0517. Ravi Shankar
The Sounds Of India
Not really a music album in the usual sense, but more
of an instructional introduction into the sounds of the
raga, The Sounds Of India features four ragas and, well
a track aptly named An Introduction To Indian Music. On
that track Shankar explains (some) of the differences
between this and Western music.
The setting's Ravis sitar backed up by tablas and tambura
and the ragas are expertly performed (as far as I can tell
at least). Or, in other words: it's a good introduction.
Also a good introduction that became somewhat of a hit.
There's however a bit of an argument here:
On the one hand there's 1001 Albums You Must Hear…, Allmusic
and Wikipedia that say the album's from 1968, but on the
other there's Discogs that got this listed as a release
from 1960 (i.e. I'm suspecting a re-release in '68 after
his perfromance at the Monterey festival and befriending
one of The Beatles gained him attention).
