Ravi Shankar & Ali Akbar Khan in Concert 1972 [Import]

Product Description
A Double CD Collaboration Between the Two Great Masters of Indian Instrumental Music, Ravi Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan, was a Rare Occurrance and this Recording was Made at their Memorable Concert at the Philharmonic Hall, New York on October 8th, 1972. The Strict Rules and Intricacies Governing Indian Classical Music Pose Difficulties for an Improvising Musican, However These Two Geniuses Manage to Conjure Up Phrases to Tantalize One Another, to Coax Certain Responses, to Challenge and Query, Each Time with a Result More Fantastic Than Before. Truly a Meeting of the Souls.

Tracks:

Vandanaa Trayee
Omkaaraaya Namaha
Vedic Chanting (One)
Asato Maa
Sahanaa Vavatu
Poornamadah
Gaayatri
Mahaa Mrityunjaya (Om Triambakam)
Veenaa-Murali (Music Interlude)
Geetaa (Karmanye Vadhikaraste)
Mangalam (Tala Mantra)
Hari Om (Music Interlude)
Svara Mantra
Vedic Chanting (Two)
Prabhujee
Sarve Shaam

Amazon.com essential recording

Mantram is Ravi Shankar's effort to set Sanskrit chants from ancient Hindu scriptures to music, and the result is a captivating mix of chant and music. Produced by George Harrison, this collection of mantras and prayers from the Vedas, Upanishads, and other scriptures powerfully transports the listener to a place of peace where it's possible to be one with the universe. It's as if a heavy, enveloping cloak of serenity falls from the dark, floating sounds of cello opening the CD. Shankar employs flute, tamboura, harp, and other instruments to accent the mighty "Om" thread that weaves itself through the cloth of this album, bringing together deep, ominous voices with delicate, earthly instruments. One looking for extensive Shankar sitar might be disappointed, but the beauty of this artist's creativity and spiritual vision sweeps one away into a larger, more meaningful listening experience. Highly recommended. --Karen Karleski

Customer Reviews:

Authentic Hindu Chants.......2007-06-14

This is the perfect CD for the beginner who wants to learn Hindu chanting. The words to each song are included in the jacket. The words are easy to understand for the most part given the complexity of the language. And most importantly, the music is hauntingly beautiful. I knew this was a winner when I saw Harrison as producer.

George and Ravi combine worship and melody for a one-of-akind experience.......2007-05-04

Ravi Shankar and George Harrison are two of this world's greatest composers and musicians, so it makes sense that a unified effort would be incredible. It is, but not just because of these two men... To backtrack a little, my Mom and Dad first bought this CD when I was about five; it had George Harrison's name under the word producer and (I think) they were beginning to be interested in the Hindu faith. In those days, and for many years, I had no idea what the words they were saying meant. I was simply captivated by the repeated, strange phrases and the beautiful music they were set to. The music is still one of my favorite parts of the CD and without it, the CD would barley be half of what it is, but now being much older I have had the opportunity to delve into the booklet inside the CD case. These words, whether traditional or written by Ravi Shankar are a beauty in and of themselves. Each one prays for spiritual enlightenment, better knowledge of a diety or knowledge and wisdom in general. The recurring theme of peace and safty/tranquility among all things is also welcome. An example of this earnest praying is "O,Lord lead me from the unreal to the real. Lead me from the darkness to the light [from ignorance to knowledge]. Lead me from death to immortality. May there be peace, peace and perfect peace" ( from track 4, Asato Maa.) Also to be carefully headed are those chants which dwell proper human action, such as "You have but the right to perform action; you have no hold on the results thereof. May you not seek the rewards of action and may you never engage in wrong action.[This is not an excuse for inaction!" ( track 9, Geetaa.) There are other varied but always interesting chants here: instructions by a guru or teacher for his students (track 3, Vedic Chanting One), chants praising certain gods, and most fascinating of all, chants wishing for peace and tranquility. These such as Mangalam (track 11) and Sarve Shaam (track 16 and a huge favorite), combined with beautiful instrumental interludes (those who have seen 'Concert for George' may be reminded of Arpan), and the exquisite instrumentation and production by George Harrison (rest in Son of Hari!) come together to make a sublime and deep, enlightening musical experience. This truly a gorgeous album, incredible to listen to (though to get it just for the beatiful instruments, or the name of the producer for that matter, would be to miss the point.) If I tried to list favorites I'd probably end up listing the whole album. Here are a few highlights: Vandanaa Trayee, the opening track and a beautiful combination of introductory music, three sepearte prayers and interludes, tracks 3 and 14, the two vedic chants, Mangalam, a prayor for peace, and the similar Sarve Shaam, Asato Maa, tracks 5, 7, and 8 (7/8 CAN get repetative after a while,12 and 13 ( atmospheric intstrumental trackss), Geetaa, and a Ravi Shankar original Prabhujee. This, track 15 of 16, is a wondefully melodic, well-produced and warming, beautiful prayer for divine enlightenment and is worth a good listen. Track 2 has an interesting concept to it as well. All in all, this album is a wonderful buy for those interested in Hindu chants, beatuiful music or just spritual enlightenment. Well produced, beautiful instruments, deep, depth-filled chants- what more can the open minded listen want!? 5/5. Om shaantih, Shaantih, Shaantih [Amen; May there be peace, peace and perfect peace.]

uplifting.......2007-04-06

Very peaceful and relaxing music. I got it because I am a George Harrison fan and have seen both George and Ravi Shankar in concert. I also wanted to experience more indian religous music.

Chants Of India: Ravi Shankar.......2007-04-01

This is one of my most cherished disks. I find the Sanskrit mantras rendered in Ravi Shankar's compositions, as well as the traditional Vedic chanting heard on this disk, definitive and powerfully moving. Additonally, the modern-style love song to God, "Prabhujee", features beautiful words and melody over George Harrison's acoustic guitar chording, evoking deep feeling, longing for the Divine.

When I bought this disk years ago, it came with a booklet featuring extensive liner notes, including the Sanskrit portions written in the Devanagari script, with transliterations and translations by Panditjee himself. This disk has thereby proven itself a great resource in my studies of Sanskrit, enabling me to read - and therefore properly pronounce - these important verses. I hope this information is still provided in the disk, as a version I bought in India omitted these extensive texts.

Divine.......2007-01-10

One of my favorite CD's...to sprinkle all over my home as well as gifting it to friends. Raviji is truly Divine and George's participation, as well as George himself, is a gift from the Gods.

Average customer rating:

Solid Introduction to India's Master Musician
This is Perfect if You Want Just One Ravi Shankar CD
The Sitar Master
Excellent introduction to the legendary musician

The Essential Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Sounds of India
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ASIN: B000AO4NL8
Release Date: 2005-10-04

Tracks:

An Introduction To Indian Music
Dadra
Kafi-Holi (Spring Festival Of Colors)
Raga Des
Raga Palas Kafi (Excerpt)
Sitar Todi
Dhun: Fast Teental (Excerpt)

Tracks:

Swara-Kakali
Discovery Of India
Vandanaa Trayee
Village Dance
Raga Minature
Sandhya Raga
Memory Of Uday
Shanti Mantra
Ragas In Minor Scale
Chappaqua
Friar Park
Vaishnava janato/Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram
Offering

Customer Reviews:

Solid Introduction to India's Master Musician.......2006-03-31

Master musician Ravi Shankar makes the following observations in the opening track, "An introduction to Indian Music" (from 1957's THE SOUNDS OF INDIAN MUSIC): "The improvisation is the highlight in Indian music. The sheer joy of creating on the spot by a musician, always coming back to the main theme in the raga he has chosen is what listeners look forward to....The Western listener will appreciate and enjoy our music if he listens with an open and relaxed mind." And for more than two and a half hours, Shankar takes us on a musical journey that covers five decades of recordings.

Disc 1: Out of the East (74:40)

Most of these tracks are ragas and are taken from his albums of the fifties and sixties. The most recent is "Dhun: Fast Teental" from 1967, the same year Shankar earned both the Billboard Recording Artist and Musician of the year honors. All tracks feature a small ensemble with Shankar accompanied only by tabla and tambura (and sarod on "Raga Palas Kafi)."

Disc 2: Into the West (78:29)

The tracks on this disc feature Shankar in collaboration with Western musicians. "Swara-Kakali" features famed violinist Yehudi Menuhin. "Discovery of India" is from the soundtrack album GHANDI, for which Shankar received an Oscar nomination for best score. There are two tracks from 1990's PASSAGES, which teamed Shankar with minimalist composer Phillip Glass. "Ragas in Minor Scale" features Shankar's ensemble playing a Glass composition, while "Offering" has Glass's ensemble performing a Shankar composition (the only track that Shankar does not perform on).

And, of course, it's only fitting that Shankar's most famous disciple be included. No fewer than three tracks feature George Harrison on autoharp: "Village Dance," "Memory of Uday" (Harrison also plays synthesizer on these two tracks), and "Friar Park." In addition, Harrison produced "Vandanaa Trayee."

This is a solid introduction to the music of India's best known musical ambassador. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

This is Perfect if You Want Just One Ravi Shankar CD.......2006-03-10

It is not too often that you see a compilation compact disc that has all the essential tracks of an artist. It seems that the musicians always want to leave out a few so that you have to buy more CDs from them.

This CD, however, is truly made up of the best of Ravi Shankar. If you only wish to own one Ravi Shankar CD then this is for you.

The Sitar Master.......2006-03-04

This collection offers an accessible way to experience the works of Ravi Shankar, the man most responsible for what awareness there is in the West of Indian classical music traditions. The two-disc set is quite expansive: Disc one features pieces from 1957 to Shankar's Western "breakthrough" at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, while disc two features 13 tracks from 1967 to 1990. Highlights include: "Swara-Kakali," an impassioned instrumental duet that Shankar recorded with violinist Yehudi Menuhin in 1967; "Dhun: Fast Teental," an excerpt from his legendary performance at Monterey; several pieces from his work with George Harrison, including "Village Dance" and "Friar's Park;" and the delightful opening track on which Shankar himself introduces some of the basic elements of Indian classical style.

Harrison declared Shankar the "Godfather of world music," as the back of the CD indicates, and this collection is a perfect testament to why that's true. While the form may not be to everyone's taste here in the West, you'll be hard-pressed to find a more affordable entree into--or a more skilled ambassador of--this beautiful musical heritage.

Excellent introduction to the legendary musician.......2006-02-04

Into his 6th decade as a professional musician, 85 year-old Pandit Ravi Shankar is sometimes described as the father of world music and, "...his genius and his humanity can only be compared to that of Mozart's," according to Yehudi Menuhin. His impact on the music world, with his 90-something recordings and decades of touring, including sold out shows during his current tour, is absolutely immense. If there's someone else currently alive who has been an influential virtuoso for as long, I can not think of their name. Miles Davis would have been close but he passed away 1991. I'm also disappointed to see that on his upcoming tour, he's playing several Canadian cities, but not Winnipeg, where I live! He's selling out 2000 seat concert halls and could easily do the same here.

This two-CD set is actually more thoughtfully compiled than I imagined. Among my favorite recordings of his would be the 1990 album "Passages" - a true desert island recording - with Phillip Glass (1937). I assumed that album was too esoteric to be represented here, but it is, by two selections on disc 2. Disc 1, entitled "Out Of The East", features mostly ragas, spanning the decade from 1957 - 1967, from notable albums such as "The Sounds of India" (1954), "The Genius of Ravi Shankar" (1957) and "India's Master Musician" (1963.) "Into The West" is the title of disc 2 and it's 13 tracks, not surprisingly, feature Shankar performing with the likes of violinist Yehudi Menuhin (1916-1999), George Harrison (1943-2001), guitarist Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and minimalist composer Phillip Glass.

I happen to like the traditional ragas but also the newer, easier-to-digest material, such as the George Harrison collaboration "Village Dance" from 1987's "Tana Mana."

At the beginning of disc 1, Ravi Shankar narrates a 5 minute introduction to Indian classical music and at the end suggests best how western listeners can enjoy it.

What I like about the music on disc 2 is, I will shamelessly admit, the ease of remembering the music and being able to identify it during subsequent listens. Some of the tracks have taken on a soundtrack feel to them, which will not please those who prefer traditional ragas.

By and large, you don't listen to Indian classical music hoping to get the same experience as you would from most other forms of music, including European classical music. You let yourself get lost in the experience, the journey, and forget about repetition and familiarity. You can listen to a 15 minute raga and hear something new each time. The music is too rich to be absorbed in one listening and there's no way you can pick up your instrument of choice and repeat the entire raga that you have just listened to. For those with a fertile mind, the melodies are truly heaven sent.

I'm always skeptical when record companies package compilations since they are rarely completely satisfying with their obvious omissions and inclusions of new but usually weak material. Columbia has tackled Ravi Shankar with a liberal representation of his works, but it won't necessarily please everyone. For those with broad tastes who are not Shankar experts, it's a great collection to have. Included in the liner notes is a brief but enjoyable article by Hank Bordowitz.

Average customer rating:

The Sounds of India
Mera Bharat...actually 4.73 stars
Diesappointing
Much Talking on CD
too much talking and not enough music

The Sounds of India
Ravi Shankar
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000024SZ
Release Date: 1989-07-20

Tracks:

An Introduction To Indian Music
Dadra
Maru-Bihag
Bhimpalis
Sindhi-Bhairavi

Amazon.com essential recording

This 1960s classic is a perfect introduction not only to Ravi Shankar's brilliant work on the sitar, but also to classical Indian music in general. Shankar offers brief, informative explanations of Indian ragas, scales, rhythms, song structures, and time signatures to set the stage for each spiritual piece he, Chatur Lal (tabla), and N.C. Mullick (tamboura) perform. Though Western listeners may not be able intellectually to pinpoint the subtle purposes of the various ragas' rhythms and movements, unconsciously listeners will feel them vividly. For instance, the plodding tension created by the 2/3/2/3 rhythm in "Máru-Bihág" well reflects the raga's poetic metaphor of separated, longing lovers. The loose, playful improvisation on "Sindhi-Bhairavi" mirrors the passionate romance of lovers. Overall, classical Indian music is diverse and complex, but The Sounds of India simplifies it beautifully for those interested in exploring it and its greatest ambassador. --Karen Karleski

Customer Reviews:

The Sounds of India.......2007-04-09

I have enjoyed Ravi Shankar since the 70's, when he was "in." In my opinion, he still is. He is a master of the sitar and his explanations of the music was the only thing that I did not care for. I would much preferred that that brief time had been spent in playing more beautiful music. But, I would recommend it to anyone who likes the sitar as I have never heard anyone who has a command of it like Ravi.

Mera Bharat...actually 4.73 stars.......2007-03-24

I owe a lot to this album. I was just seventeen years old in 1993, in southwest Kansas when I bought it. Believe me, southwest Kansas, though I love the land, is devoid of culture outside of farmer/rancher/Mexicano. It was the first foreign music I heard, though I heard the sitar a few times in Beatles music. I bought it on a whim. It was a real daring thing for a Mexican/American in middle America. The minute I heard the first tones, I was hooked, and the rest is history. Shortly after that, I bought Vidwan: Music of South India -- Songs of the Carnatic Tradition. Since then, I have gotten countless Hindustani and Carnatic CD's, as well as music from Nepal. I wrote my senior term paper about Hindustani Music, started learning Hindi, started eating Indian food, began playing the tabla, and as a dream come true, I went to India with my wife in 2005 for two months. I guess you could say I fell in love with India, and it all started with this album. Shows you what music can do.

Onto the review - I love the main intro as well as the intros to each of the ragas. The music is very good, and although the developments of the ragas are short, they adequately express the beauty contained within the ragas. There are, of course, better albums out there, but this is very good intro to the world of Hindustani Music. Buy this and you will be pleased. For a kick, buy it with Vidwan: Music of South India -- Songs of the Carnatic Tradition, so as to get a real feel of both the Hindustani and Carnatic traditions. Both of them were released in 1968, both are very classy, and both are available on this site.

Try it out, it'll take you far like it has me...

Diesappointing.......2007-02-06

Too much instrruction on what a raga ia and the different types. I really don't care about that. I just wanterd music.

Much Talking on CD.......2006-08-22

This guy really knows his stuff. It is indeed an introduction to the music with much talking on the CD. I was looking for something more mellow for prayer time. This music is very fast but very good. -Beth, 43, Louisiana

too much talking and not enough music.......2006-07-02

I did not expect a primer on Indian music. I expectd, instead examples of songs in different styles. This CD does do that to a limited extent, but Ravi Shankar spends too much time instructing the audience. The music that is presented seems rough and un rehearsed

Average customer rating:

Last reviewer doesn't know what he is talking about
A favourite
The greatest ragas I've heard so far....
He's still the best.
This ain't no yoga class!

A Morning Raga/An Evening Raga
Ravi Shankar
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sound of the Sitar

ASIN: B000055Y53
Release Date: 2001-09-11

Tracks:

Raga Nata Bhairav
Raga Mishra Piloo

Customer Reviews:

Last reviewer doesn't know what he is talking about.......2006-06-14

If you are listening to this album, the rhythm is not simple at all. As a matter of fact, most people will have a difficult time finding a steady rhythm at all if they are not familiar with Eastern music. There are no time signatures, it's a rhythmic cycle. So if you go in listening for a 4/4 or a more complex, like a 7/4, you are going to find it difficult to count, especially once the Tal comes back around to Sam, and they start to subdivide the beats within the rhythm. No idea what I'm talking about? Then don't buy the record. Unless you want a really cool challenging piece to listen to or like the last reviewer said, just to chill to.

A favourite.......2006-05-12

Of all the Ravi recordings I have, this is certainly one of my favourites, if not the favourite. The music here is mellower than a lot of sitar pieces. I know that the frantic sound of much sitar/tabla music can turn some people off, but there is less speed and more atmosphere in the two pieces featured here. When the music does get faster, it is eased into very well.

If you are a fan, you will not be disappointed. If you are considering buying your first Ravi Shankar CD, or sitar/traditional Indian music CD, I believe this is a great item to start with.

The greatest ragas I've heard so far...........2006-01-28

This is my favorite Ravi album (I have the albums In San Francisco, In London, and In New York). The Evening Raga is the greatest raga I've ever heard. 24 minutes of blinding intensity. I saw Ravi a few years back in Chicago and he was fantastic. He played with more energy and precision than rock stars 1/4 of his age (he was 80 at the time!). Sitar music requires a degree of seriousness on the part of the listener, and too often it's dismissed as something left over from the hippie 1960's. Everytime you see a 1960's flashback on a sitcom (The Simpsons is especially guilty of this), the background music is almost exclusively sitar music. Sitar music existed long before the 1960's, and it can be loved and appreciated without any drug influence. Long live Ravi! Let him live another 80 years...

He's still the best........2005-07-09

I love all the Indian sitarists but Ravi Shankar is still the best and I have all his albums, I especially like "sound of sitar" and "three ragas". Others sitarists I love are Ali Akbar Khan, Nikhil Banerjee, Jan Garbarek, Hariprasad Chaurasia, Irshad Kahn, Rash Bilashkhani Todi, Ustad Vilayat Khan. I must admit I don't like the frenetic--I prefer slower and more contemplative like "Magic of Twilight" by Irshad Kahn or "Magic of the Indian Sitar" by Rash Todi, or "Garden of Dreams" and "Journey" by Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. Slow, melodious evokes thought but when things get loud and cacaphonous it's a little hard to take for the "MEDITATION" section. It's all a matter of personal preference and shouldn't start an international scandal just because more introverted folk prefer the slow and subtle.

This ain't no yoga class!.......2005-01-15

...and anyone who would attempt to use this kind of music for yoga or meditation is, IMNSHO, a pure fool. This music is to be enjoyed for its own sake. It is not chaotic or noisy--on the contrary, raga is beautifully ordered and melodious music, and MUST BE HEARD!!! And like Raviji himself, I will not accept those who insist upon using this music as a backdrop for their drug experiences, either. Personally, I feel that if you require chemical stimulation to enjoy the music, then you've a tin ear and no right to own any of Shankar's albums.

No, this is simply beautiful, timeless music which is best enjoyed when one is quite sober and of a mind to listen and hear. It must be at the forefront of your consciousness and allowed to transport your spirit by its very nature.

West Meets East: The Historic Shankar Menuhin Collection

Average customer rating:

Such catholic taste...
Better than metal
Two musical instruments made for each other
A meeting of musical geniuses.
Like Discovering a New Planet in the Musical Solar System

West Meets East: The Historic Shankar Menuhin Collection
Ravi Shankar & Yehudi Menuhin
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00002CF0J
Release Date: 1999-11-02

Tracks:

West Meets East: Prabhali
West Meets East: Swara Kakali
West Meets East: Raga Piloo
West Meets East: Dhun
West Meets East: Raga Ananda Bhairava
West Meets East: Tenderness
West Meets East: Twilight Mood

Amazon.com

Without renowned violinist Yehudi Menuhin, the West may not have found Indian classical music until decades later, much beyond the late 1960s. Thanks to Menuhin's chance meeting and later lasting friendship with the master sitarist Ravi Shankar, the West witnessed the sublimity that the merging of Western and Indian classical music could produce. The two collaborated in key performances during the late 1960s and mid-1970s, the highlights of which are captured here on West Meets East. In an incredible, interwoven dance between violin and sitar, Shankar and Menuhin spin a new yarn from the wool of ancient and rare Indian ragas, capturing the ecstasy of Hindustani praise while spontaneously bringing forth their own voices in the music. Menuhin's violin sings in beautiful sadness alongside Shankar's twanging sitar amid the droning of tanpura and occasional tabla rhythms. It's as if the two greats are playing a game of tag, taking the other's notes and stretching them into their own inspired shapes while creating a timeless music where love and respect swirl up like blessed smoke. --Karen H. Hugg

Customer Reviews:

Such catholic taste..........2007-04-28

I was into the Yehudi Menuhin-Ravi Shankar collaborations back when I first purchased the "West Meets East" albums twenty five years ago. This CD features all thier sessions. Sir Yehudi, the "classical" American violinist; and Ravi Shankar, the Indian sitar virtuoso touch the soul of India in the passion that is captures in these recordings.

Sir Yehudi also collaborated with jazz violinist Steff Grappelli; and Ravi Shankar with Jean-Pierre Rampal, Andre Previn and jazz drummer Buddy Rich. Shankar taught the sitar to George Harisson of "The Beatles". Who could doubt two men of such catholic taste?

Better than metal.......2006-11-10

this is a great pairing of two masters the pace tempo and speed beat metal

Two musical instruments made for each other.......2006-08-02

The Ravi Shankar Collection: West Meets East, The Historic Shankar/Menuhin Sessions comprises seven invigorating ragas in which violinist Yehudi Menuhin and Sitarist Ravi Shankar masterfully blend the distinct sounds of the violin and the sitar, creating what can only be described as an exotic auditory repast. Accompanying some of the melodic compositions are the tanpura and the tabla. I enjoyed six of the ragas very much, but track five, entitled "Raga Ananda Bhairava," left me wanting for something else, I am sad to say; and track five is the longest playing of the compositions, lasting fifteen minutes and forty-one seconds. My dog was even begging me to do something about the music, which I did: I skipped to track six, which was no sacrifice on my part, as the sixth composition is by far my favorite on the CD, so poignant and lovely. I was only too happy to accommodate my discriminating pooch.

If you enjoy the sitar, and the violin, this CD will not disappoint.

A meeting of musical geniuses........2005-11-17

Menuhin is the master of the violin arguably the greatest violinist of the 20th century (from what I understand). Since I don't really care for western classical music I wouldn't have been exposed to his virtuosity if it weren't for this collaboration. Menuhin he plays music which is rooted in the Indian classical tradition (except portions of a couple of tracks which have a western sound to it) without sounding uncomfortable or making the music awkward. He violin has a decidedly western sound yet it blends in seamlessly into the Indian classical music.

Aside: The violin has been adopted almost "as is" into South Indian Karnatak music (as opposed to the Hindustani system which Shankar is from). Apart from some(?) structural changes which have been incorporated into it, what makes the Indian (read: Karnatak) violin sound so different is the radical tuning and specially devised fingering techniques to enable the musicians render Karnatak music with its emphasis on gamaks, meends and the ability to play microtones.

Menuhin gets the lion share of airtime while Shankar (the composer) is the perfect host letting Menuhin explore Hindustani Music. Menhuhin lets his virtuosity shine through especially on the standout track Swara Kakali. Having said that Menuhin's playing is soulful without sacrificing emotion for virtuosity. Ravi Shankar on his part adds deft touches to the overall music by stepping in with perfect timing, elevating the music to greater heights. Note, this CD is highly improvised so it speaks volumes for both musicians sense of melody and timing.

Ravi Shankar isn't the greatest sitarist of the past century although is one its most famous proponents and poster boy of Indian music in the West. The honor of the greatest sitarist in the 20th century might well go to either Vilayat Khan or Nikhil Banerjee. However, Ravi Shankar's brilliant musical mind is attested to by this recording as is his ability to compose some profound and complex music.

Swara Kakali and Piloo are the standout tracks. The former is a composition based on an Indian raga (don't know which). The latter is a beautiful rendering of Raga Piloo. Menuhin again is amazingly fast, melodic and soulful. I get goose flesh each time I hear the concluding portion of Swara Kakali. Prabhati is an excellent pathos laden track and Menuhin's violin sings with emotion. Ananda Bhairavi is entirely Ravi Shankar and it is probably the hardest composition to appreciate. It is a richly complex Raga and Ravi Shankar employs his kharaj (bass) strings to good use creating a powerful statement. It is a slow and rich in nuance; appreciating its beauty requires some knowledge of Indian Classical music.

Tenderness and Twilight Mood both have split personalities. They alternately have a Western and Indian sound to it. They are far from the best compositions but do not suffer unduly from "heavy" fusion work which Shankar has unsuccessfully attempted by introducing orchestration and harmony into Indian classical ragas in the other West Meets East CD's. However no such misadventures are attempted here.

This CD lives up to its name. Menuhin is the honored guest and he does justice to the venerable Hindustani tradition. It helps that both musicians have ample respect for each other's ability and heritage. There is no musical duelling whatsoever which at first thought might seem like a lot of fun, but often the music gets lost in blatant showmanship. This CD does not flow smoothly as there is no common uniting theme for the different compositions and therefore I have never listened to the CD start to finish.

Highly recommended!

Like Discovering a New Planet in the Musical Solar System.......2004-12-16

I heard this music as a teenager, when it first appeared in the 60s, and it was my entry into Indian and other Far Eastern musics. Only recently, I bought it again in CD format, and began to reminisce. Now it sounds very different to me. Forty years ago, it was the sound of the sitar that captured my mind and heart. I had grown up listening to and playing (on the cello) classical music, and then heard Duke Ellington and Charlie Mingus and turned to jazz. Indian music was a mind-blower! Now I hear Yehudi Menuhin in a different light: the tremendous emotional depth and courage, the bittersweet Jewish pathos and mysticism, the intense psychic electricity that he brings to the duet. And I hear (or at least I imagine hearing) Pandit Ravi Shankar responding with equally intense interest in what Menuhin is saying, with equal musical respect. The result should NOT be judged in terms of Western classical music or Indian classical music (as the late master sitarist Nikhil Banerjee mistakenly did). It is something new -- a meeting of worlds, a meeting of minds, and as such it transcends the traditions these two consummate masters represent.

Average customer rating:

beautiful
Absolutely loved this Cd
More Glass than Shankar
India meets America
Try a blend of Ganges and Mississippi Delta...

Passages
Ravi Shankar and Phillip Glass
Manufacturer: RCA Victor
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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West Meets East: The Historic Shankar Menuhin Collection
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ASIN: B0000000K4
Release Date: 1990-06-26

Tracks:

Offering
Sadhanipa
Channels And Winds
Ragas In Minor Scale
Meetings Along The Edge
Prashanti

Customer Reviews:

beautiful.......2007-03-09

i'm a pianist and i find this album to be one of the most beautiful works i've ever heard.

Absolutely loved this Cd.......2006-10-18

The sitar really gets to you! Won't go into any mumbo-jumbo about why this collaboration works. It just does.A truly enjoyable purchase!

More Glass than Shankar.......2006-09-02

This is a very good CD, and I think how much you like it may depend upon if you like Glass music more than Shankar music, or if you are not a sitar fan or not a minimalism fan (but why get the CD if that is the case.) That is, the composing credits show 1/2 the pieces are written by Glass and 1/2 by Shankar, but there seems to be a more western than eastern sensibility to each piece, to such a degree that without looking at the credits, I would think each piece was written by Glass, with some sitar accompaniment thrown in on the side. I really like this CD because I really do like Phillip Glass, and I am only holding back one star because I had expectations that there would be an absolutely magical melding of two partners in some type of exact half and half musical arrangement.

India meets America.......2006-03-15

A great collaboration between Shanker and Glass, I would recommend this CD to all music lovers.

Try a blend of Ganges and Mississippi Delta..........2005-11-10

if you liked this CD, I honestly think you'll be even more impressed by the collaboration between Ry Cooder and Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (A Meeting By The River). Ry Cooder's blues slide guitar provides some fine enhancements to classical Indian music.

This work by Ravi Shankar and Phillip Glass only just combines popular Indian vernacular with some touches of western classical. I expected much more from Ravi Shankar, given his experience playing with western jazz and fusion artists.

But I guess, usually, the end result is more a reflection of western musicians' ability to work with Indian musicians' (harmonic-harmonic scale).

Average customer rating:

Very Pleased
Awesome, consistent, and diverse
Timeless music
Ravi's Peak
Masterpiece

Three Ragas
Ravi Shankar
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Afternoon Ragas Rotterdam 1970

ASIN: B00004U92Q
Release Date: 2000-07-18

Tracks:

Raga Jog
Raga Ahir Bhairav
Raga Simhendra Madhyamam

Customer Reviews:

Very Pleased.......2007-05-14

I was most pleased with my CD order: I received it quickly and it was a represented on Amazon--in excellent shape.

Awesome, consistent, and diverse.......2006-06-06

This is the best Ravi Shankar I've heard so far. You don't get much alap (slow arhythmic introduction to the raga being performed) on this CD, and the reason is that alap can last for as much as an hour, but whoever produced this wanted to put 3 whole ragas (scales plus plus, basically) into the same amount of time.

Anyway, what you DO get is one of the all-time masters of melodic line at peak performance, for an hour. The bunch of this CD is the fast, rhythm-centered sitarwork termed "gat". Not lyrical in a Western sense, but intense, "dancing", unflaggingly inventive twists and turns of melody. Ravi goes all out with one of his favorite tricks here: playing a phrase twice in a row, then playing just the start of it and suddenly veering away into a new melody. A full analysis of all the dozens of ways in which Ravi creates surprise, tension, release, and excitement using just a single melody line would take many pages. To say that he is a master of ornamentation would be just the beginning.

One nice thing is that for each raga you get to hear two different buildups to a climax - the first without tabla (drum) accompaniment and the second, larger buildup, with tabla. It's almost as if there are six performances on the CD, not just three. Very effective - when the drums come in each time, I get the pleasure of knowing that the superlative stringwork still ringing in my ears from the first movement will be topped by the
coming, percussion-accompanied sequel. It is also very nice that the three ragas featured here come from three entirely different melodic families, and create rather different effects.

Based on what I've heard of his music so far, it seems to me that later in his life Ravi Shankar, though losing none of his speed or showmanship, could no longer bring such sheer densely-packed melodic inventiveness to his gats as he shows here(his alaps only got better, however). Whether that's true or not, however, this is a stunning performance and some of the best music most people will ever hear. Get it.

Timeless music.......2005-01-15

Thanks to inspiration from a highly unlikely quarter--Bollywood, of all things!--my wife and I have developed a newfound love of Indian culture. I had long been familiar with Ravi Shankar thanks to his association with George Harrison and his fame as one of the world's best sitar players, but until recently, the only album of his that I had was the live Inside the Kremlin (1988). I always enjoyed that CD, believing that raga could be a challenging but ultimately rewarding listen if one were simply willing to give the music time to move one's soul. This CD (along with two other of Angel-EMI's Ravi remasters) has indeed proven me correct...and well-rewarded.

I was struck by the flawless remastering job, first of all--although this album was recorded in 1956, it could have been recorded yesterday for the freshness and sharpness of the sound. Shankar's performances are beyond reproach--while I wouldn't call this the peak of his career, exactly (unlike one of the previous reviewers), I would say this was a very promising start, and an excellent introduction for anyone to Indian classical music. Raga itself is truly timeless music--it never sounds dated, like some forms of music do, but it is truly the sound of the soul; Ravi even describes "Raga Jog" as the expression of one soul's longing, and you feel this quite strongly.

I purchased this one along with his later work A Morning Raga/An Evening Raga, and had previously purchased Improvisations (his first actual American release, issued by the World Pacific label in 1962 and remastered by Angel-EMI in 1999 as one of the first few titles in the Ravi Shankar Collection series). I highly recommend this music for anyone who truly enjoys world music in general (being one of those myself, something for which I will always heartily thank my wife) and Indian music in particular. For those wishing to explore the Carnatic tradition of South India, I would recommend the late Ramnad Krishnan's 1968 recording Vidwan...also a challenging, but ultimately rewarding, listen.

Ravi's Peak.......2004-12-12

Welcome to Ravi Shankar's best album (4.8 stars)! Recorded in 1956, Three Ragas was his first LP. Pound for pound, it is also as powerful a musical statement as he had ever made, or would go on to make.

That's probably not the most popular thing to say, given the fact that his career has been so long and this is not his most famous performance/album, but the proof is in the music itself. He certainly didn't have the degree of fame in 1956 that he would have just a decade later, but his music was peaking. If I were chatting with someone and they offhandedly said that Raga Jog from this disc was the best 28 minutes of Ravi's officially-released career, I would not be inclined to argue with them. If you've been all ga-ga over Monterey Pop for the past 30 years (or 30 days) but you've never heard this album, you should prepare yourself now. Ravi's Monterey Pop performance is but a shadow of what happens here, even though his performance was the highlight of Monterey Pop itself.

The alap, jor, and jhala in Raga Jog are some of the best of Ravi's life. This alap is much more powerful than the alap in Bhimpalasi from Monterey, and here with Chatur Lal on tabla, the gats reveal Ravi at his all-time high in terms of rhythmic sophistication and plain old-fashioned fire power. Not enough good things can be said about Chatur Lal... one of the best tabla players of his generation. An incredible musician who made everyone better around him.

Rags Ahir Bhairav and Simhendra Madhyamam are shorter, compact performances at 15 and 11 minutes respectively but that is fine, especially in light of the fact that several of the Angel-remastered early albums are made up largely of shorter performances... and again, these 2 are at the top of the heap.

If you can only have one Ravi Shankar album, make sure this is the one. After this, take the previous reviewer's advice with respect to Nikhil Banerjee. Nikhil was unbelievably brilliant... a melodic genius.

Masterpiece.......2004-04-08

This is one of Ravi Shankar's very best recordings, and one of the best introductions to the beauty and grandeur of Indian classical music you'll ever find. All three ragas here are given a masterly performance, particularly raga Jog, which is perhaps my favorite. Ravi's inventiveness and profundity are breathtaking!

Newcomers to this genre will also want to listen to the duet recording of sarodist Ali Akbar Khan and sitarist Nikhil Banerjee performing ragas Manj Khammaj and Misra Mand. Although these two masters were taught by the same guru who taught Ravi Shankar, their style and approach is different from (but just as beautiful as) Ravi's.

Average customer rating:

A classic collection reborn

Remembering George Harrison Memorial Concert

Ravi Shankar's Improvisations: Timeless Despite Its Age

Great

Improvisations
Ravi Shankar , Paul Horn , and Bud Shank
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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At the Monterey International Pop Festival

ASIN: B00000ID4F
Release Date: 1999-04-06

Tracks:

Improvisations On The Theme Music From Pather Panchali
Fire Night
Karnataki
Raga Rageshri: Part 1 (Alap)
Raga Rageshri: Part 2 (Jor)
Raga Rageshri: Part 3 (Gat)

Customer Reviews:

A classic collection reborn.......2007-04-12

I still have my worn copy of the original (1962) LP of this collection; the CD is it's equal in all respects for sound quality and liner notes. The collection is remarkable for combining the talents of Shankar with the flute artistry of Bud Shank in the improvisation on the themes of the Pather Panchali film score, resulting in a beautiful and emotionally moving fusion. The equally fusion 'Fire Night' jam session brings together the fires in LA valley, that happened during the recording session, with the dance of Shiva the Destroyer in a rather spookily merry piece.
The remaining two traditional pieces are a bonus, showing Shankar's talent at his peak.
A must-have collection at a bargain price!

Remembering George Harrison Memorial Concert.......2007-01-21

I bought this product in hopes of hearing a version of music similar to a combined presentation that Mr. Ravi Shankar and his Daughter conducted. They worked well together and the music was very enjoyable. In the subject presentation, Ravi Shakar's Daughter played her Satir in combination with another artist. Again enjoyable. This work (Improvisations)must be for the true Raga Music Lovers. The evaluation of an Amazon Customer swayed me into buying this product. I have had a difficult time being able to listen to it. It is not of the same type of use of the Sitar as the Beattles used it. I am told that Mr. Shakar gave a less than kind evaluation of the Beattles use of this instrument. If you are like me you will have to develope an ear and a liking for this original works.

Ravi Shankar's Improvisations: Timeless Despite Its Age.......2001-01-22

Shankar's Improvisations puts tradition alongside fusion, East next to West. Recorded about 35 years ago, the album still sounds fresh. It opens with a sitar/flute call-and-answer, leaps into an electric guitar-supported jazz piece, moves to a short and quick sitar showcase, and wraps up with a 20-minute traditional raga. From the very first note, the raga proves exceptionally evocative. The entire album is well-suited to Western tastes, featuring Shankar at his best both as a composer and as a virtuoso.

Great.......2000-07-07

Pandit Ravi Sankar is welknown for his Sitar but this album is really nice and its very relaxing and real classical.

Average customer rating:

Instant Meditation!
Supurb music
very nice, good for contemplation in the afternoon
Satisfying !
Incredible from every standpoint

Ragas & Talas
Ravi Shankar
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004LML9
Release Date: 2000-02-29

Tracks:

Raga Jogiya
Dhun
Rupak Tal
Raga Madhu-Kauns

Customer Reviews:

Instant Meditation! .......2007-03-27

This cd is awesome! It is the first Ravi Shankar cd I've bought, and I was very happy with it. The first track starts out slow, and when the drums kick in it's like you are instantly transported into a deep meditative state. I'd highly recommend this cd for anyone interested in this genre of music!

Supurb music.......2006-12-23

All music is art. The feeling of this recording is one of happiness and playfulness. The interplay between sitar and tabla makes for an exciting listening experience. Truly a masterpiece by the master, Mr. Shankar and Mr. Rakha. Highly recommended for this genre.

very nice, good for contemplation in the afternoon.......2005-07-09

This is a very nice album of Ravi Shankars. I recommend it highly.

Satisfying !.......2004-05-05

It is hard to select any particular CD from "The Ravi Shankar collection" so I've been buying all of them. Jogiya has a melancholic mood associated to it and is beatifully rendered here. One can find a lot of sad songs in Hindi movies based on this Raga.
While most of the Kauns' are among the heavier ragas this one (Madhu-Kauns) is exceptionally beautiful. Also, it is the most evenly paced recordings I've heard of this raga. It all happens in about 20 minutes! It starts with a slow, sad mood which keeps tugging at your heart. Once you are almost satisfied with the alaap, it gets into a medium paced momentum which gives a feeling of having a leisurely walk in a park with lots of little nooks with a variety of flowers. A little more that half way into the raga, it starts running, taking small flights at times, which give you brief flashes of even more beautiful scenes. One can feel the rhythm in the background, but the tabla is not playing yet ! Its an amazing feeling !
I usually stop at this point but to all the die-hard fans of tabla, there is still more. The last few minutes build up a dancing crescendo between the Sitar and the tablas which takes you to a climax.

P.S: Listen to it with no distractions, headphones preferred. Keep a cigarette ready just in case.

Incredible from every standpoint.......2000-07-19

The musicianship displayed by Ravi Shankar here is absolutely phenomenal! I am fairly new to the works of Shankar, this is only the 5th cd of his I've heard. By far though, it is the best. I am not 100% knowledgeble on the techniques and characteristics of Indian music yet as I am a novice, I am basing this review mostly on how the music makes me feel. The sound quality is incredibly crisp and life like; sounds just like it was recorded yesterday! Considering this was originally recorded in 1964 the sound here is very impressive, a very good remastering job! The liner notes are very informative, yet thankfully brief. They give a nice run down of ragas and so forth, in terminology that non-seasoned listeners like myself can comprehend. An excellent choice for the relatively low cost! I would definitely recommend this for newcomers to the wonderful world of sitar music.

At the Monterey International Pop Festival

Average customer rating:

Discover As They (And I) Discovered
Raga Review
John Coltrane named his son after Ravi Shankar!
3.8 stars, but please hear me out.
SHANKAR in his DEPTHS

At the Monterey International Pop Festival
Ravi Shankar
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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In San Francisco
Improvisations
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ASIN: B00000DCI2
Release Date: 1998-10-20

Tracks:

Raga Bhimpalasi
Tabla Solo In Ekial
Dhun (Dadra And Fast Teental)

Customer Reviews:

Discover As They (And I) Discovered.......2006-11-17

Many people went to the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 not even knowing who Ravi Shankar was or that he was on the bill, and came away fans. The same thing happened to me when I purchased the DVD of the festival about three years ago. I became instantly enchanted by the Indian classical form. Neither the original film of Monterey nor the DVD show the entirety of Shankar's performance, but this CD includes it all, and its breathtaking. "Dhun" will wrap you up in a spell, and when it ends it'll be like waking up from a dream. Absolutely beautiful, magical stuff.

Raga Review .......2005-09-07

Ravi Shankar's LIVE AT THE MONTEREY INTERNATIONAL POP FESTIVAL is a living testament to the infinite spectrum of progressive-pop recordings that embodied the mid-late 1960's. Even though it is a modest compilation of three songs, Ravi's sentimental movements contained within the pieces (in particular, the first and second ones) help listeners get lost in a myriad of distorted sitars and, sometimes under certain chemical enhancement, sets a mood for mellow enjoyment and meditative peace that I'm sure many people at the time had sought themselves. This album is truly a classic, on both ends of the world.

John Coltrane named his son after Ravi Shankar!.......2005-04-10

AWESOME live recording! Check out the DVD!

3.8 stars, but please hear me out........2004-12-12

There are two ways to consider this performance/album. 1) It's impact at the time, and 2) It's musical value within the context of comparing it to other Hindustani artists/performances/recordings.

By the first standard, this performance is a 5. Hindustani LPs had been coming out in the USA since 1955, and some people were listening. Consider that John Coltrane and Ravi Shankar had been corresponding at least as early as 1961... more like '59 or '60 if memory serves. This was not widespread music here though, and the Beatles only used Ravi and the sitar as sound effects in the "Ooooh that is trippy and groovey, man" sort of way. For many people in the USA this performance/album was their first exposure to the music of Northern India, and as such, of course it holds a special place in the history of this music.

By the 2nd standard though... holding this up next to other Bhimpalasi performances, and or other recordings/performances of other ragas by other artists, this is more like a 3.8 performance. It's not that it isn't good, but let's face it, there is alot of stiff, brilliant competition in the world of Hindustani music. Ravi's affiliation with the Beatles, and Harrison's constant (for decades) hyperbole as to Ravi's status and ability within that world have hyped Ravi up to a level to which he does not actually stand. Were you to believe Harrison's constant blathering, you'd think the Hindustani world is Ravi bathed in light on the mountain top while all the other musicians gaze up at his artistry, hoping one day to attain half his brilliance. That is absolutely not the case, though. Of course proving this to people is often difficult because many of the people who believe Ravi to be The One & Only have never heard any other sitarists. They just took Harrison's word for it and left it at that.

I don't want anyone to just take my word for it. If you like or love this disc, particularly the alap, jor, and jhalla in Raga Bhimpalasi, I strongly recommend that you search "Nikhil Banerjee". Then scroll through his recordings until you reach the "Afternoon Ragas" disc. There you get Rags Bhimpalasi and Multani. There is no comparison between Nikhil's rendering and Ravi's. On this disc, Ravi's alap is not much to speak of, and it is almost just a time-killer until the jor and jhalla. Nikhil's alap is a masterwork. He plays some phrases that unfold around you and crawl right into your heart... his melodic brilliance singing to you from the alap through the gats.

I think for most people, the highlight of Ravi at Monterey is actually the dhun. Again I would point you to Nikhil and Kanai Dutta's gats in Bhimpalasi and Multani. The tone, and melodic genius of Nikhil cannot be denied, and as for the style and explosive dexterity of Kanai Dutta, I feel his playing serves as more of a precursor to Zakir Hussain's playing style than did Zakir's own father, Alla Rakha (Ravi's accompanist here, on tabla). In truth, Ravi was not even Allauddin Khan's (Ali Akbar Khan's father) best sitar student, much less the all-time greatest sitarist of the 20th Century.

If you need more proof, look no further than Amjad Ali Khan (sarod) and/or Debashish Bhattacharya's (slide guitar) incredibly powerful renderings of Bhimpalasi. Ravi's performance here is by no means bad, but it generally only stands out as a masterpiece to those who have yet to check out anyone else in the world of Hindustani music.

Having said all this, this performance is easily the highlight of the entire Monterey Pop festival.

SHANKAR in his DEPTHS.......2004-11-16

This is good, but for the best blazing crazy greatest genius sitar player check out ~~~~~~~~~~USTAD VILAYAT KHAN~~~~~~~ they were rivals and shankar only got more famous because he got with the beatles, but vilayat khan's skill and playing is at a completely higher level than ravi shankar.

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