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Then And Now: The Music Of The Great Master Continues
Ustad Ali Akbar Khan
Then And Now: The Music Of The Great Master Continues
Genres: International Music, Jazz, New Age, Pop, Classical
 
  •  Track Listings (4) - Disc #1
  •  Track Listings (2) - Disc #2

This Grammy-nominated double-CD commemorates the 40th anniversary of sarod maestro Ali Akbar Khan's first LP. Disc 1 features Khan's landmark 1955 album that is known today as the first Indian classical recording to appear...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Ustad Ali Akbar Khan
Title: Then And Now: The Music Of The Great Master Continues
Members Wishing: 1
Total Copies: 0
Label: Ammp Records
Release Date: 9/7/1995
Genres: International Music, Jazz, New Age, Pop, Classical
Styles: Far East & Asia, Reggae, India & Pakistan, India
Number of Discs: 2
SwapaCD Credits: 2
UPC: 723181950727

Synopsis

Amazon.com
This Grammy-nominated double-CD commemorates the 40th anniversary of sarod maestro Ali Akbar Khan's first LP. Disc 1 features Khan's landmark 1955 album that is known today as the first Indian classical recording to appear on a 33-1/3 rpm album--and the first time that a musician could record ragas of 20 minutes or more. The second disc consists of a stellar 1994 concert recording of Khan and tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain. Comparing performances that are separated by four decades showcases Khan's brilliance for melody and timing; it also reveals more complex interplay with his accompanist, a heightened emotional focus, and a more aggressive picking style. With its extensive biographical notes, this set is an ideal introduction to one of the great musical geniuses of the 20th century. --Richard Price
 

CD Reviews

Great
Dr. Debra Jan Bibel | 07/11/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ali Akbar Khan is another example of the mingling of Hindu and Islamic cultures in India. The Muslim hordes that over-ran India had no appreciation of music, but were taught how to appreciate music by the Hindus they encountered (and in some cases, even conquered). As a result, Northern Indian classical music (Hindustani) became a form of music practiced by Muslims and Hindus alike, and took on a different flavor than that of the undisturbed Southern Indian (Carnatic) classical music. Ali Akbar Khan is one of the greatest examples of this fusion. His family - along with several other Muslim families such as Zakir Hussain's or Amjad Ali Khan's, embraced Indian classical music and became its greatest exponents. This is truly an unusual and great artist, and a great recording"
A two disk set-for a wonderful afternoon
10/25/1998
(4 out of 5 stars)

"The first disk is a rerelease of two ragas recorded in 1955. The first is based on a traditional melody, the second is his own composition. The tabla is played by Chatur Lal. The second disk was recorded in 1994. The two ragas are again a traditional and composed melodies. The tabla is played by Zakir Hussain. The insert is filled with information about his music."
Then and Now...and Now
Dr. Debra Jan Bibel | Oakland, CA USA | 06/25/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)

"With the recent death of Ali Akbar Khan (June 2009), all recordings of his have taken on greater import. Thus, this anniversary edition looks back to 1955 and the first Western release of Hindustani music. (It was also when I was introduced to such music.) Remarkably, that old recording, now remastered onto digital disc, still is wonderful art, full of energy and melody for the first piece, befitting a late morning rag, and thoughful, passionate, and romantic for the second rag, common to early evening. Khan was then but age 33, a journeyman in a musician's life, though even at that time he was an acknowledged master.



The second disc consists of works performed in 1994 when Khan was a vigorous, young 73. Part one is a solo, a rhythm-free alap, an improvisation of springtime. Tabla wizard Zakir Hussain accompanied him on the second part, a gat and synthesis of two ragas. Here, the mood lifts with a sense of peace and inner joy. On this day there was none of the blazing fireworks or playful, humorous exchanges that I had witnessed in similar concerts of theirs around this period. And I miss it. The music is very fine but relatively tame and stately. Nonetheless, the improvisations on both sarod and tabla are strong and demonstrate how far and how short Ali Akbar Khan had come over the years. The enclosed booklet is valuable for its photographs, history, and discography."