Natraj - Ragamala Paintings Alive! (2023) [Official Digital Download]

Composed by Phil Scarff and performed by world-jazz ensemble Natraj, RAGAMALA PAINTINGS ALIVE! shines a contemporary light on historic artwork from India. The members of Natraj individually and collectively bring a wealth of experience exploring the intersection of jazz and global musical traditions. Their stunning performance showcased in this release is wide ranging, deep, and accessible, while firmly rooted in the rich tapestry of Indian classical music. RAGAMALA PAINTINGS ALIVE! is part of a larger multimedia work created in collaboration with Indian classical dancer Jayshree Bala Rajamani, incorporating dance, music, spoken word, and projected images. It brings to life historic ragamala paintings, with each painting representing one Indian classical raga or melodic framework. Inspired by Modest Mussorgsky and his iconic work, Pictures at an Exhibition, Scarff threads the suite together with musical “promenades” that represent the viewer entering and moving about an art gallery, with each theme anticipating a painting or set of paintings to come. Whether heard on its own or experienced as a full multimedia performance, RAGAMALA PAINTINGS ALIVE! takes listeners on a compelling contemporary journey that celebrates classic ragamala paintings from India.

Tracklist:
01. Promenade (Raga Malkauns)
02. Malkos Raga and Todi Ragini, Pt. 1 (Raga Malkauns)
03. Malkos Raga and Todi Ragini, Pt. 2 (Ragas Gujari Todi and Malkauns)
04. Promenade 2 (Raga Malkauns)
05. Kanado Ragini (Raga Darbari Kanada)
06. Promenade 3 (Raga Malkauns)
07. Bhairav Raga
08. Bhairavi Ragini
09. Bilawal Ragini and Vilaval Ragputra, Pt. 1 (Raga Alhaiya Bilaval)
10. Bilawal Ragini and Vilaval Ragputra, Pt. 2 (Raga Alhaiya Bilaval)
11. Promenade 4 (Raga Malkauns)
12. Promenade Reprise (Raga Malkauns)


Thanks to the Original customer!