To hear TRUE sitar playing, get this disc
05/28/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a recording from an Amsterdam concert in the early 70's that happened by chance. thankfully, it ocurred though and someone had the idea and the means to record it. This concert recording will go down as one of THE sitar recordings of this generation of players. Pandit Banerjee (who unfortunately is no longer living) was an incredibly unassuming man dedicated to his art. His passion for the sitar and unpretentious nature shine through in these recordings. In particular, the Khamaj-based piece is what enlightened me to the beauty of this music. Before I was only aware of Ravi Shankar, and I picked up a Pandit Banerjee disc by chance. Thankfully this was the case, because he is one of the masters, and in my opinion, the finest sitar player that has ever been recorded. His guru, Ustad Baba Allaudin Khan of the Maihar gharana taught Pt. Banerjee in a manner different than that of his other students (Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan to name a few!), and this difference is obvious. Nikhilji's tone and style is light years from (and in my opinion beyond) other sitarists. For a unique genius, pick up this CD. I know 70+ minute ragas is a lot to digest, but it will send your head spinning in its purity of sound."
Magnificent
10/10/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Nikhil Banerjee is not only the greatest sitarist of his generation but of any generation. This CD will testify to the fact that this is the music of a sublime genius."
When the Cosmos Opened at De Kosmos
Dr. Debra Jan Bibel | Oakland, CA USA | 11/14/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This double-CD album of Nikhil Banerjee is from a somewhat early performance in his career at a time when Indian music was much in vogue among hippiedom and New Agers. Thus, in 1972 at De Kosmos, a converted church in the harbor of Amsterdam and venue for many counter-culture activities, Banerjee played a full concert of early evening pieces (with light show!): his own composition related to Marwa, Raga Manomanjari [75 minutes] with 7-beat rupak tal and concluding 16-beat tintal, and the more familiar Raga Sindhu Khamaj [70 minutes]. The first is presented seriously, conveying heroic devotion; the second being more romantic and lighter, with raga-mala of other modes and a concluding and stirring jawal-sawab call-and-response between sitar and tabla. Banerjee will reach greater artistic heights in the coming years, and at this time his improvisations were comparable to the best, again the best of his contemporary and elder Ravi Shankar. Thus, we hear some excellent music. The sound is very good, with a close microphone for an intimate setting. This album will provide much pleasure to those who enjoy music of North India and particulary that of the master sitarist, Nikhil Banerjee."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1
