Madeira: If Music Could Intoxicate (Tridev Music India/Magenta, 2013)
Earlier this year, Indian slide guitar maestro and musical instrument inventor Debashish Bhattacharya released an excellent fusion album titled Beyond The Ragasphere. With the new release Madeira: If Music Could Intoxicate, Debashish Bhattacharya returns to his Indian classical music roots with an equally superb album of ragas.
Madeira includes three ragas that show various tempos and moods. The first three pieces feature the virtuosic work of Debashish Bhattacharya on slide guitar accompanied by his similarly talented brother Subhasis Bhattacharjee on tabla.
The title cut, ‘Madeira’ is a Raga Lalit (a dawn raga), with aalap (opening section) performed on chaturangui slide guitar.
The lengthy ‘Morning Gait’ is a Raga Kaunsi Bhairav (morning raga), with composition in slow tempo vilambit teental. Track 3, title ‘Jhoom’ is also a Raga Kaunsi Bhairav, with composition and jhala (conclusion) in medium and fast tempo.
The last two pieces on the album are semi-classical in nature and feature child prodigy vocalist Anandi Bhattacharya who has an admirable voice and technique. ‘Colours of Love’ is a chaiti (semi-classical song sung in the Hindu calendar month of Chait) Raga Manj Khamaj. The last piece ‘O My Beloved!’ is another type of song called thurmi and is a Raga Pilu.
Madeira: If Music Could Intoxicate is an additional masterful recording of Indian slide guitar music by the versatile world class musician Debashish Bhattacharya. As an added bonus the album features the fabulous voice of Anandi Bhattacharya.
Buy Madeira: If Music Could Intoxicate
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
Debashish has not only been blessed by his beautiful music but also has been blessed by his teen age singer daughter – she has an unique voice of her own; and strong expression of deep emotion. The album it self is absolutely a five out of five star