Ravi Shankar & Friends - Towards The Rising Sun

As Ravi Shankar explains in the notes to this cd all music in the East, despite other differences, is based on similar structures. This fact gives him the oportunity to explore a merging of the music of India with that of Japan. So here Ravi Shankar uses ancient indian ragas (system of melody forms which form the structure of Indian music) which use five notes and are similar to the modes used in Japanese music to execute his experiment. Of the six pieces contained in the cd five are permormed with the use of both Indian (sitar, tanpura, tabla) and Japanese instruments (the stringed koto and the shakuchachi flute). Of these, four are based on Indian ragas as mentioned above specifically composed to accomodate the use of Japanese instruments and make for very pleasing and meditative listening.

Tracks:
1. Padhasapa
2. Kaharwa
3. Improvisation On The Theme Of "Rokudan"
4. Namah Shivaya
5. Tribute To Nippon
6. Homage To Bab Allauddin

Ravi Shankar - From Dusk to Dawn
Ravi Shankar - The Teacher
Ravi Shankar and Phillip Glass - Passages