Customer Reviews

Psychedelic Music of India

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This disc has music from Ali Akbar Khan and Vilayat Khan. The works are recordings from EMI (India). The AAK recordings are introduced by Yehudi Menuhin. The recordings are from the 1950's. They are mono, but the sound is excellent. AAK's technique is wonderful and the playing is beautiful exhibiting excellent taste. I believe that AAK is the finest sarod player that I have ever heard. His recordings will not diappoint. Both the recordings by AAK and VK have accompaniment by tabla. ADDITIONALLY, I MUST SAY THAT AFTER LISTENING TO SOME SAREGAMA REISSUES OF THE SAME MUSICAL SELECTIONS BY VILAYAT KHAN, THESE ARE MUCH BETTER ENGINEERED. THE SAREGAMA SET IS SO OVER FILTERED THAT IT HAS BECOME UNLISTENABLE WITH SIGNIFICANT ADDITION OF DIGITAL ARTIFACTS. THIS MAKES THE SET HERE FAR MORE VALUABLE.

If you have listened to the later recordings by VK, you will notice that he sings alot. He does not on these recordings. In truth, he was an extremely beautiful player. These recordings are not diminished by the singing that he did in many of his later recordings.

I have read that singing has always been very important to VK. It has had a big influence on his sitar playing I do not doubt this, but I prefer to hear the sitar playing without his vocalizing. I believe that listening to these recordings of his earlier recordings will want to make you search for more of his EMI recordings (which are not so easy to find).

If you do a little internet research, you will find articles that state taht VK had a significant rivalry with Ravi Shankar. He plays a very different style than Shankar.

Ali Akbar Khan had a gift and he shared it with the entire world, particualrly with the United States where he built s school of music.

I am drawn to the complexity of his music and this is an excellent recording to introduce yourself to his artistry. The recordings are alive, spontaneous and contemplative. It is a work of rare genious. It can be appreciated by a novice such as myself and, again, is an excellent introduction to a most gifted musician and his ancient instrument.

I like the mono recording - it comes accross as a bold statement of the music and it sounds authentic. This is honest artistry. It is Art.

Most highly recommended to beginners.

Ali Akbar Khan (1922-2009) was the son of Hindustani musician Allaudin Khan. Some truly great Middle Eastern / Raga / World Music to be fully experienced here. Definitely an acquired taste, but if you're in the right rfame of mind, this CD can certainly do a lot for you. Tracks that I couldn't get enough of were the out-of-this-world "Raga Des", the spellbinding "Raga Pahadi" (brilliant sitar work), "Raga Bihag" and the fantastic "Bhatiyali Dhun". Recommended for fans of Ravi Shankar, Nikhil Banerjee and possibly Tony Conrad.