Besides being one of the most important contributors to today’s pop scene by giving us Norah Jones, Ravi Shankar also changed America’s ears to Indian music as he introduced the sitar to millions of ears. This two album set finds Shankar in a private Hollywood concert with Alla Rakha/table and Kamal Chakravarty/tanpura as he stretches out for four lengthy pieces. The mood is quite intimate, as he gives insightful introductions to the pieces ranging from the political situation in Bangladesh to traditional folk sounds.
Shankar is in majestic form, brooding on the sitar and coming to an exciting climax with the band on “Hollywood Raga Vibhas” while doing improvisations on a folk tune during “Hollywood Dhun.” His fingerwork is deft as he interplays with the percussion on the almost hour long “Parameshwar” and closes with a pensive and thoughtful “Sindhi Bhairavi.” A classic of its kind, not unlike Art Tatum’s casual recordings, but from a Central Asian world.
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