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The name of the first family in Indian music is of course, "Shankar." From a Bengalese courtesan, an accomplished and wordly musician himself, sprang the famous classical sitarist Ravi and his older brother Uday. Uday was an arranger and choreographer whose scores could include the gamut of instruments available in India, including conch-shell trumpets, gongs, and great, clashing cymbals. Ravi played the esraj in Uday's dance company, which toured the U.S. and recorded in 1937 the first major performance of Indian music abroad. Uday's son Ananda brought Indian music into the hip, international scene of the 1970s. Buying: Apart from Ananda Shankar and soundtracks (see separate pages on them), many ephemeral LPs (spoken, promotional, regional) are well worth exploring. |
| Rating | |
| 7 | Timir Baran: Dance Music of India--Charming Instrumentals Conducted by Timir Baran; Capitol of the World T-10263 (Baran composed for Uday Shankar) |
| 7 | The Bauls of Bengal: Indian Street Music; Nonesuch Explorer H-72035 |
| 7 | Jon Higgins Bhagavatar: Carnatic Music of India Sung by; Capitol of the World ST-10501 |
| 7 | Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta: Krishna Consciousness; Happening CA-2210 (partly spoken) |
| 7 | Bhaskar & his Orchestra: Dances & Chants of India; Request SRLP-10095 |
| 7 | Deben Bhattacharya (rec.): India--Treasures in Sound; United Artists/UA International UNS-15532; 1967 |
| 6 | F. Gartner [Demeter Music Library]; Sam Fox/Demeter Music Library D-3/D-4 (production; "Oriental, Barbaric, Native"--exotic percussion; solo tabla w/some flute) | 7 | Pannalal Ghosh: The Magic Flute of; EMI/Odeon/India Gramophone MOAE-5006; 1968 |
| 7 | J.P. Gosh: Drums of India; EMI/Odeon/India Gramophone ECSD-2362; 1968 |
| 7 | Bismillah Khan: Shenai Recital by--Ragas Lalit & Madhmat-Sarang; EMI/Gramophone/Odeon MOAE-113 |
| 8 | Bismillah Khan & Party: Shenai Nawaz; EMI/Gramophone/Regal D/ELRZ-4; 1969 |
| 6 | Maharishi Mahesh Yogi; World Pacific WPS-21446 (spoken; w/Amiya Das Gupta, sitar) |
| 7 | Yvette Mimieux/Ustad Ali Akbar Khan/Pandit Mahapurush Misra: Baudelaire's Flowers of Evil; Connoisseur Society CS-2007; 1968 (spoken) |
| 8 | Mahapurush Misra: Indian Drums; Connoisseur Society CS-1466; 1966 (tabla w/sarod & tamboura) |
| 8 | K.V. Narayanaswamy et al: Dhyanam/Meditation--South Indian Vocal Music; Nonesuch Explorer H-72018 |
| 7 | Vijay Raghav Rao: Moods (A Souvenir of Enchanting Musical Miscellany); Polydor 2392-893; 1979 ("Enchanting Indian Melodies" on jacket) |
| 7 | Vijay Raghav Rao: Festival Time; Polydor 2392-549; 1981 |
| 8 | Ustad Alla Rakha: Rhythm of the Indian Drums; Polydor 2480-117 |
| 7 | Alla Rakha w/Vasant Rai & Collin Walcott: Tabla Solo; Vanguard VSD-79385; 1977 |
| 8 | Mrinalini Sarabhai w/Chathunni Panicker & the Southern India Darpana Co. of Dancers & Musicians: India Today; Period PRST-2750; c.1959 (Wondrous Music of India; Request SRLP-8076) |
| 8 | Utpala Sen & Shyamal Mitra: Songs of India; Capitol of the World T-10246 (1 mouth harp song) |
| -» | Ananda Shankar |
| 7 | Ravi Shankar: Improvisations & theme from Pather Panchali; World Pacific ST-1416; 1962 (features Harihar Rao on "Fire Night" instead of Shankar) |
| 8 | Ravi Shankar: Transmigration Macabre ("Viola" ST); Spark SPA-06; 1973/1969 |
| 8 | The Original Uday Shankar Company: Indian Music: Ragas & Dances; RCA Victrola VIC-1361; 1968/1937 (reissues famous 1938 release) |
| 7 | Uday Shankar: Hindu Dancers & Musicians; Columbia MS-7205 |
| 8 | Yasotha Somadundram Ensemble: Authentic India Vol. 1; Sonoton SAS-001 (production) |
| 7 | Ustad Ahmed Jan Thirakwa & Ustad Amir Hussain Khan: Rhythms of India--Tabla Recital; EMI/Gramophone EASD-1335; 1969 |
| 5 | Christobel Weerasinghe: India--Its Music & Its People; Desto D-500 (partly spoken; w/Ravi Shankar, Chatur Lal..) |
| 7 | Various: Drums of North & South India; World Pacific WP-1437 (partly spoken--intros) |
| 6 | Various: Master Drummers of India; Everest/Olympic 6180 |
| Rating | |
| 7 | H. Aram Gulezyan & his Instrumental Group: Exotic Music for the Oud; Lyrichord LLST-7303 (oud, sultania, sarod; "Dance Kartikeyya") |
| 9 | Shri Ben Hayeem: Song of Kama--the Hindu Rites of Love (Kama Sutra); Jubilee/Jay-Gee/Festival M-6701; 1966 (spoken) |
| 8 | Saeed Jaffrey: The Art of Love (Kama Sutra); Vanguard VSD-79228; 1966 (spoken) |
| 9 | Uncredited 10"; Audio/Background Music Publishers BMP-134; 1968 (production; "Rhythmic Variations") |
| 7 | Various: Exotic Dances; Folkways FOLL-52; 1950 |
| 8 | Various: Songs & Sounds of Faraway Places; Philips PCC-201 (3 Indian cuts) |
Hyp Records is a 3-part guide: |
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