Customer Reviews:
 If you listen to no other sitar raga ... September 1, 2008
Augustus T. White (Houston)
This is as good and as approachable as the sitar gets. Shankar is disparaged by some of the cognoscenti of ICM (Indian Classical Music). They are simply wrong. His spectacular, explosive style and control of the lower ranges remains unmatched. And this is one of his best recordings. It is also easy on the western ear; although, as a mishra (not a pure raga -- he adds some incidentals), I reserve the right to get a bit precious about it. Still, this recording shows the young Ravi Shankar at the eye-bulging top of his technical form, with crisp, lightning taans (runs), imaginative development, and micrometric control of rhythm. Typical of Shankar, his use of meends (bends involving microtones) is restrained, and the Alap (critical arhythmic introductory section) is badly underdeveloped. But all is forgiven because he's just so damned good at what he does. Those who like this piece may enjoy Nikhil Banerjee, Shahid Parvez, and a total unknown named Partho Das (if you can find anything by him) -- as well as almost anything else by Ravi Shankar.
|
