#0111: The Sounds Of India - Ravi Shankar

You know what?  I really respect what Ravi Shankar is trying to do here.  He begins the record with a comprehensive summary of the elements in Indian musical form.  He cites terminology and provides examples, bringing in instruments and building the sound in layers.  He even gives you tips on how to enjoy it more by relaxing and letting it float over you.  It's not like jazz, he says, even tho it's all improvised.  There's no harmony or counterpoint.  That's western music, you cunt.

It's a very valuable foreword and I'll go back to it so I can memorise the terms.  As I'm listening to the opening track I'm noticing actually that he is a far superior sitar player to the previous recordings I've encountered.  His variations within the raga (if I have that right) are deep and complex and he's fast as fuck.  There are moments where you think this guy could be Richie Blackmore.  And in India, I bet he fucking was.

Norah Jones is his daughter isn't she?  I think it's wonderful when a famous artist's children get into the same business.  They must feel so proud of their kids and their relationship that it was possible without friction.  Well, there was probably some.  We're all little shits at some point, right?

Anyway, I've had this on for a bit now and in taking a detour to talk about Norah Jones I've managed to create the state of not really listening intently, as he instructed.  Now that I'm aware of the music again, it's still very much an academic appreciation.  My blood pressure is rising cuz I just don't like the noises and it's getting really fast and chaotic.  It's like punjabi punk or something.  I hope that's not offensive.  I just wanted to use a bit of wordplay to draw a comparison between the thrashing nature of both styles.

There's another brief exposition from Ravi at the beginning of the next track and I can see how this is going to go and I won't be able to say anything that isn't repetitive so I'll leave it there.

This is about my enjoyment levels, of course, so I can't give it a very high score but a respectful one is in order, I think.