Harrison honors the master by performing on one of the tracks (instrumental).

Average customer rating:

Let's Celebrate Ravi!
Good Overview Ravi Shankar's Career
captivating
good mix of stuff, but NOT AT ALL for Hindustani purists
This record shows that Ravi Shankar is a genius!

In Celebration

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000002SM5
Release Date: 1996-02-20

Tracks:

Charu Keshi
Bhatiyer
Adarini
Marwa
Dhun Kafi

Tracks:

V 71/2
Jait
Sandhya Raga
Ghanashym
Tilak Shyam

Tracks:

Sitar And Violin Duet
2nd Movement Sitar Concerto No.1
3rd Movement Sitar Concerto No. 1
Morning Love
Indo - Japan Finale
Enchanted Dawn
4th Movement Raga Mala (Sitar Concerto No. 2)

Tracks:

Vandana
Hey Nath
Pather Panchali
Supaney Mein Aye
West Eats Meat
Oh Bhagawan
Friar Park
Tana Mana
I Am Missing You
Ta Na Tom
Fire Night
Sanwarey, Sanwarey
Dispute And Violence
Shanti Mantra

Customer Reviews:

Let's Celebrate Ravi!.......2007-06-14

In the history of recorded music, few "artists"- if any- have brought the world such a wide variety of material over such a long period of time as Ravi Shankar. He has been with us now, as it were, for over eighty years, and during his 75th year on earth, around 1995/96, this item, a set entitled "Ravi: In Celebration", was released to the public. The purpose was to "show the different aspects of Ravi's music" in the words of the late George Harrison, ex-Beatle, Ravi friend and fan, and among the compilers of the set. I aquired the set sometime later (I came to this man's music a bit later than 1996) and am now here to review it. So... In a word: WOW! Firstly, I don't know of many western artists who have even been honored with a boxed set like this, IF they make it to 75, which seems to be a big if these days. Secondly, what a wide array of wonderful material this set presents us with. The catagories are split for ways (in accordance with the number of discs) as follows: Disc 1- Classical Sitar, Disc 2- Orchestral and Ensembles, Disc 3- East-West collaborations, and Disc 4- Vocal and Experimental. Currently discs 1 and 4 are my favorites, but I will give an overview of each, as briefly as possible. Disc 1: This is probably the CD that will sound most like the Ravi Shankar you've heard before, especially if you've bought any other Shankar CDs. It consists of 5, ragas (that is, traditional India pieces; I don't really know any technical info here), each of lengthy duration, for the westerner anyhow. Each is enjoyable in its own uinque way: the first two have an exhilerating, playful atmosphere about them (especially the first, Charu Keshi), while the third is an interesting, if simple, piece composed by Ravi by his daughter, who plays sitar on it, the remainder is fairly enjoyable, great ragas really, although for those unprepared, track four is an evening raga, and is VERY slow for the most part, it is still enjoyable if, and only if, you really take the time to sit down and listen. 5/5 for disc 1. Disc 2: I know I've already said that disc 1 will be most like the Ravi you've heard, but if, on the other hand Arpan is all you've heard before coming to this compilation, these tracks will sound more familiar. All the orchestral tracks, the first two for me especially, are enjoyable and fiarly vibrant and varient, sonically. Overall highlights here include: V 7 1/2, and a track played entirley by an ensemble of Ravi and his sitar students. A solid 4.5/5 for this disc, not the strongest around. Disc Three: Here we beging the spectacular East-West collaborations. Starting off with a violin/sitar duet, and carrying through several movements of Ravi's various Sitar Concertos, an even stopping for an incredible live track, Indo-Japan Finale, this disc never seems to let up. These are just awe-enspiring collaborations. Highlights include: Sitar and Violin Duet, the second and third movements from Ravi's Sitar Concerto number one, as well as the afformentioned Indo-Japan Finale. Also of note is a beatiful track called Morning Love, in which Ravi duets with a classical flutist. 5/5
Disc 4: OK. First off, I've read some reviews here, claiming that this disc often sounds "dated and contrived". Well, I'm here to tell you that its neither. This disc is a favorite of mine, and unless you fall into the catagory of "Hindustani Purist", or easly see things as dated or the like, there is no reason not to open your mind to this disc. For starters, Friar Park is an absolutley GORGEOUS track recorded at George Harrison's mansion; behold how autoharp, sitar, and marimba mix, soncially. Then I suggest a huge favorite of mine, the funky West East Meat (what a title!) In it Ravi, and a few other Indian musicians basically jam with jazz bassist and the result is fun, and oftne weird (lookout for Ravi's utterances of random fraises in Bengali.) Fire Night is brilliant piece sure to win over jazz lovers, and Dispute and Violence, another hug favorite, starts off with unaccompanied vocals but quickly evolves into catch piece with with a brilliant hook. Tracks like Tana Mana are relaxing, in an almost hypnotic way, while the vocal offering, I am Missing You, sung in English by Ravi's sister-in-law, Lakshmi, is gorgeous in different sort of way than the other tracks: lyrically it emulates emotion and innocence and, despite arguable over-prodcution, still comes across as something fresh and different. In short, the open-minded will appreciate it most.Other material on this disc, such as the vocal offerings many of which have beautiful lyrical interpretations, will grow on you. 5/5 for disc 4, easily.
Finally, the sound qaulity is very good (except for a track or two where Gramaphone Company of India, Ltd, seems to have preserved material poorly), the mixes, and instruments crystal clear (you can really hear those tablas), and there is a booklet sewn into the package, so you won't be loosing it easily. The booklet offers a biography of Ravi, photos, and info on all the tracks, including Ravi's own notes, from which I draw much of the information for this review, and more. Also, lookout for George Harrison's brief introduction, which I quoted during this review. Overall, a wonderful music, wonderful sound, wonderful booklet= wonderful package. 5/5- A+. Let's celebrate Ravi!

Good Overview Ravi Shankar's Career.......2001-08-10

This box set is a good overview of Ravi Shankar's career. The classical Cd is especially good. Perhaps the set should have been at least 6 cd's with the additional discs being pure classical since R.S does constantly insists he is a purely classical musician.

I find parts of the East-West and Vocal and Experimentation disc to be dated and contrived ,not too interesting after a few listenings and as a result I rarely play these discs.

Listening to this set will enhance your appreciation for Indian classical music and for Pandit Ravi Shankar.

The accompanying booklet is quite nice , although I would suggest R. Shankars book Raga-Mala. I also think that the current remastered Angel CD 's are a good value. For those looking for good overview of Hindustani music check out the Raga Guide: Survey 74 Hindustani Ragas .

captivating.......1999-08-05

It's true, the quality of the music varies greatly from disc to disc and sometimes from track to track, but that's a concomitant of the fun, part of the exploring. My favorite piece is the Yehudi Menuhin collaboration. (Mr. Menuhin reveals in his autobiography he never learned to improvise, but you couldn't tell it by this: he plays with conviction and spontaneity.) The "classical" disc is consistently good; the movements for sitar and orchestra are fascinating; the pop song "I Am Missing You" is amusing. The set is attractively packaged and includes a lengthy biography of Ravi Shankar with historically significant photographs.

Also recommended (for sitar players too): PENTATONIC SCALES FOR THE JAZZ-ROCK KEYBOARDIST by Jeff Burns.

good mix of stuff, but NOT AT ALL for Hindustani purists.......1999-05-28

Initially this set was the jewel of my Hindustani collection, but overtime, some of the experimental music gets tiresome (especially disc 4) The classical sitar CD is excellent and shows Pandit Shankar in his prime with the masterful accompaniment of tabla player, Ustad Alla Rakha. The ensemble disc is really nice too, getting to experiment with the likes of south Indian players like violinist Dr. L. Subramaniam. The east/west disc is exhilarating at first, but the more familiar one becomes with the music, the sillier some of these collaborations seem. OFten what happens with the east meets west things is that one of the musicians leads with the other following/immitating (often blindly and lost). I do want to emphasize though, that the easterner is not always the leader or the one with superior understanding of how to collaborate. Anyway, this set serves well to introduce people to north Indian classical music, but some of it is too fabricated to stand the test of time. For pure sitar playing, I would suggest Nikhil Banerjee's "raga S.KHamaj/Manomanjari" double disc on the Raga label.

This record shows that Ravi Shankar is a genius!.......1999-02-25

All the records that I heard of Ravi Shankar's performances are masterpieces. Thanks to Ravi Shankar, I learned that good music does not mean only Western music.