Entharu Mahanu is a decent effort at fusing Carnatic classical music with a Western symphony orchestra. Not as grandiose at it could have been but in any case, it’s one of the first compositions of this kind that I’ve heard. Another one is Alaipaayuthey from the Tamil film of the same name. That’s a good composition too. I am extremely wary of such stuff because a lot of wannabe-stuff gets paraded as fusion and that’s a lot of not-so-great music.
Real fusion is ‘No Quarter’ by Led Zeppelin. A phenomenal album, it has 11 odd compositions, each one a masterpiece. Classic rock combines effortlessly with Middle Eastern rhythms and melodies to create one fantabulous album. My personal favourites are Kashmir, Battle of Evermore, Four Sticks, Thank You and so many more… Robert Plant and Jimmy Page are artists in the truest sense. They innovated, created, fused… and I’ve been lucky that I’ve got to hear SO much of their music. My dream concert is a Led Zeppelin one but that doesn’t seem possible, never again.
True fusion is Shakti. A who’s-who ensemble featuring John McLaughlin, Zakir Hussain, Vikku Vinayakram and various other greats. Hari Prasad Chaurasia has featured in several of their albums. Each album of theirs is a masterpiece and they have truly combined Indian classical music with Western instrumentals to come up with sheer brilliance. As you can see, I can’t stop gushing. I was luckier in case of Shakti; I attended their concert in B’bay. What a concert!!!
The day I’ll be able to play Jagadhaananda and Entharu Mahaanu on the violin… I’d have done exactly what I wanted to learn the violin for. AND if I get to play during the Thyaagaraja Aradhana in TN, man, the purpose of my life would have been served and I would have lived well.
99kanitas says:
Shakti’s wonderful 🙂
Do you play professionally? Had heard about Pandit Jasraj School of Music around Marietta (?)
August 26, 2004 — 11:12 pm
Lakshmi says:
No, I don’t… I’ve heard about Pt. Jasraj’s school. I already have a violin teacher, though…
August 27, 2004 — 5:58 am
manyou says:
Hmmmm….
Very interesting. I will go out and buy these two right now.
August 27, 2004 — 12:23 am
Lakshmi says:
Re: Hmmmm….
Which two, Manu?
August 27, 2004 — 5:58 am
manyou says:
Re: Hmmmm….
Shakti and “No Quarter” by Led Zeppelin. I went to buy those but, they were not available. The shop folks said it should be available in a week, so expect to get my hands on them by this weekend.
August 29, 2004 — 11:03 pm
Lakshmi says:
Re: Hmmmm….
Happy listening! Btw, which album of Shakti’s are you planning to buy?
August 30, 2004 — 5:10 am
manyou says:
Re: Hmmmm….
You tell me. I havent heard Shakti yet. Please advise.
August 30, 2004 — 10:28 pm
Lakshmi says:
Re: Hmmmm….
Handful of Beauty would be a good choice. My personal favourite is Shakti with John McLaughlin. Check here…http://www.softshoe-slim.com/lists/s/shakti.html#3
August 31, 2004 — 5:43 am
hemya says:
Handful of Beauty is my fav Shakti album……it being unique cause along with John McLaughlin…L Shankar the violinist is also got a lot of playing time……..La Dance Du Bonheur in that album is a phenomenal track with the violin standing out….
August 27, 2004 — 10:16 am
Lakshmi says:
I don’t recall the names. I guess the album featuring L. Shankar is one of the oldest.
August 27, 2004 — 10:46 am
hemya says:
was released in aug. 1999
August 27, 2004 — 11:01 am
rileen says:
Your enthusiasm makes me want to try out the albums mentioned 🙂
August 27, 2004 — 11:56 am
Lakshmi says:
Led Zeppelin is an amazing band. You can listen to almost any album of theirs and love it. If you like classic rock, that is… Just that ‘No Quarter’ is a great blend of rock and Middle Eastern melodies.
August 27, 2004 — 1:06 pm
splitpeasoup says:
I love the Led Zep songs you mentioned too. I read that they somehow got the idea that Kashmir was in the middle East. Hence the ‘desert’ references, which don’t actually make sense with regard to Kashmir’s actual geography.
I was lucky enough to see Shakti live in Portland. They are in fact very good.
Speaking of Carnatic / Western classical fusion, what do you think of the Thiruda Thiruda soundtrack? I know it’s not a very serious effort or anything, but it is very powerful musically, IMHO Rahman’s best ever.
To me, good fusion is Beatles, Junoon, Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon. Of course Carnatic music usually gets totally neglected by western artists.
August 28, 2004 — 7:43 am
Lakshmi says:
Oh, I didn’t know that about Kashmir. Thanks!
Thiruda Thiruda has a great OST. But a lot of Rahman’s music has mixed influences and he does justice to both genres, I feel…
I wasn’t so impressed with Junoon; need to hear more of their work. Strings is good too. What do you think about Euphoria? I loved their first album. It has a good Hindi-rock feel, I think.
Are there any specific tracks of Beatles/Paul Simon which you felt was an example of good fusion? I’d like to hear them….
August 28, 2004 — 8:15 am
splitpeasoup says:
Beatles: Within You Without You, Love You To (Hindustani classical fusion)
Paul Simon: Entire Graceland album (South African influences), entire Rhythm of the Saints album (Brazilian fusion)
August 28, 2004 — 8:33 am
Lakshmi says:
Must hear them. Talking of fusion, I’ve heard an album featuring Sultan Khan(sarangi) and a musician playing the Spanish guitar. Phenomenal tracks… The album’s called ‘Astral Fission’.
August 29, 2004 — 5:07 pm
fugney says:
Ahh yes…I got that one, but the tape screwed before I could even play it even once.
August 30, 2004 — 12:58 am
Lakshmi says:
That’s one fantastic collection…The two instruments blend so beautifully; I could never have imagined it!
August 30, 2004 — 5:11 am
vote_sobriety says:
For an year or so I was in the search for “perfect” fusion. I came across two categories: one, has classical Indian(mainly carnatic) music well covered, but misinterprets western pop and rock elements to the limit of embarrasment. The second invariably exoticises Indian elements. In between, I have found just one album so far of remarkable quality: OST – Let’s Talk by Ram Sampath. It’s quite brilliant and I never get tired of it. It has a true urban Indian soul.
Hmmm…I’m adding you, is that ok?
August 29, 2004 — 1:08 am
vote_sobriety says:
a true urban Indian soul.
Ah…that can’t be true. Urban Indian is bollywood. I meant it(the album) misrepresents neither hindustani nor western elements.
August 29, 2004 — 1:12 am
Lakshmi says:
Sure it is. I must hear the album that you’ve mentioned.
August 29, 2004 — 5:08 pm
fugney says:
It has “Neha lagai”. You must have heard that one.
August 30, 2004 — 12:56 am
Lakshmi says:
Haven’t…Can I hear it someplace online?
August 30, 2004 — 5:12 am
fugney says:
WHAT???!!!!!You don’t watch much TV do you? That was a pretty big hit….
I don’t know if you get it online. I mean, I don’t know where you get this stuff online.
Btw, have you heard 99.9 FM’s OST? I think it has come pretty nice tracks.
August 30, 2004 — 7:38 am
vote_sobriety says:
I can’t muself to like John McLaughin. Immaturity?
August 29, 2004 — 1:18 am
vote_sobriety says:
muself
Myself.
August 29, 2004 — 1:20 am
Lakshmi says:
I have heard his solo albums (The Mahavishnu orchestra?) and not liked them a lot. I thought that I must give them a better listen… As a part of the Shakti ensemble, he’s brilliant.
August 29, 2004 — 5:09 pm
fugney says:
I had a shakti tape once. I didn’t like it back then. Maybe I’d like it now.
August 30, 2004 — 12:54 am
fugney says:
Entharu Mahanu
You mean “endaro mahunubhavulu”?
August 30, 2004 — 1:47 am
Lakshmi says:
Yes, I do. But Entharu Mahanu is the way it has been spelt in the site that I’ve linked in my blog…Hence the different spelling.
August 30, 2004 — 5:13 am