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Review

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

This CD by Shubhendra Rao on Sitar and Partho Sarothy on sarod presents a special recording made on the sidelines of the Saptak Music Festival, 2001. Both Shubhendra Rao and Partha Sarothy are disciples of the legendary sitarist, Pt Ravi Shankar and most prominent instrumentalists of their generation. To recreate the sitar-sarod julgalbandhi-s of Ravi Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan remains the quest for all later generation instrumentalists.

The cd starts with Raaga Charukauns, a raaga created by Pt Ravi Shankar by combining Charukeshi and Malkauns, making it a sampoorna-audav jaati raag. The alaap is meditative and Shubhendra & Partha Sarothy take turns exploring the raga. They combine well, complementing each other and each exploration seems to a continuation of the other. The pace increases as the slightly rhythmic Jor takes over from alaap. The short Jhalla, though fast, still maintains the meditative nature of the raaga.

The second raaga taken up is Manj Khamaj, a fovourite of Maihar Gharana. It is a romantic raaga, emoting Shringara rasa. After the short alaap, a gat in teentaal is played. Here support of Akram Khan on Tabla is good, playing softly as the rasa-bhava demands. Towards the end as the pace picks up, the improvisations pick up in speed and the last track played in Dhurth Teen Taal starts off where the earlier track had left. Shubhendra & Partha Sarothy take turns at playing fast improvisations with commendable tabla support. Throughout the 12 minute crescendo the pace keeps increasing ending with a flourish.

Sarod and sitar to the right & left. Tabla to the left, almost merging with sitar.

Overall 3.5 stars for the music and 4.0 stars for the recording. Recommended.

CD Information

Tracks

Nu.	Title	Taala	Time	Music
1	Charukauns - Alaap		17:16
2	Charukauns - Jor		13:47
3	Charukauns - Jhalla		4:11
4	Manj Khamaj - Alaap		5:59
5	Manj Khamaj - Gat	TeenTaal	14:08
6	Manj Khamaj - Gat	Dhrut TeenTaal	12:40

Liner Notes

Good liner notes with profile of the artists and music.