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Review

Sense World is a new addition to the growing number of labels dedicated to Indian classical music. Started in 2002 Sense World is based in UK, with a studio in Gujarat. Many of the albums are live concert recordings of the Saptak Music Festival held every year in Ahmedabad, Gujarat every year in winter.

This CD by N Rajam presents the live recording of a concert held as part of Saptak Music Festival, 2002. One of the most prominent violin players of today, Smt. N. Rajam, is equally adept at Hindustani and Carnatic traditions, though she mainly plays Hindustani. She belongs to a family of Carnatic violinists like her brother, the well known maestro Prof. T. N. Krishnan. But she trained for over a decade under Pt. Omkarnath Thakur and used to accompany him, the experience has made her a great violinist in gayaki ang (vocalist like).

The cd starts with Malkauns, a pentatonic late night raaga. Malkauns is more popular with vocalists, which makes it an appropriate raaga for gaayaki ang violin artist. After a short alaap, exploration of the raaga proceeds in vilambit EkTaal. The treatment of the raaga is serious invoking the right santa-gambheera rasa associated with Malkauns. The next is a composition in Madhyalaya TeenTaal, followed by a short composition in Dhruth Teen taal. The pace increases in these two tracks, with faster taans and more innovative violin and tabla work, still mostly aesthetically pleasing and well within the spiritual framework of raag Malkauns. Tabla by Ustad Akram Khan's is more than competent with clear stroke delineations even in the fastest extents.

The fourth track is a popular thumri in Raag Khamaj set to dadra taal. Rajam's violin brings out the pangs of separation which is the over arching mood of all thumri-s. next track is in a rare raaga, Nilambari, a favorite of her guru, Pt. Omkarnath Thakur. The aarohana of this audava-sampoorna raaga (kaafi that) is S R m P D S' and the avarohana is R' n D P m G g R S. This raaga is sad in mood, well emoted by the plaintive strings of Rajam's violin.

The concert ends with a mandatory Bhairavi bhajan, one of Pt Omkarnath Thakur's favorites, Jogi Mat Jaa. The gaayaki style really excels in presenting such soul stirring compositions and N Rajam does not disappoint.

Recording : Rajam is placed right of center and tabla on the left. 1/3 dormation.

Overall 4.0 stars for the music and 4.0 stars for the recording. Recommended.

CD Information

Tracks

Nu.	Title	Time	Music
1	Malkauns - Vilambith EkTaal	25:14
2	Malkauns - TeenTaal	15:15
3	Malkauns - Dhruth TeenTaal	5:52
4	Thumri in Khamaj - Dadra taal	12:19
5	Raag Nilambari - EkTaal	6:44
6	Raag Bhairavi - Teentaal	12:30

Liner Notes

Good liner notes with profile of the artist and music. The cover art is excellent as is the case with most Sense World Music productions.