Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful Indian-fusion with the sitar-goddess, 14 Sep 2007
The sitargoddess Anoushka started her career with three brilliant classical albums, showing both ability, talent and spiritual depth. But it was first with her last album "Rise" she really took a giant leap forward and stepped out on her own.
On this beautiful album she has teamed up with percussionwizzard Karsh Kale, probably best known for his great drumming on inummerable Bill Laswell productions. On this album Karsh, who has co-written most tracks with Anoushka, mostly has the role of multiinstrumentalist, playing guitar, bass, keyboards, while his considerable rythmic talents are more downplayed.
The are some illustrious guests in the shape of Sting and Anoushka's (half)sister Norah Jones, and both provide stellar performances on what's clearly two of the best tracks. Elsewhere it's a host of classical trained Indian vocalists and musicians who sprinkle up things, like Vishwa Mohan Bhatt on slide guitar and Ajay Prassana on a very lyrical bansuri (bamboo flute). But the dominant factor apart from Anoushka and Kale is the strings arranged by Salim Merchant, a very tasteful Bollywood arranger. Reminding me of Ravi Shankar and Philip Glass' collaboration "Passages".
Most tracks are brilliant Indian electronica-fusion, in the style of Midival Punditz and Tabla Beat Science, but things rise to a transcendental high, when father Ravi joins the procedures on the beautiful "Oceanic", pt. 1 & 2, co-written with Anoushka. Amazing with what mastery he still plays the physical demanding sitar at the tender age of 86, and how Consciousness and Bliss seem to emanate from each note. And the album ends in similar meditative mood with the breathtakingly beautiful "Reprise".
I fell in love with the sitar, like many in my generation, via George Harrison (and Brian Jones), and few plays it better than Anoushka, so it's great that there is actually a lot more sitar on this album than on "Rise", and that she seems to have developed even further as instrumentalist, realy utilizing the instrument in non-classical settings.
All in all highly recommended for all lovers of Indian music and of visionary and inventive music in general.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Truly Amazing!!!, 17 Oct 2007
If you are a fan of all things asian, esspecially fusion and electronica, then this cd was made for you. Karsh Kale is a star and trancends the boundaries of style and aproach on this CD. Anoushka is a fabulous sitarist (learning from her famous father Mr. Ravi Shankar) and sows her skills throughout this album. The compositions are on another level as they flow seemlessly from Indian classical to rock and electronica. Sting is amazing as well. There are so man great guests on this album including Salim Merchant, the Midival Punditz and Anoushkas sister Norah Jones, even Ravi makes an appearancel. Both Shankar and Kale shine bright throughout this journey as they take us into the next paradigm of music.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Could do better, 6 Jan 2009
Having the previous individual works from these two artists which have been in some cases noteable, this album is at best mediocre, inspite of the virtuosity of the musicians involved in its production. I hope that this isn't a begining of a trend, although I think Karsh Kale hasn't achieved the levels of his earlier works for a while now. This album can in no way be likened to anything as brilliant, innovative and exciting of that of Midival Punditz/Midival Times, if anything Kale & Shankar should listen to the afore mentioned & take note.
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