Sitar (Times Music, 2009)
This is an ambitious fusion venture by Vatsal Dave, sitarist and vocalist. The 13 tracks span well over an hour of pieces with a mix of sitar compositions and fusion collaborations.
Other featured musicians include Art Greenhaw on guitars, Neel Bhatt on tabla, Larry Gordon on sax and Nilendu Jani on flute. There are even a couple of Beatle remakes, of Norwegian Wood and Across the Universe, and a fusion take of the all-time surf-rock anthem Pipeline!
Our picks include the high-energy tracks Paint it Black and His Majesty Contemplative. The vocals could do with some improving, though, and do not blend in very well with the instruments.
Author: Madanmohan Rao
Madanmohan Rao is an author and media consultant from Bangalore, and global correspondent for world music and jazz for World Music Central and Jazzuality. He has written over 15 books on media, management and culture, and is research director for YourStory Media. Madan was formerly World Music Editor at Rave magazine and RJ at WorldSpace, and can be followed on Twitter at @MadanRao.
