Search - Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Ustad Vilayat Khan :: Psychedelic Music of India

Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Ustad Vilayat Khan
Psychedelic Music of India
Genres: International Music, Pop, Classical

Track Listings (12) - Disc #1
1. Introduction by Yehudi Menuhin
2. Rag Sindhu Bhairavi
3. Introduction by Yehudi Menuhin
4. Rag Pilu Baroowa
5. Raga Des
6. Raga Pahadi
7. Raga Mishra Khamaj: Alap
8. Raga Mishra Khamaj: Gat
9. Raga Bihag
10. Bhatiyali Dhun
11. Raga Chandrakauns: Asthai
12. Raga Chandrakauns: Jalad

CD Details

All Artists: Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Ustad Vilayat Khan
Title: Psychedelic Music of India
Members Wishing: 1
Total Copies: 0
Label: El Records
Release Date: 10/30/2007
Album Type: Import
Genres: International Music, Pop, Classical
Styles: India & Pakistan, India
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 5013929312135

Synopsis

Album Description

Both regarded as absolute masters in their homeland Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Ustad Vilayat Khan, exact contemporaries and sarod and sitar players respectively are in India spoken of with the same reverence that is usually reserved for Ravi Shankar.Of course both are familiar to students of the genre of Indian classical music in the west (Vilayat Khan is known for his famous score to the merchant-ivory film "The Guru") but the commercial potential of their incredible art is only now beginning to be realised. Like Shankar, their work is hypnotic and spellbinding realised by flawless technique through a lifetime of devotion to their music.

CD Reviews

Spectacular display of virtuosity

L. Topper | 11/02/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."