Calcutta Slide-Guitar, Vol. 3

Debashish Bhattacharya

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 26, 2005)
• Original Release Date: April 26, 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Riverboat
• ASIN: B0007XTQ5U
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #187,087 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

A hypnotic music with a thousand years of tradition behind it, Indian raga is typically played on sitar and tabla. Debashish Bhattacharya is most definitely a part of the raga tradition, but he continues it by playing three uniquely modified guitars: two are composites of a guitar with droning sitar strings and one is a sort of slide ukulele. While the instruments look strange, Bhattacharya (who has achieved Pandit, or master, status) gets that classic sitar sound out of them. Playing by using a unique three-finger picking style, the guitarist picks sitar-like bent notes, burrs, and leaps; he also gets a myriad of tones and accents with his slide (which he occasionally also uses to add a subtle delta blues flavor). He's often joined by his brother Subhasis on tabla, and the dialogue between them is telepathic. Definitely one of the more unusual traditional albums to come out of India, this features a musician finding his own path within the tradition with consummate musicianship and an innovative (third) eye toward the future. --Tad Hendrickson

Product Description

Pandit (master) Debashish Bhattacharya is one of the world’s most remarkable slide guitarists and this album represents the culmination of a lifetime of intensive study, performance and innovation. All the guitars heard on 3: Calcutta Slide-Guitar are unique instruments designed by Debashish himself, a Trinity of Guitars – Chaturangui, Gandharvi and Anandi – representing three generations of instruments, while also continuing a thousand-year tradition of music. 3: Calcutta Slide-Guitar dazzles the listener with hypnotic patterns and stunning music shaped from Debashish’s original three-finger picking technique.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Transcendent and life-changing, June 3, 2005

By	Tom Austin (Sonoma County, Ca USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

That editorial review is, for a change, right on the money. For those already familiar with Indian classical music, this CD needs no explanation: Debashish is one of the finest servants of the raga breathing today, and hearing him explore these pieces with his brother Subhashis on tabla is an experience not to be missed. "Telepathic" is not too strong of a word to describe their interplay. The pieces chosen here mesh equally well together, from the light joyfulness of Aanandam (played on the anandi), building in primal intensity through the night time gandharvi pieces of Prema Chakor and Nata Raaj, and, bursting into brilliant morning sunshine with the chaturangui pieces, Usha, Prabha, and Maha Shakti. To listen closely to these pieces in order is a transcendent experience resulting in a higher state of consciousness which persists long after the notes have died away.


For those who have not heard Debashish before, you are missing out. He is quite possibly the finest guitarist breathing today. For those steeped in western guitar, imagine a player with the speed and precision to make any speed-metal virtuoso hang his head in shame, while packing so much soul and emotion into each and every note that B. B. King would burst out in tears on hearing it. Don't be intimidated by "Indian classical music". This music is alive and sensual, and you don't need a degree in music theory to "get it". Just put it on, feel the groove, and be carried away. This CD will change the way you listen to music forever.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars much too much too much, May 10, 2006

By	Dr. Tim J. Edensor (Manchester UK,) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This music is so astonishingly beautiful it should be reserved for rare moments. Sometimes, I find it too emotional and as other reviewers have suggested, it combines genius musicianship with sublime improvisation. Indian music like this seems to put great emphasis on the pure beauty of single notes, bent and polished into moments of magic. My record of 2005 by miles, a treasure generously given to the world.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Astonishingly beautiful., January 5, 2006

By	Paul Caton (NUI Galway, Ireland) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This will bring tears to your eyes and you will thank whichever deities you believe in that there are musicians like this in the world. Bhattacharya's love for and devotion to his musical heritage rings out of every note. If, like me, you are trying to learn guitar, this will inspire and move you. As the previous reviewer suggested, forget about whether you think Indian classical music is your "thing" or not; this transcends any genre boundaries and speaks to all of us.