Review        CD Information        Tracks        Liner Notes        Raag Yaman (5:05)

Review

Sense World Music is a new addition to the growing number of labels dedicated to Indian classical music. Started in 2002 Sense World is based in UK, with a studio in Gujarat. Many of the albums are live concert recordings of the Saptak Music Festival held every year in Ahmedabad, Gujarat every year in winter.

This new CD by Santosh Kumar Nahar present the recording done on the sidelines of Saptak Music Festival, 2002. A promising young violinists, Santosh Nahar, represents a confluence of Gayaki and Tantrakari styles of playing the violin. He is accompanied on the tabla by equally promising Shabbir Hussain.

The CD starts with a slow short alaap in Raag Yaman (see sawf.org), an evening raaga also known as Kalyan. The structure of the concert follows the usual vocal concert instead of a long alaap with Jod and Jhalla, showing the deep influence of Gayaki Ang. Vilambit Ektaal composition follows the alaap, which moves on to medium tempo towards the end of the track. The second track continues Raga yaman with a dhruth composition in Teen taal. One gets the feeling that Nahar and Shabbir Hussain do not combine well in this track. At times Nahar's violin also sounds a little jarring.

The third track is a moving composition in the morning raaga Nat Bhairav. While the taans are crisp, somehow the rhythmic interplay is convincing. The next track is a short tappa in Raga Kafi. The fifth track is a folk melody in the evening Raaga Mand (mishra ?). This is perhaps the best track of the CD. The CD concludes with an enjoyable Bhairavi dhun. It appears Nahar's strength is in alap and slow compositions. Shabbir Hussain's tabla throughout the album is quite good.

Overall 3.0 stars for the music and 4.0 stars for the recording.

CD Information

Tracks

Nu.	Title	Time	Music
1	Yaman - Alaap, Vilambit EkTaal	15:26
2	Yaman - Teen Taal	8:58
3	Nat Bhairav - EkTaal	8:47
4	Tappa in Kafi - Addha Taal	5:39
5	Folk Melody - Raga Mand	11:10
5	Dhun in Raga Bhairavi	5:48

Liner Notes

Good liner notes with profile of the artists and the music.