Ragas

Amazon.com essential recording
This 1973 release presents some precious collaborative music from the mid-'60s by India's greatest sitar player, Ravi Shankar, and master sarod player Ali Akbar Khan, for an insightful snapshot of Indian classical music in America during the 1960s. If it's possible to "jam" on the sitar and sarod, that's what these two masters do on the first two tracks while drone and tabla dance in and out of their soulful, somewhat improvised, vignette. "Ragas Ramdar Dalhar" takes its sweet time in unfolding, sprinkling glorious tones like raindrops before jumping into waves of ecstatic sound when the tabla furiously chimes in. "Raga Malika" is a steady, melodious piece, churning on with lively tabla and vibrant sarod. The CD's sound quality, while not up to late-1990s standards, is certainly free of crackling and distortion. Very listenable and a wonderful slice of history. --Karen Karleski

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Average customer rating: Great product, poor packaging review Great collection for reference A must A Master Class

The Raga Guide: Survey of 74 Hindustani Ragas Various Artists Manufacturer: Nimbus Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD India | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music General | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Reggae | International | Styles | Music South Asia | Compilations | International | Styles | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Far East & Asia | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Afternoon Ragas Rotterdam 1970 Raga Yaman, Raga Shuddha Todi The Master (Ram Narayan) Sarangi Music in North India: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture (Global Music Series) Raga Darbari Kanada/Dhun in Raga Mishra Pilu ASIN: B00000JT5P Release Date: 2004-03-02

Tracks:

1. Abbogi - Hariprasad Chaurasia/Shib Shankar Ray
2. Adana - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty
3. Ahir Bhairav - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty
4. Alhaiya Bilaval - Shruti Sadolikar-Katkar/Madhukar Kothare/Anant Krishnaji Kunte
5. Asavari - Hariprasad Chaurasia/Ted De Jong
6. Bageshri - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty
7. Bahar - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty
8. Basant - Hariprasad Chaurasia/Shib Shankar Ray
9. bahirav - Hariprasad Chaurasia/Shib Shankar Ray
10. Bhairavi - Hariprasad Chaurasia/Shib Shankar Ray
11. Bhatiyar - Shruti Sadolikar-Katkar/Madhukar Kothare/Anant Krishnaji Kunte
12. Bhimpalasi - Shruti Sadolikar-Katkar/Madhukar Kothare/Anant Krishnaji Kunte
13. Bhupal Todi - Hariprasad Chaurasia/Shib Shankar Ray
14. Bhupali - Hariprasad Chaurasia/Shib Shankar Ray
15. Bibhas - Vidyadhar Vyas/Sandip Bhattacharya
16. Bihag - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty
17. Bilaskani Todi - Hariprasad Chaurasia/Shib Shankar Ray
18. Brindabani Sarang - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty

Tracks:

1. Chandrakauns - Vidyadhar Vyas/Sandip Bhattacharya
2. Chayanat - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty
3. Darbari Kanada - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty
4. Desh - Hariprasad Chaurasia/Shib Shankar Ray
5. Deshi - Shruti Sadolikar-Katkar/Madhukar Kothare/Anant Krishnaji Kunte
6. Dhani - Shruti Sadolikar-Katkar/Madhukar Kothare/Anant Krishnaji Kunte
7. Durga - Shruti Sadolikar-Katkar/Madhukar Kothare/Anant Krishnaji Kunte
8. Gaud Malhar - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty
9. Gaud Sarang - Shruti Sadolikar-Katkar/Madhukar Kothare/Anant Krishnaji Kunte
10. Gorakh Kalyan - Vidyadhar Vyas/Sandip Bhattacharya
11. Gujari Todi - Shruti Sadolikar-Katkar/Madhukar Kothare/Anant Krishnaji Kunte
12. Gunakri - Vidyadhar Vyas/Sandip Bhattacharya
13. Hamir - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty
14. Hansadhvani - Vidyadhar Vyas/Sandip Bhattacharya
15. Hindol - Vidyadhar Vyas/Sandip Bhattacharya
16. Jaijaivanti - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty
17. Jaunpuri - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty
18. Jhinjhoti - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty

Tracks:

1. Jog - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty
2. Jogiya - Hariprasad Chaurasia/Ted De Jong
3. Kafi - Hariprasad Chaurasia/Ted De Jong
4. Kamod - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty
5. Kedar - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty
6. Khamaj - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty
7. Kirvani - Hariprasad Chaurasia/Shib Shankar Ray
8. Lalit - Hariprasad Chaurasia/Shib Shankar Ray
9. Madhuvanti - Shruti Sadolikar-Katkar/Madhukar Kothare/Anant Krishnaji Kunte
10. Malkauns - Hariprasad Chaurasia/Shib Shankar Ray
11. Manj Khamaj - Hariprasad Chaurasia/Shib Shankar Ray
12. Maru Bihag - Shruti Sadolikar-Katkar/Madhukar Kothare/Anant Krishnaji Kunte
13. Marva - Vidyadhar Vyas/Sandip Bhattacharya
14. Megh - Vidyadhar Vyas/Sandip Bhattacharya
15. Miyan Ki Malhar - Vidyadhar Vyas/Sandip Bhattacharya
16. Miyan Ki Todi - Vidyadhar Vyas/Sandip Bhattacharya
17. Multani - Shruti Sadolikar-Katkar/Madhukar Kothare/Anant Krishnaji Kunte
18. Nayaki Kanada - Shruti Sadolikar-Katkar/Madhukar Kothare/Anant Krishnaji Kunte
19. Patdip - Shruti Sadolikar-Katkar/Madhukar Kothare/Anant Krishnaji Kunte
20. Pilu - Hariprasad Chaurasia/Shib Shankar Ray

Tracks:

1. Puriya - Vidyadhar Vyas/Sandip Bhattacharya
2. Puriya Dhanashri - Hariprasad Chaurasia/Shib Shankar Ray
3. Puriya Kalyan - Hariprasad Chaurasia/Shib Shankar Ray
4. Purvi - Vidyadhar Vyas/Sandip Bhattacharya
5. Rageshri - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty
6. Ramkali - Shruti Sadolikar-Katkar/Madhukar Kothare/Anant Krishnaji Kunte
7. Shahana - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty
8. Shankara - Vidyadhar Vyas/Sandip Bhattacharya
9. Shri - Vidyadhar Vyas/Sandip Bhattacharya
10. Shuddh Kalyan - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty
11. Shuddh Sarang - Shruti Sadolikar-Katkar/Madhukar Kothare/Anant Krishnaji Kunte
12. Shyam Kalyan - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty
13. Sindhura - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty
14. Sohini - Vidyadhar Vyas/Sandip Bhattacharya
15. Sur Malhar - Buddahadev DasGupta/Devendra Kanti Chakrabarty
16. Tilak Kamod - Shruti Sadolikar-Katkar/Madhukar Kothare/Anant Krishnaji Kunte
17. Tilang - Shruti Sadolikar-Katkar/Madhukar Kothare/Anant Krishnaji Kunte
18. Yaman - Shruti Sadolikar-Katkar/Madhukar Kothare/Anant Krishnaji Kunte

Amazon.com

These four CDs tucked into a meaty, comprehensive book portray and explain the different histories, tonalities, and rhythms of 74 of Hindu's most common ragas. The raga, a musical form of ancient Hindustani prayer and poetry, has been the cornerstone of Indian music for centuries, evolving into a complex set of expressions inviting improvisation and varying according to purpose, mood, story, and ritual. Stately in their sounds, ragas are most often created with sitar, sarod, tabla, tamboura (or drone), and voice with each note functioning as an evocation of the world's sanctity. The Raga Guide offers five hours and 15 minutes of stunningly beautiful music, played by masters of the instrument and accompanied by informative description, music transcriptions, and (where applicable) texts with English translations. Lovingly recorded, carefully authored, simply laid out, this wonderful package is the essence of perfection, topped off by exquisite color plates of ragamalas, or paintings depicting the stories of the ragas. A sublime tribute to Indian classical music. --Karen Karleski

Customer Reviews:

Great product, poor packaging.......2007-01-18

This is a fantastic set of 4CDs and a book for anyone who wants to start learning about Hindustani Classical music. Highly recommend it.
It does not get 5 stars because of packaging issues. The CDs were packaged in plastic cases on the front and back cover of the book, so when I took them out there were blemishes on the surface and the CDs would not play properly. However after one thorough round of cleaning, they started playing .

review.......2006-04-22

I am a student of indian classical music. This book and cd is very interesting and quite well made for an overview of the pillars of indian classical music. For the everyday person exploring the genre, looking for a wide range of material and songs that are not full length this is a great buy. It is well made and recorded with great artists. The book has wonderful information for each of the raags. For those with more knowledge of what raags, artists and instruments they prefer to listen to will find that much of the music feels stunted or incomplete as they are very short but very nice recordings.

Great collection for reference .......2005-09-21

This is a solid compilation and would be a great reference or a gift. The artists featured are top-notch: Buddhadev Dasgupta, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, etc., The text is concise and helpful. The quality of the recordings is excellent and I loved the colourful booklet.
However, the 74 ragas performed are not full-fledged performances as such but more like compressed demo pieces, so an expert listener may not enjoy it as much - but the average listener probably would not appreciate a 75 minute performance of Raga Multani anyway.

A must.......2005-08-01

Excellent recording, excellent presentation. Artists are superb. No problem with the CDs. A real gift to Indian Music lovers. There is no comparable audio document on the market. The book is a short and clear introduction to Raga system (184 pages. 40 color plates from 1610 and 1650 paintings). Thank to Nimbus Records and the Rotterdam Conservatory of Music.

A Master Class.......2004-07-27

Please read the other reviews for clarity of musicology. What I'm here to talk about is the quality of this production and the reference material which accompanies it.

You receive 4 CD's and a guide to raga. Not just a plastic cd jewel case with some foldout but a guidebook.

The information contained in the guidebook is a wonderful resource. The whole package is very similar to a college textbook with media.

The sound quality is top shelf. Again, this is a quality production.

Enjoy

Average customer rating: Very Pleased Awesome, consistent, and diverse Timeless music Ravi's Peak Masterpiece

Three Ragas Ravi Shankar Manufacturer: Angel Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD India | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music General | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Reggae | International | Styles | Music General | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music Similar Items: Ragas & Talas A Morning Raga/An Evening Raga The Sounds of India West Meets East: The Historic Shankar Menuhin Collection Afternoon Ragas Rotterdam 1970 ASIN: B00004U92Q Release Date: 2000-07-18

Tracks:

1. Raga Jog
2. Raga Ahir Bhairav
3. Raga Simhendra Madhyamam

Customer Reviews:

Very Pleased.......2007-05-14

I was most pleased with my CD order: I received it quickly and it was a represented on Amazon--in excellent shape.

Awesome, consistent, and diverse.......2006-06-06

This is the best Ravi Shankar I've heard so far. You don't get much alap (slow arhythmic introduction to the raga being performed) on this CD, and the reason is that alap can last for as much as an hour, but whoever produced this wanted to put 3 whole ragas (scales plus plus, basically) into the same amount of time.

Anyway, what you DO get is one of the all-time masters of melodic line at peak performance, for an hour. The bunch of this CD is the fast, rhythm-centered sitarwork termed "gat". Not lyrical in a Western sense, but intense, "dancing", unflaggingly inventive twists and turns of melody. Ravi goes all out with one of his favorite tricks here: playing a phrase twice in a row, then playing just the start of it and suddenly veering away into a new melody. A full analysis of all the dozens of ways in which Ravi creates surprise, tension, release, and excitement using just a single melody line would take many pages. To say that he is a master of ornamentation would be just the beginning.

One nice thing is that for each raga you get to hear two different buildups to a climax - the first without tabla (drum) accompaniment and the second, larger buildup, with tabla. It's almost as if there are six performances on the CD, not just three. Very effective - when the drums come in each time, I get the pleasure of knowing that the superlative stringwork still ringing in my ears from the first movement will be topped by the
coming, percussion-accompanied sequel. It is also very nice that the three ragas featured here come from three entirely different melodic families, and create rather different effects.

Based on what I've heard of his music so far, it seems to me that later in his life Ravi Shankar, though losing none of his speed or showmanship, could no longer bring such sheer densely-packed melodic inventiveness to his gats as he shows here(his alaps only got better, however). Whether that's true or not, however, this is a stunning performance and some of the best music most people will ever hear. Get it.

Timeless music.......2005-01-15

Thanks to inspiration from a highly unlikely quarter--Bollywood, of all things!--my wife and I have developed a newfound love of Indian culture. I had long been familiar with Ravi Shankar thanks to his association with George Harrison and his fame as one of the world's best sitar players, but until recently, the only album of his that I had was the live Inside the Kremlin (1988). I always enjoyed that CD, believing that raga could be a challenging but ultimately rewarding listen if one were simply willing to give the music time to move one's soul. This CD (along with two other of Angel-EMI's Ravi remasters) has indeed proven me correct...and well-rewarded.

I was struck by the flawless remastering job, first of all--although this album was recorded in 1956, it could have been recorded yesterday for the freshness and sharpness of the sound. Shankar's performances are beyond reproach--while I wouldn't call this the peak of his career, exactly (unlike one of the previous reviewers), I would say this was a very promising start, and an excellent introduction for anyone to Indian classical music. Raga itself is truly timeless music--it never sounds dated, like some forms of music do, but it is truly the sound of the soul; Ravi even describes "Raga Jog" as the expression of one soul's longing, and you feel this quite strongly.

I purchased this one along with his later work A Morning Raga/An Evening Raga, and had previously purchased Improvisations (his first actual American release, issued by the World Pacific label in 1962 and remastered by Angel-EMI in 1999 as one of the first few titles in the Ravi Shankar Collection series). I highly recommend this music for anyone who truly enjoys world music in general (being one of those myself, something for which I will always heartily thank my wife) and Indian music in particular. For those wishing to explore the Carnatic tradition of South India, I would recommend the late Ramnad Krishnan's 1968 recording Vidwan...also a challenging, but ultimately rewarding, listen.

Ravi's Peak.......2004-12-12

Welcome to Ravi Shankar's best album (4.8 stars)! Recorded in 1956, Three Ragas was his first LP. Pound for pound, it is also as powerful a musical statement as he had ever made, or would go on to make.

That's probably not the most popular thing to say, given the fact that his career has been so long and this is not his most famous performance/album, but the proof is in the music itself. He certainly didn't have the degree of fame in 1956 that he would have just a decade later, but his music was peaking. If I were chatting with someone and they offhandedly said that Raga Jog from this disc was the best 28 minutes of Ravi's officially-released career, I would not be inclined to argue with them. If you've been all ga-ga over Monterey Pop for the past 30 years (or 30 days) but you've never heard this album, you should prepare yourself now. Ravi's Monterey Pop performance is but a shadow of what happens here, even though his performance was the highlight of Monterey Pop itself.

The alap, jor, and jhala in Raga Jog are some of the best of Ravi's life. This alap is much more powerful than the alap in Bhimpalasi from Monterey, and here with Chatur Lal on tabla, the gats reveal Ravi at his all-time high in terms of rhythmic sophistication and plain old-fashioned fire power. Not enough good things can be said about Chatur Lal... one of the best tabla players of his generation. An incredible musician who made everyone better around him.

Rags Ahir Bhairav and Simhendra Madhyamam are shorter, compact performances at 15 and 11 minutes respectively but that is fine, especially in light of the fact that several of the Angel-remastered early albums are made up largely of shorter performances... and again, these 2 are at the top of the heap.

If you can only have one Ravi Shankar album, make sure this is the one. After this, take the previous reviewer's advice with respect to Nikhil Banerjee. Nikhil was unbelievably brilliant... a melodic genius.

Masterpiece.......2004-04-08

This is one of Ravi Shankar's very best recordings, and one of the best introductions to the beauty and grandeur of Indian classical music you'll ever find. All three ragas here are given a masterly performance, particularly raga Jog, which is perhaps my favorite. Ravi's inventiveness and profundity are breathtaking!

Newcomers to this genre will also want to listen to the duet recording of sarodist Ali Akbar Khan and sitarist Nikhil Banerjee performing ragas Manj Khammaj and Misra Mand. Although these two masters were taught by the same guru who taught Ravi Shankar, their style and approach is different from (but just as beautiful as) Ravi's.

Average customer rating: Instant Meditation! Supurb music very nice, good for contemplation in the afternoon Satisfying ! Incredible from every standpoint

Ragas & Talas Ravi Shankar Manufacturer: Angel Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD India | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music General | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Reggae | International | Styles | Music General | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music Similar Items: Three Ragas A Morning Raga/An Evening Raga The Sounds of India India's Master Musician Sound of the Sitar ASIN: B00004LML9 Release Date: 2000-02-29

Tracks:

1. Raga Jogiya
2. Dhun
3. Rupak Tal
4. Raga Madhu-Kauns

Customer Reviews:

Instant Meditation! .......2007-03-27

This cd is awesome! It is the first Ravi Shankar cd I've bought, and I was very happy with it. The first track starts out slow, and when the drums kick in it's like you are instantly transported into a deep meditative state. I'd highly recommend this cd for anyone interested in this genre of music!

Supurb music.......2006-12-23

All music is art. The feeling of this recording is one of happiness and playfulness. The interplay between sitar and tabla makes for an exciting listening experience. Truly a masterpiece by the master, Mr. Shankar and Mr. Rakha. Highly recommended for this genre.

very nice, good for contemplation in the afternoon.......2005-07-09

This is a very nice album of Ravi Shankars. I recommend it highly.

Satisfying !.......2004-05-05

It is hard to select any particular CD from "The Ravi Shankar collection" so I've been buying all of them. Jogiya has a melancholic mood associated to it and is beatifully rendered here. One can find a lot of sad songs in Hindi movies based on this Raga.
While most of the Kauns' are among the heavier ragas this one (Madhu-Kauns) is exceptionally beautiful. Also, it is the most evenly paced recordings I've heard of this raga. It all happens in about 20 minutes! It starts with a slow, sad mood which keeps tugging at your heart. Once you are almost satisfied with the alaap, it gets into a medium paced momentum which gives a feeling of having a leisurely walk in a park with lots of little nooks with a variety of flowers. A little more that half way into the raga, it starts running, taking small flights at times, which give you brief flashes of even more beautiful scenes. One can feel the rhythm in the background, but the tabla is not playing yet ! Its an amazing feeling !
I usually stop at this point but to all the die-hard fans of tabla, there is still more. The last few minutes build up a dancing crescendo between the Sitar and the tablas which takes you to a climax.

P.S: Listen to it with no distractions, headphones preferred. Keep a cigarette ready just in case.

Incredible from every standpoint.......2000-07-19

The musicianship displayed by Ravi Shankar here is absolutely phenomenal! I am fairly new to the works of Shankar, this is only the 5th cd of his I've heard. By far though, it is the best. I am not 100% knowledgeble on the techniques and characteristics of Indian music yet as I am a novice, I am basing this review mostly on how the music makes me feel. The sound quality is incredibly crisp and life like; sounds just like it was recorded yesterday! Considering this was originally recorded in 1964 the sound here is very impressive, a very good remastering job! The liner notes are very informative, yet thankfully brief. They give a nice run down of ragas and so forth, in terminology that non-seasoned listeners like myself can comprehend. An excellent choice for the relatively low cost! I would definitely recommend this for newcomers to the wonderful world of sitar music.

Average customer rating: Magnificent!!! ONE OF THE GREATEST INDIAN MUSICIANS Allauddin Khan's Genius of the Sitar Music Of Inner Mind

Afternoon Ragas Rotterdam 1970 Nikhil Banerjee Manufacturer: Raga ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD India | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music General | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Reggae | International | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Three Ragas Rag Hemant Amsterdam 1970 A Morning Raga/An Evening Raga Shree Rag: Munich 1976 The Raga Guide: Survey of 74 Hindustani Ragas ASIN: B000009CLM Release Date: 1992-06-01

Tracks:

1. Rag Bhimpalasri: Alap
2. Rag Bhimpalasri: Slow Rupak
3. Rag Bhimpalasri: Fast Titnal
4. Rag Bhimpalasri: Jhalla
5. Rag Multani: Alap
6. Rag Multani: Medium Tintal
7. Rag Multani: Fast Tintal
8. Rag Multani: Jhalla

Album Description

Bhimpalasri: Late afternoon; mood of devotion, pathos, joy. "You can make the animals cry with this rag..." Multani: Late afternoon. "Take out pathos effect of morning and put in devotion and heroic..." "...as sun is going down and down, komal ri and tivra ma start coming out..." (Quotes from Ali Akbar Khan classes.)

Customer Reviews:

Magnificent!!!.......2006-10-09

I am no music expert. However I think it can be safely said a MUST buy. I own this CD and find the performances really beautiful, with Nikhil Banerjee's trade mark grace, ornamentations and sheer mastary over both the instrument and the medium.

ONE OF THE GREATEST INDIAN MUSICIANS.......2005-07-09

One of my Indian musicians. I have all his albums. Banerjee is sometimes overlooked in the West, but I often think he even surpasses Ravi Shankar. Others I love are Hariprasad Chaurasia ("Venu"),Irshad Khan ("Magic of Twilight") and Akbar Khan ("Garden of Dreams", and "Journey"). I like these artists because they are easy to listen to and put one in a meditative state.

Allauddin Khan's Genius of the Sitar.......2004-12-12

I'll just state the obvious first: This is a masterpiece!

I used to be of the mindset of only listening to ragas during their prescribed time of day but I have kind of gotten out of that. Now I listen to whatever I need to listen to whenever I am in the mood for it... which brings me to this disc.

Recorded live in Rotterdam in 1970, Nikhil Banerjee and Kanai Dutta give what are, for me, "deep dark dead of night" performances of 2 afternoon ragas. Very little compares to listening to this disc around 2 or 3am with all the lights off and just the flickering of a few candles flashing through your closed eyelids. I don't mean this is relax and zone-out music (as is the general stereotype), though. You will be hanging on every note, every emotion. There is just something so deep and so emotional about Nikhil's brilliant tone and melodic invention here... these are performances that burrow into your soul.

Part of Nikhil's power (at least to my ears) was that he seemed to have a surbahar sensibility, yet he played the sitar. His tone, melodic ideas, and his meends are on a whole other level. Of course no one can put a musical experience in words, but there are a couple notes here... a couple phrases that haunt me. The whole performance is excellent... I don't mean to make it sound like there are just a couple moments... but what I mean is that there are some things he does here that feel as if the entire beautiful history of Hindustani music was leading up to those couple phrases. You just feel it all. I'm not sure any other sitarist ever had "the power of One Note" the way Nikhil had it.

Add Nikhil's power of melody and tone with Kanai Dutta's remarkable precision and dexterity on tabla and you have the recipe for some wonderous gats.

Pick this one up for yourself, turn off the lights and be moved.

Music Of Inner Mind.......2000-12-24

Nikhil Banerjee is a genius of North Indian Classical music and it is a rare opportunity to have afternoon raga collection from this great musician. In this album the artist takes the listner on a pleasent journey of devotion by the late afternoon ragas Multani and Bhimpalasri. It has all the ingredients of this genius. The alap, gat with exquistie tans are excellent and you can heard the unique style of jhalla. This CD is filled with Pandit Nikhil Banerjee's playful mode and melodic skill. As I am also a sitar player I had a very satisfying experience. I recommend this is a must buy for his fans and who loved to listen Sitar.

Average customer rating: Definitely not medittational Eclectic release Vary satisfying! purify your mind Enchanting mediation material

Flute & Sitar Music of India: Meditational Ragas Ragas Manufacturer: Delta ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD India | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music General | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music South Asia | Compilations | International | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | International General | International | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | International General | International | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs Under $7 | India | International | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | India | International | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 International | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Sounds of India A Morning Raga/An Evening Raga Sitar and Surbahar Indian Classical Masters: Three Ragas for Solo Violin Sound of the Sitar ASIN: B000001V3W Release Date: 1993-09-21

Tracks:

1. Raga Malkauns - Alap And Gat In Jhaptal
2. Suite For Two Sitars And Indian Folk Ensemble Part One - Flute & Sitar Music Of India
3. Part Two - Flute & Sitar Music Of India
4. Meditational Raga Of Northern India - Flute & Sitar Music Of India

Tracks:

1. Raga Malkauns - Various Artist
2. Suite For Two Sitars And Indian Folk Ensemble: Part One - Various Artist
3. Suite For Two Sitars And Indian Folk Ensemble: Part Two - Various Artist
4. Meditational Raga Of Northern India - Various Artist

Customer Reviews:

Definitely not medittational.......2007-01-16

The first song is very soothing. But there are some irritating caughing heard in the background sometimes. 2nd song definitely do not fall under meditational category.

Eclectic release.......2003-01-22

I've had this CD now for about 6 years, but I didn't listen to it much until I was most of the way through graduate school. The first song could be construed, as Sonia said in her review, as "boring." It is nearly 35 minutes long, with flute beginning, then tabla joining soon after, and a quiet sitar droning along several minutes later. This is a very introspective and quiet song, and after I discovered the "repeat track" function on my portable CD player, I found I could listen to it for 6 or 8 hours as I studied or, later, worked.

The second and third tracks are much louder, a folk ensemble playing a 25-minute suite that reminds me of Philip Glass. The fourth track is, as its name implies, a meditational raga.

This CD is not Ravi Shankar--its focus, as the name implies, is FLUTE and sitar music. Still, it is a welcome addition to my small but growing collection of Indian and Middle Eastern music.

For those interested in long compositions that many might consider "boring" or repetitive, I'd also recommend Hussein el Masry's "Entre Nile et Gange (Between the Nile and Ganges)." The Egyptian master plays his oud, with a sitar accompanying, for some 53 minutes of interplay. Not for the short of attention span!

Vary satisfying!.......2000-02-10

I didn't care for the first selection on the CD and found it boring, but the rest was superb!

purify your mind.......1999-11-30

I've had this CD for about 5 years and I'm still listening to it on a regular basis for purifying my mind and spirit. The pure and simple beauty of the sitar and flute transforms you to a beautiful place and time...far...far...away...

Enchanting mediation material.......1999-08-12

Good mood music for meditation. A blend of styles ranging from old world to rural peasant celebration. But I doubt that anyone who is not appreciative of eastern culture would connect to this. I normally listen to it alone. Not a hit at parties, but I will get years of listening pleasure.

Average customer rating: Not what I was expecting If a Virtuoso Technically superb but the melody is not exciting... VANESSA-MAE CHOREOGRAPHY the best Vanessa Mae CD yet.

Choreography Peter Hajioff Vanessa-Mae Cohen , Jon Cohen , Kad / Vanessa-Mae Cohen Jon / Achouri , George Frideric Handel , Aram Khachaturian , A. R. Rahman , Walter Taieb , Walter / Vanessa-Mae Taieb , Vanessa-Mae , Vangelis , Bill Whelan , Cliff Masterson , Matt Dunkley , Nick Ingman , Paul Bateman , Tolga Kashif , Davide Giovannini , Ray Fean , Martin Narman , Alejandro Schwarz , Royal Philharmonic Orchestra , Yves Cohen , Fergus Gerrand , Salah Dawson Miller , Paul Jayasinha , Brian Dunphy , Cathal Synnott , and Deepa Narayan Manufacturer: Sony / Bmg Import ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Khachaturian | Khachaturian, Aram | ( K ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Vangelis | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vanessa-Mae | ( V ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Subject to Change Storm Best of Vanessa-Mae The Ultimate Ultimate Collection ASIN: B0002TB6G6 Release Date: 2004-09-20

Tracks:

1. Sabre Dance
2. Roxane's Veil
3. Bolero for Violin and Orchestra
4. Tango de Los Exilados
5. Havana Slide
6. Emerald Tiger
7. Tribal Gathering
8. Raga's Dance
9. Moroccan Roll
10. Minuet

Album Description

From the tribal dances of Africa to the silken grace of a European minuet, dance rhythms deliver the inspiration for Choreography, violin phenomenon Vanessa-Mae's first recording for the Sony Classical label. Backed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the stunning young violinist introduces new, dance-inspired tracks by composers as diverse as Oscar-winning Vangelis, Bill Whelan of Riverdance, Tolga Kashif (The Queen Symphony) & the Indian film composer A.R. Rahman (Bombay Dreams). Choreography will be released internationally in September 2004 (& in the U.S. early 2005). Sony.

Album Details

2004 Album from "The Violin Player" as She Makes her Debut for Sony Music. She Does Two Numbers with Legendary Instrumentalist Vangelis and Conquers the "Sabre Dance" and "Bolero".

Customer Reviews:

Not what I was expecting.......2007-06-04

I bought this CD several years ago even before it went on market in U.S., aftering finding out that she has a new CD coming out on her website. I was so excited that I ordered this CD from amazon.uk, paid twice the money too, as it was being released there several months before it was to go on sale in U.S.

However, after I listened to this CD, I was hugely dissapointed. While it has a great production value, orchestration, and showcases Vanessa-Mae's violin skills, I found most of the compositions to be nothing spectacular... and frankly, tedious... This failed introduction into Vanessa-Mae's work actually prevented me from trying out her other CDs for the past several years until now. For newcomers to Vanessa-Mae, I find her "The Violin Player" and "Best of Vanessa-Mae" to be immensly more superior CDs than this one.

If a Virtuoso.......2006-11-13

I absolutely without thought purchase all of Vanessa Mae's CDs'. The best aspect of her genius is her creativity and passion - you hear it in every note! She is without a doubt a first-class violinist who shoves traditional boundaries aside and absolutely roars like a muse - unrivaled.

Technically superb but the melody is not exciting..........2006-08-16

Vanessa Mae is an amazing violinist. Her notes literally dance and you can hear the spirit in the music. But I did not enjoy the music chosen on this CD. The tunes are not exciting.

VANESSA-MAE CHOREOGRAPHY.......2005-12-22

GREAT MUSIC AND I LOVE THE SABER DANCE.

the best Vanessa Mae CD yet........2005-08-28

Definitely liked it. She's always been a great violinist. the improvement is in the background composition. the score with music by Vangelis is awesome and the rest of the tracks are amazing.

Average customer rating: simple commentary Should be redone Can't Get Better Than This Meditation The Perception of an Eastern Sunrise.............

Ragas Ravi Shankar Manufacturer: Fantasy ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD India | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music General | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Reggae | International | Styles | Music General | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music Similar Items: A Morning Raga/An Evening Raga Three Ragas Ragas & Talas Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Vol 3 The Sounds of India ASIN: B000000XFA Release Date: 1990-07-09

Tracks:

1. Raga Palas Kafi - Ravi Shankar, Kanall Dutta, Nodu C. Kumar
2. Raga Bilashkani Todi - Ravi Shankar, Kanall Dutta, Ashish Kumar
3. Raga Ramdas Malhar
4. Raga Malika

Amazon.com essential recording

This 1973 release presents some precious collaborative music from the mid-'60s by India's greatest sitar player, Ravi Shankar, and master sarod player Ali Akbar Khan, for an insightful snapshot of Indian classical music in America during the 1960s. If it's possible to "jam" on the sitar and sarod, that's what these two masters do on the first two tracks while drone and tabla dance in and out of their soulful, somewhat improvised, vignette. "Ragas Ramdar Dalhar" takes its sweet time in unfolding, sprinkling glorious tones like raindrops before jumping into waves of ecstatic sound when the tabla furiously chimes in. "Raga Malika" is a steady, melodious piece, churning on with lively tabla and vibrant sarod. The CD's sound quality, while not up to late-1990s standards, is certainly free of crackling and distortion. Very listenable and a wonderful slice of history. --Karen Karleski

Customer Reviews:

simple commentary.......2006-11-10

Although I am a relative new-commer to the Raga form, I highly recommend this CD for both the familiar and unfamiliar listener. The quality of the recording is fine; the quality of the music is exceptional.

Should be redone.......2005-09-11

Needs to be remastered. Sounds like listening to an LP. Not like Fantasy Records to let this happen. Very easy today to take out this noise and scratches.
Brilliant performances.

Can't Get Better Than This.......2005-07-14

There is absolutely nothing that compares with this ... the music and the 'jugalbandi' (partnership) is just amazing. One has to understand the context really - Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan share the same Guru and while their stylstic approachs may be different, the essential development of the raag-s is the same. Also, both know the other very well and can almost anticipate each other's 'moves' - though I daresay anticipating Ustad Ali Akbar Khan is in the realm of fantasy! Buy this and all that you can get of the duo on a CD! Priceless.

Meditation.......2003-12-29

Simply put, no words or review can do this recording justice. I urge you to find some time for yourself, close your eyes, shut down the other senses and take in this wonderful recording.

The Perception of an Eastern Sunrise....................2003-03-22

This album is of the best of Shankar as the album moves in a way different than that of any other that he has done, including his earlier works as well as his most recent. The album thrives in a realm of soothing, hypnotic, beautiful melodys and drones from the sitar as well as ryhthmic percussion from the Tabla.

Ben.
the 16 Year old.

Average customer rating: Further On...Further In "West Eats Meet" Is The One C.D. That I Take Everywhere!

West Eats Meet Harry Manx Manufacturer: Dog My Cat Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Blues | Styles | Music Slide Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music General | Reggae | International | Styles | Music Similar Items: Mantras for Madmen Road Ragas Live Jubilee Wise and Otherwise Dog My Cat ASIN: B00025DZ9G Release Date: 2005-05-24

Tracks:

1. Help Me
2. Make Way for the Living
3. Shadow of the Whip
4. Great Unknown
5. Forgive & Remember
6. Sittin' on Top of the World
7. That Knowing Look of Fate
8. Sitr a Little Breeze
9. Tough & Tender
10. Ways of Love
11. Something of Your Grace
12. Hector's Song

Customer Reviews:

Further On...Further In.......2005-10-20

.....Another great release from Harry....

He says that this is his blending of American Gospel with his Indian Raga Blues. I didn't know what to expect, but the "gospel" sound is only really strong on one song (Sittin' on Top of the World, done in a light upbeat way). What is noticable, is the lyrics seem more upfront here. While Harry plays his usual tasteful mix of Lap Slide Guitar, Mohan Veena, Banjo, Harmonica and Tamboura, he also utilizes female backup vocals (rich and beautiful), keyboards, and tabla and other percussions, but puts these all backseat to supporting the songs. The result is a pop/R&B sound like Van Morrison at his mellow best. The instrumental fills are more Indian sounding (Mohan Veena slide and Tabla). These are spiritual blues or blues washed in light, the gospel part is that the intent is a blending of East and West spiritual roots music.

These are deep and profound songs but packaged and delivered in an easy listening way. As he sings in Stir A Little Breeze, "The world is a tale, told by a fool...Come see real flowers, of this painful world, their numbers few...This ways' not for the blind"

"West Eats Meet" Is The One C.D. That I Take Everywhere!.......2004-12-05

....I first saw Harry in Grand Rapids, Michigan and was mesmerized by his sound, I now watch his tour dates and call ALL of my friends from the East Coast to West Coast to inform them of his arrival in their cities and towns. Harry is not to be missed! But, if you can't see him live "West Eats Meet" is a phenomenal piece of work and the biggest sleeper of the year! A must have in your music library!

Average customer rating: East meets West musically with fantastic results

Sitar Concertos & Other Works Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music India | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music General | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Reggae | International | Styles | Music Similar Items: West Meets East: The Historic Shankar Menuhin Collection Concerto for Sitar & Orchestra A Morning Raga/An Evening Raga West Meets East, Vol. 2 Passages ASIN: B0007RO598 Release Date: 2005-05-24

Tracks:

1. Morning Love
2. Raga Piloo
3. Prabhati
4. I. Raga Khamaj
5. II. Raga Sindhi Bhairavi
6. III. Raga Adana
7. IV. Raga Manj Khamaj

Tracks:

1. Raga: Purlya Kalyan
2. Swara-Kakali
3. I. Lalit (Presto)
4. II. Bairagi (Moderato)
5. III. Yaman Kalyan (Moderato)
6. IV. Mian Ki Malhar (Allegro)

Customer Reviews:

East meets West musically with fantastic results.......2006-02-03

This is more than two hours of acclaimed sitar master Ravi Shankar grooving with a variety of Western orchestral instruments in both classical Western and classical Indian musical settings.

The former includes two concertos for sitar and orchestra; the latter includes two ragas and other traditional works.

Shankar is joined by plenty of heavy hitters. The conductors for the two concertos are Andre Previn and Zubin Mehta; Yehudi Menuhin and Jean-Pierre Rampal are the top classical music soloists to join Shankar on other pieces.

And the creativity to write the two concertos? Incredible.

And, the recording quality on these two CDs, including the degree of stereo separation on the smaller instrumented pieces, is great. For example, the Morning Love had fantastic sound, and separation, between the sitar and tabla. Made me feel like I was on a rug about six feet away from two real performers, just as my speakers are.

Average customer rating: Hauntingly beautiful

Celtic Ragas Chinmaya Dunster , and Vidroha Jamie Manufacturer: New Earth Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music Relaxation | New Age | Styles | Music Celtic | Europe | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Feng Shui Sacred Temples of India Karma Circles Yoga: On Sacred Ground Fragrance of the East: Live in India ASIN: B0000253WV Release Date: 2002-07-02

Tracks:

1. Chance Meeting
2. The Mists Of Ruantallain
3. At The Edge Of The Known World
4. Mere Hamsafar
5. Tara
6. The Goddess
7. Wandering Way
8. A Gypsy Tale
9. Dorset

Amazon.com

Although it's not quite the fusion of reel and raga suggested by the title, Celtic Ragas features sarod player Chinmaya Dunster and guitarist Vidroha Jamie finding a surprisingly fertile common ground between Irish and Indian music. Dunster and Jamie, along with a group of musicians who play violin, percussion, flute, bass, and tanpura, create gentle soundscapes that range from the playful rhythms of "A Gypsy Tale" to the haunting, almost spooky beauty of "The Mists of Ruantallain." The arrangements are focused, and even on slow, meditative tracks like "Mere Hamsafar," the tempo never drags and the melodies don't meander. The mix of Indian and Irish elements works particularly well on "Tara," on which the buzzing, microtonal sound of the sarod meshes with the rhythms of a courtly dance and creates a sonic dream where the musicians of Ireland and India play in the castle of an ancient Celtic king. Dunster and Jamie describe Celtic Ragas as "Indo-Celtic chill-out music," a too-trendy term that nonetheless captures the essence of their soothing sound. --Michael Simmons

Album Description

Celtic Ragas is a musical love affair between Celtic and Indian instrumentation. The strings of Dunster's sarod and Jamie's guitar eloquently meld into rich, flowing melodies making the similarities between the musical traditions of these two cultures apparent.

Customer Reviews:

Hauntingly beautiful.......2002-08-01

This engaging and often startingly beautiful instrumental CD speaks of an ancient kinship that links the Celts and the peoples of southern Asia. To be sure, it isn't easy to reconcile two very different musical traditions -- Celtic music emphasizes harmony, while Indian music emphasizes melody -- but these two very talented musicians (and an equally talented backup ensemble) explore the possible intersections in a number of intriguing ways. A wonderful CD to share for late-night snuggling, reflection or meditation, or serious listening with fellow musicians who wish to explore nuanced intersections between vastly different musical genres.

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Rock Music

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