The Whole Music Experience

Ragas were introduced in the West during the 1950s, and grew in popularity in the United States with Ravi Shankar performing both Indian classical music recitals and performing in pop-rock music festivals. His musical relationship with George Harrison also brought the sitar and ragas to public prominence in the West. Today, ragas come in many guises, from pure and sacred to pop and jazz fusion.  A variety of young talent emerges from India these days blending raga traditions from the South and North of the Subcontinent.  Western instruments were introduced as well, such as the saxophone and slide guitar, though the Indian slide guitar is different in that it contains sympathetic strings much like an Indian sarod or sitar.  Any fan of world music has come across Indian ragas in one form or another. I pulled out a random stack of CDs from my Indian music collection.  You can use these recordings as a jumping off point or you can visit a public library and check...

The Pleasures of Indian Ragas My introduction to Indian classical ragas was a humbling experience. It was 2003, I had just started discovering music from around the world as a music journalist (making a transition from alternative rock to world music) and I attended my first Indian classical recital. Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma (santoor) and Zakir Hussain (tabla) headlined at the King Cat Theatre in Seattle. A few thousand Indians filled the theatre to the brim, and only a handful of Anglo-Americans were in attendance. I sat next to one, who thankfully was an expert on Indian classical music. I received a comp to attend the recital if I reviewed it for World Music Central and my own website at the time Cranky Crow World Music . So I sat down waiting for the recital to begin. The musicians tuned their instruments on a carpeted-covered platform on the stage and then dove into the Alap section of the raga. Only I couldn’t tell when the tuning of t...

Ravi Shankar's 90th Anniversary (April 7, 2010) Ravi Shankar Nine Decades Vol. I (1967-68) East Meets West Music Distributed by Harmonia Mundi On the second track of Nine Decades, Vol. I, a reporter interviews American concert goers about the Pandit Ravi Shankar performance they witnessed. The interviews took place in 1967 and many of the responses appeared astute, especially by the third person interviewed, a man who reflected about exposure to music from other countries, leading to exposure to global art and cultures. And indeed, traditional musicians such as Ravi Shankar certainly paved the way for global cultural exchange. I doubt there is a household in the US or any European countries that has not heard of Ravi Shankar. They might not have heard his ragas, but the name has grown synonymous with classical Indian music and for some folks, the master sitarist comes up in conjunction with The Beatles, especially George Harrison. I’m excited about East Meets West R...

Doug Cox & Salil Bhatt Slide to Freedom 2 Make a Better World Northern Blues In 2003 I interviewed Canadian bluesman Harry Manx at the Vancouver International Folk Festival. As we sat in the gorgeous Jericho Beach park (Vancouver, Canada), and the sun washed over us, Harry and I discussed his unique blend of American blues and classical Indian ragas. I was also introduced to the music of Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, founder of the Mohan Veena. As synchronicity played its role, I received 2 albums by Vishwa Mohan Bhatt shortly after that, which I enjoyed immensely. Fast forward to the present where I am listening to Vishwa's son, Salil Bhatt, also a Indian slide guitarist, team up with Canadian slide guitarist Doug Cox on Slide to Freedom 2 (Make a Better World). You'll find nothing short of high-vibrational music on this disc. Blues pieces sung by John Boutte mix with ragas. I especially like the blues piece, I Scare Myself and of course, the rousing For You Blu...