I'm a magician/mentalist. One of the topics we often use on magician forums is the "three foot shelf". In this case, if we had only a three foot shelf to place all the magic books we own, what would those books be: what, in our opinion are the most critical and useful books out there?
I think we can do something similar here, though perhaps we would have several shelves. Let's try this:
1. If you were to own 10 and only 10 currently-available sitar CD's, what would they be?
2. Similarly, if you were to own 10 and only 10 currently-available ICM in general CD's, what would they be?
3. What are your favorite books on sitar, starting from the best?
4. What are your favorite books on ICM?
There could probably be more "shelves" we can create, but let's start from here. If everyone can try to add to the list as much as possible, even if you don't have ten choices on the CD's, even if you have only one; at the end I'll compile the results. Usually when we do this, we try to keep the debate to a minimum, though I'm sure many people's choices are debatable. But lets try to hold back on the debate for a while.
Re:Mirror Mirror on the Wall. .who is the worst of them all
Jul 17, 2003 11:44 a.m.
Very interesting points.
I think I'm the one that accidentally introduced the subject of "speed" into the discussion, when to me that wasn't a consideration, so I'm glad you've not continued that aspect.
So let's talk about me for a second. Though I've gotten several of Pdt Shankar's CD's over the years (and earlier LP's, which I wish I still had), I've only started to listen with a bit more knowledgable ear in the last month since I bought my first sitar.
During that time, I bought both Ravi's and Anoushka's Carnegie CD's. Let's get down to brass tacks: is it going to hurt my growth in appreciation of ICM, especially sitar music, to continue to listen to these CD's, particularly Ravi's? At least now I know a little more about what I'm listening to.
I just remember the old music appreciation courses in college, where the prof would recommend specific selections, and specifically tell us *not* to listen to so-and-so because it would distort our perception of good musical performance. . I always wondered if that was right. Wouldn't it be better to also listen to the lesser quality performances, as long as we had knowledge of what made these performances lesser quality. Would that really hurt our ear for music??
OK, I'll bite. .but the details will have to wait until I get home (don't want to get album names/titles wrong):
Top 10 sitar CDs: All of the Nikhil Bannerjee live CDs from Raga Records (can't remember how many there are, but it's <10 I think. .I have a bout 6-7).
Top 10 ICM CDs: See above (you can tell I'm a NB fan!)
Top Books: I'll combine ICM and Sitar here:
1. Classical Music of N. India-The First Year's Study by Ali Akbar Khan
2. The Raga Guide-Nimbus Records(?)
3. My Music My Life-Ravi Shankar
I've got a few more at home, but I need to look at my shelf to jog my memory.
Danimal (Jul 17, 2003 09:21 a.m.):
OK, I'll bite. .but the details will have to wait until I get home (don't want to get album names/titles wrong):
Top 10 sitar CDs: All of the Nikhil Bannerjee live CDs from Raga Records (can't remember how many there are, but it's <10 I think. .I have a bout 6-7).Dan
OK, in the interest of getting this going, I went over to Amazon to see what they had lissted for Bannerjee. I only looked for the labels for the first couple: the first one was "Ammp Records" and the second one was "Raga", so I don't know how many of these fit the Raga label qualifier. Note that the one's listed without info are out of stock, which probably means out of print. Of course, I doubt Amazon is the authority of ICM, I only went there because they are assessible to most people. So here's the list from Amazon:
1. Signature Series, Vol. 4
~ Pandit Nikhil Ustad Khan Ali Akbar & Banerjee (Audio CD)
Original Release Date: August 9, 1994
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Used & new from $11.19
2. Live at De Kosmos: Manomanjari [LIVE]
~ Nikhil Banerjee (Audio CD)
Original Release Date: April 16, 1998
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List Price: $29.99
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3. Afternoon Ragas Rotterdam 1970
~ Nikhil Banerjee (Audio CD)
Original Release Date: June 1, 1992
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4. Shree Rag: Munich 1976
~ Nikhil Banerjee (Audio CD)
Original Release Date: May 1, 2003
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5. Total Absorption
~ Nikhil Banerjee (Audio CD)
Original Release Date: March 27, 2000
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6. Rag Hemant Amsterdam 1970
~ Pandit Nikhil Banerjee (Audio CD)
Original Release Date: June 1, 1994
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7. Musician's Musician
8. Hundred Minute Raga Purabi Kalyan [LIVE]
~ Nikhil Banerjee (Audio CD)
Original Release Date: June 1, 1991
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9. Vol. 2-Live Concert-India's Ma [LIVE]
~ Nikhil Banerjee (Audio CD)
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10. India's Maestro of Melody: Live Concert 5
~ Nikhil Banerjee (Audio CD)
Special Order
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11. Chandrakaush Khamaj Berkeley 1967
~ Nikhil Banerjee (Audio CD)
Original Release Date: June 1, 1989
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12. Misra Kafi Berkeley 1982
~ Nikhil Banerjee (Audio CD)
Original Release Date: June 1, 1989
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While you're at it, check out Khazana. They have few more obscure and hard to find titles by NB that I don't see here. BTW, there were a number of vinyl LPs that never made it to CD. I have one, over 34 years old, now with the late Kanai Dutta on tabla. Very nice version of Raga Malkauns, much better than Ravi's version.
Hmmm? Somebody yelling for me? :-)
Yeah, http://raga.com is the place for NB as is Khazana. Khazana is reasonable for CD's and some books.
Not enough time to list 10 of each.
1. top sitar cd's
Nikhil Banerjee "Manj Khamaj" from St. Johns church in Berkely around 1981 (OOP)
Nikhil Banerjee "Surdasi Malhar"
Nikhil Banerjee "Mishra Kafi" from Raga records
Manilal Nag "Classical Music of North India Vol. 1" Raga Darbari Kanada (OOP)
A CD or two of Ravi's early 60's music. . .
2. Was it books? Can't see the post anymore. . .
1. A comparative study of selected Hindustani Ragas by Patrick Moutal
2. My Sitar by B. Sharma
3. My music my life by the "Ji" man. . .
4 The magic of the Raga by R. Menon
and a bunch more. . .er, um shameless plug. . .some of these are coming soon to a website near you. .
3. General ICM CD's?
ZM Dagar "Yaman"
Anything by Samaresh Chowdhury
Can we add some fusion, etc. here?
Ananda Shankar album with Jumping Jack flash on it
Masters of Percussion or Shakti
Ok, lost all train of thought now. . .Please don't ask about world music favorites. . ., ha ha. .
Thought I'd repost the categories here. If anyone has suggestions for other categories, post them! What this does is help both the new players as well as some oldtimers with blinders on to establish a library of quality resources. So try to post items that are hopefully available:
1. If you were to own 10 and only 10 currently-available sitar CD's, what would they be?
2. Similarly, if you were to own 10 and only 10 currently-available ICM in general CD's, what would they be?
3. What are your favorite books on sitar, starting from the best?
That's 3 foot wide by 3 foot high, right? This is hard to answer, so I can't be specific right now.
1) I would go a different direction than concentrating on a favorite. Each of my 10 sitar CDs would be by a different artist, both established and new generation, and each one of those would have to be what I consider the best one they have put out to date. Plus, Ravi has trained many students who are now masters themselves and quite commercial. So, his continuing gharana would skew the collection. See how tough this is getting!?
2) For the general collection of 10 ICM CDs, I would mix up Hindustandi and Carnatic, plus instrumental (other than sitar) and vocal. This is all mood music, and you play the music that suits your ever-changing moods.
3) I don't think there are that many books on sitar out there. You'd be hard pressed finding 10. I'd start with Jaffer Khan's sitar techniques, S. Bandyopayayay's "Techniques of Sitar" (a classic compendium), and the ol' standby RS's "My Music,My Life".
4) OK, I don't have any on ICM in general. I spend too much time on the SAWF website, reading Dr. Parrikar's lengthy technical writeups on many ragas. But he frequently leaves me in the dust! I am thinking giving the "Raga Guide" with CD a spin.
Russ (Jul 18, 2003 12:35 p.m.):
That's 3 foot wide by 3 foot high, right? This is hard to answer, so I can't be specific right now.
I am thinking giving the "Raga Guide" with CD a spin.
If you want to think of it another way, how about, "what I'd want if I were shipped-wrecked, and could carry only an arm-full of CDs and books."
By the way, your comment on Raga Guide w/CD reminded me, I found a software CBT on Indian Music called "Indian Musica". Its at http://www.magicsw.com/cd-rom/
I don't know if its any good, but you can download a short demo, ad it looks interesting. Myself, I too would go for the Raga Guide with CD's. I hear its really intensive.
