Search - Ghazal :: Lost Songs of the Silk Road

The word ghazal means a type of Persian (Iranian) poetry and also describes an old style of romantic ballad often sung in India. The classical music traditions of Iran and India both feature complex scales and rhythms that demand a lifetime of study. However, they are highly compatible with each other, and combining them allows for fresh insights and deeper pleasures. Shujaat Hussain Kahn is the son of the legendary sitarist Ustad Vilayat Khan, and his own command of the multistringed instrument is a wondrous thing. He is joined by Iran's Kayhan Kalhor, a master of the kamancheh, a spiked violin with a woodsy tone, and the setar, a small lute thought to be a prototype of the sitar. The brilliant tabla drummer Swapan Chaudhuri rounds out an all-star trio. Together they make exciting, accessible, richly melodic music that will delight listeners of all tastes and backgrounds. --Christina Roden