CD Review: Annbjorg Lien's 'Khoom Loy'

Annbjorg Lien
Khoom Loy
Compass Records

As a Norwegian fiddler and traditional musician, Annbjorg Lien has enthralled listeners throughout the world for years. Khoom Loy, which is Thai for 'Paper Lanterns,' is a fun romp throughout the Scandinavian and Celtic fiddling worlds with lively nyckelharpa, guitar, zither, banjo, pedal steel, B3, mellotron, bass, assorted percussion, and various brass. The songs are mostly instrumental, but Annbjorg's vocals on "Khoom Loy,'' suggest a strong folk influence. The jazzy, jam outro on "Natten" and "Needles Eye" are most akin to many of the Dave Matthews Band jam sessions with lively percussion, strings, and horns. The buzuq, bouzouki, tabla, sarod, and related instruments provide a Middle Eastern and South Asian element on "Den Storste Daarlighed" and "Til." There are spirited moments, contemplative melodies, and jazzy sounds that truly encapsulate the essence of world music today. Nothing is cheesy here. This is one of the best albums from Annbjorg's repertoire. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Pandit Rajeev Taranath's 'Swar-Kalyan'

Pandit Rajeev Taranath
Swar-Kalyan
Navras

Swar-Kalyan is a live recording from two different locations: Raga Yaman Kalyan at the Theatre de la Ville in Paris in 2008 and Raga Mishra Kirwani and Raga Sindhu Bhairavi at the University of Oregon in 2003. Pandit Rajeev Taranath is a leading sarod player from India. The sarod is an unfretted string instrument with metal, plucked strings. Taranath is joined by tabla player, Abhiman Kaushal. The reflective, meditative, and captivating compositions are timeless, professional, and authentic. The music is raw, unplugged, and historical. This is perfect for relaxing, unwinding, and understanding the complexities of Hindustani music. A must-have for sarod fans. Liner notes are included for this instrumental, one-hour release. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Grammy-nominated Chandrika Krishnamurthy Tandon

Chandrika Krishnamurthy Tandon

Om Namo Narayanaya: Soul Call

Soul Chants

A recent Grammy-nominated album, Om Namo Narayanaya: Soul Call, is a delicious journey of ancestral significance that draws upon ancient syllabic chants to formulate songs with different Indian ragas. A classically trained Indian vocalist, Chandrika K. Tandon, brings a soothing and intriguing voice backed by incredible instruments including sarod, sitar, esraj, violin, tabla, and various drums and flutes. Each track begins with a relatively slow pace with limited instrumentation and vocal accompaniment, but every song satisfies the soul by picking up the pace after a short time. The classical compositions are relatively modern in form and do not follow the typical raga pattern of solo sitar and vocal accompaniment. Chandrika K. Tandon's vocals are never grating or unwarranted. The Sanskrit chants and modern instrumentation strike a perfect balance between old and new without resorting to pulsating dance music or a boring and dry solo sitar and voice performance. However, a faster paced "Basanth Mukhari" might border on a Bollywood anthem with some flamenco and Central Asian elements thrown in. Overall, Soul Call is an excellent soundtrack for hope and peace in the New Year. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Sacred Music of India

Various Artists
Sacred Music of India
Silk Road Communications

This recording is a collection of live performances recorded during the Global Event of the World Festival of Sacred Music in Bangalore, India from April 9-16, 2000. The event was organized by Tibet House, Cultural Center of H.H. the Dalai Lama. In fact, a short foreword and speech by H.H. the Dalai Lama is included in the liner notes. Unfortunately, the speech is not on the CD. Yet, nearly 50 pages of text accompanies the CD in an attractively-illustrated, hardbound package. 12 tracks feature contemporary and traditional instrumental and vocal music from Sri Lanka in the South to Tibet in the North. The usual instrumentation of Indian music is present, including, tabla, tala, harmonium, sarangi, dholak, ektara, flute, and more. All liner notes are in English. The vocals are superb and very lively at various points. If you want to experience a live recording of the best sacred music from india, then sit back and enjoy the engaging melodies traditional Indian music. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Go Ga-Ga For Raga

Shivoham
Shankara
Silk Road Communications

For anyone looking for meditative or contemplative raga music, then stop no further. Shivoham is the name for Aparna Panshikar (vocals), Bhargav Mistry (sarod), and Debashish Upadhyay (keyboards). This album celebrates Shankara -- one of the great mystical poets and philosophers in India's history. There are 6 long tracks that feature sparkling and tinny sounds of the sarod, with the added beats of tabla, too. Aparna's glorious vocals add a nice touch to the music. Her voice fits quite naturally with the instrumentation and overall tempo. Shankara's 6 core beliefs of a worldview are included in the liner note book. In fact, there are nearly 50 pages of text, photos, and illustrations throughout the book. The liner notes contain song lyrics in Romanized Sanskrit and English, with commentary in English. Shankara is steeped in centuries-old tradition, but is nevertheless, a very original and contemporary album. If you want to relax, then you've come to the right place. ~ Matthew Forss