Search - Various Artists :: Rough Guide to Music of India & Pakistan

Slightly Misleading

Zekeriyah | Chicago, IL | 05/24/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I love this CD, but I have to say the title is a bit misleading. Its actually focused very much on classical Hindustani and folk traditions, with only a brief glimpse at Karnatic music and no mention of Bollywood or pop music. If you want that you'll have to go elsewhere, but the CD is still good for an overview of South Asian traditions (especially if you are unfamilar with them; Hindustani classical music is the music most westerners associate with India). Pakistan's rich Sufi traditions are explored with tracks from Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and the Sabri Brothers. Folk traditions covered include Baul music from Bengal, mystical Rajahstani tunes and Zarsanga's pathan/pashtu music (which is very similar to neighboring Afghani traditions).The main bulk of the CD focuses on classical Hindustani music, as I've said, like that made famous in the west by Ravi Shankar (who sadly is not included in the CD). Fortunately there is a wonderful number by the equally great sitarist Vilayat Khan, as well as performances by sarod player Amjad Ali Khan and shahiney player Bismillah Khan. So you do get quite a range of instruments and Ragas (albeit in shortened forms). Two great collabarations made it onto this CD as well, including a great duet between Asha Bhosle (the LEGENDARY singer) and Ali Akbar Khan and another between Shivkumar Sharma and Hariprasad Chaurasia (taken from the superb CD the Valley Recalls).Like I said though, there is no Bollywood music or pop (though Asha Bhosle is included doing a classical piece). The extent of South Indian Karnatic music is limited to Dr. N. Ramani, which is really sad considering it's long tradition in India. Therefore, this CD is not a complete introduction to South Asian music. It is however, a wonderful starting point, especially for Hindustani pieces and north Indian folk. If you've heard Ravi Shankar or Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and want to learn more about South Asian music, this is a pretty good place to start."

Spiritual and Spectacular - time to go beyond Ravi!!

Savka | Vancouver, Canada | 06/28/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Rough Guide to the music of India and Pakistan ranks way up there in the higher echelons of the Rough Guide musical canon. It's practically Rough Guide nirvana (not the Seattle grunge!) thanks to the amazingly compiled collection of folk songs, classical ragas and religious Pakistani qawwali that it offers. This recording gives us a stunning reminder that the Indian subcontinent is one of the most culturally rich and ethnically diverse places on earth, with the added attraction of cradling an ancient, highly sophisticated, intensely spiritual and exquisitely beautiful musical tradition. The rhythmic and melodic complexity of these pieces is enhanced by scintillating instrumentation, and the raga excerpts in particular have a meditative "ethereality" that makes for deliciously relaxed listening. Many of these pieces reveal that the Indian and Pakistani musical tradition has inextricable religious and spiritual links, a concept which differs quite substantially from our own notions of strictly religious, secular, classical and popular music. These cuts demonstrate a marvellously subtle fusion of what would constitute distinct musical forms in the West, thereby imbuing the music with a depth generally not encountered in the Western tradition. Even if you remove the religious, cultural and historical riches that these songs abound in, the album is still outstanding and HIGHLY recommended for pure listening pleasure."