Drums of North & South India 1967

This is a live recording of some drum masters released in 1967. I found this LP in a local shop a few weeks ago, it was pretty beat up, so sorry for that, but it plays pretty good considering. I like these thick 60's pressings, they are so much more sturdy than the slim flimsy pressings that started being made in the 70's on-wards. I am learning tabla myself so I enjoy the opportunity to listen to Tabla and other drum solo performances. It's probably not every ones cup of tea to listen to solely percussion, but I think this is an important historical recording.

By the way - I was listening to an awesome Mridangam solo on the great Darbar Festival Channel on YouTube - worth having a listen (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hQHRCNwzBc) - what a unique and groovy sound! There is great range of HD videos on this channel updated regularly - I strongly recommend it to any fellow Indian Classical lovers.

Label: World Pacific ‎– WP-1437 (Mono)

Tracks:
A1 - Allarakha - Tala Sawarib (11 Matras) with intro by Ravi Shankar
A2 - Chatur Lal - Ek Taal (12 Matras)
B1 - Ramabhadran & Sivaraman - Variations In Khanda Chapu Tala (5 Matras)
B2 - Kanai Dutta - Jhap Tal (10 Matras)
B3 - Kanai Dutta - Teen Tal

WAV 16/48 unaltered

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MP3 320kbps cleaned

Digitised with: Project Essential II Turntable, Ortofon Red Stylus, recorded as WAV 16/48 in Audacity and saved unaltered (apart from track separation/info tags) as WAV 16/48, and then separately edited with: Clickrepair (low settings) then slight reduction on surface noise + normalised to -1.5db in Audacity and exported as WAV 16/48 and MP3 320kbps.

Rare Prabha Atre 1971 'Prabha Atre'

Here is a lovely 1971 vocal release. I think this may be one of Prabha Atre's only vinlys? I love the delightful first track on B1... I'm pretty sure I had the pleasure of hearing this live two weeks ago by a visiting singer from India performing in Melbourne. Talk about coincidence! I never heard this LP before a few days ago.

"University educated Prabha Atre has opted for a career in vocal music. And rightly so, because, amongst the younger set of the present day veterans, she ranks very high. Gifted with a very sweet and melodious voice, she had the good fortune of being groomed at the hands of Hirabai Barodekar and her talented brother, the late Suresh Babu Mane. Added to the awareness of innate musicality of the Kirana School she displays a rare melange of originality, virtuosity, ingenuity and craftsmanship which mark her recitals and put her in a class by herself. Her khayal singing is particularly striking for its creative revelations and is punctuated with richly decorated alaps, gliding 'sargams' and the vibrant yet intricate and picturesque taans that present to listeners a very pleasing and euphonious picture of the raga. In thumri, she conceives tender, lyrical ideas with such lavity and richness that one feels her creative resources are inexhaustible".

Label: His Master's Voice ‎– ECSD 2490

Tracks:
A1 - Kal Nahin Aaye - Raga Marubihag,Vilambit - Ek Taal
B1 - Tan Man Dhan Tope Varun - Raga Kalavati - Ek Taal
B2 - Kaun Gali Gayo Shyam - Thumri Mishra Khamaj - Taal Deepchandi

FLAC unaltered

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MP3 320kbps cleaned

Digitised with: Project Essential II Turntable, Ortofon Red Stylus, recorded as WAV 16/48 in Audacity and saved unaltered (apart from track separation/info tags) as FLAC 16 Highest Level 8, and then separately edited with: Clickrepair (low settings) then slight reduction on surface noise + normalised to -1.5db in Audacity and exported as FLAC Highest Level 8 and MP3 320kbps.

Rare Joya Biswas (Jaya Bose) 1975 'Sitar'

Here is a 1975 release of Joya Biswas (also known as Jaya Bose). This is to my knowledge one of Joya's only LP releases. The other one is an earlier 1968 release under the name of Jaya Bose with Himangshu Biswas on Flute (I think they aren't related - maybe the reason for her different name on this one?) - which I will also be posting in the future. I don't know of any other recordings, but I have seen in Apple Music a 2016 re-release of a 1983 recording. This 1975 LP is a surprisingly good recording, so it's a shame that there aren't more copies around. This one was in great condition, but there is a little bit of distortion on the sitar in places, but still a nice overall result on the transfer... 

Label: His Master's Voice ‎– EASD 1406

Tracks:
A1 - Raga Jayajawanti (Alap, Jod, Gat in Rupak & Fast Teen Taal)
B1 - Raga Piloo (Alap, Jod, Gat in Medium Dadra & Fast Teen Taal)

WAV 16/48 unaltered

WAV 16/48 cleaned

MP3 320kbps cleaned

Digitised with: Project Essential II Turntable, Ortofon Red Stylus, recorded as WAV 16/48 in Audacity and saved unaltered (apart from track separation/info tags) as WAV 16/48, and then separately edited with: Clickrepair (low settings) then slight reduction on surface noise + normalised to -1.5db in Audacity and exported as WAV 16/48 and MP3 320kbps.

The Indo-British Ensemble 1969 'Curried Jazz'

Hi Friends. This is a fusion 'Indo-Jazz' recording from 1969. It was released in the UK and Australia and is one of my favourite Indo-Jazz recordings. It isn't too hard to find a used copy, however it was not widely re-released (apart from a CD version on Amazon which is stupidly over-priced at $87USD - what the...) There weren't many of these types of Indo-Jazz experiments released other than the few well known recordings by 'The Joe Harriott Double Quintet'. I really wish this particular group had have done some more releases, but if you are going to only release one Indian Jazz fusion LP, you would want it to be awesome, and thank Saraswati it was! My copy was a bit crackly on the second side - but still a nice overall result with a light clean up.

Label: MFPA 8124

Tracks:
A1 - Yaman (The Colonel's Lady)
A2 - Lalit (Meeting Of The Twain)
B1 - Bhimpalazi (Looking Eastward To The Blues)
B2 - Pahari (University Raga)

WAV 16/48 unaltered

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MP3 320kbps cleaned

Digitised with: Project Essential II Turntable, Ortofon Red Stylus, recorded as WAV 16/48 in Audacity and saved unaltered as 'Side One' and 'Side Two'. Then separately edited with: Clickrepair (low settings) then slight reduction on surface noise + normalised to -1.5db in Audacity and exported as WAV 16/48 and MP3 320kbps.

Rare Dulal Roy & Himangshu Biswas ‎1971 'Jugalbandi'

Here is a 1971 release of Dulal Roy on Santoor and Himangshu Biswas on Bansuri. There is also another 1968 LP of these two musicians doing another Jugalbandi, with Dulal Ji playing Jaltarang (pitched bowls). This other release is also a rare LP, but available to purchase on Saregama (Click Here). I think this LP however has not been re-released. This is a great treat, in that I haven't seen many other Duets with Santoor (except Shivkumar Sharma and Hariprasad Chaurasia)...

Label: His Master's Voice ‎– ECSD 2479

Tracks:
A1 - Raga Bhupali (Teentaal)
B1 - Raga Gujari Todi (Ektaal)
B2 - Dhun (Keharwa Taal)

WAV 16/48 unaltered

WAV 16/48 cleaned

MP3 320kbps cleaned

Digitised with: Project Essential II Turntable, Ortofon Red Stylus, recorded as WAV 16/48 in Audacity and saved unaltered (apart from track separation/info tags) as WAV 16/48, and then separately edited with: Clickrepair (low settings) then slight reduction on surface noise + normalised to -1.5db in Audacity and exported as WAV 16/48 and MP3 320kbps.

Rare Hariprasad Chaurasia 1970 'Flute Recital'

Hi Friends. I have recently got hold of a bunch of rare LPs. First to post is this 1970 release of Hariprasad Chaurasia 'Flute Recital'. I was searching more than half a year for this to show up somewhere. I was surprised it was in good condition. Apart from the usual surface noises here and there, a really nice recording! This was Hariji's second solo LP release. The first one I posted not long ago.

Label: His Master's Voice ‎– ECSD 2459

Tracks:
A1 - Raga Prabhateshvari (Jhaptaal)
A2 - Raga Sindhu Bhairavi (Rupak Taal)
B1 - Raga Chandrakauns (Teentaal)
B2 - Dadra In Misra Khamaj

WAV 16/48 unaltered

WAV 16/48 cleaned

MP3 320kbps cleaned

Digitised with: Project Essential II Turntable, Ortofon Red Stylus, recorded as WAV 16/48 in Audacity and saved unaltered (apart from track separation/info tags) as WAV 16/48, and then separately edited with: Clickrepair (low settings) then slight reduction on surface noise + normalised to -1.5db in Audacity and exported as WAV 16/48 and MP3 320kbps.

Ali Akbar Khan 1974 'Raga Alamgiri & Raga Jogiya-Kalengra'

Here is a 1974 release by Ali Akbar Khan. The cover, I believe, is supposed to be in colour, however mine is in black and white? I have no idea why, but never mind. It kind of feels like a special edition haha... The record is in pretty good condition so some good results. Raga Alamgiri is Ali Akbar Khan's own creation named after his father and Guru Allauddin Khan.

Label: His Master's Voice ‎– EASD 1407

Tracks:
A - Raga Alamgiri (Vilambit & Drut Gat - Teentaal)
B - Raga Jogiya-Kalengra (Vilambat Gat - Teentaal)

WAV 16/48 unaltered

WAV 16/48 cleaned

MP3 320kbps cleaned

Digitised with: Project Essential II Turntable, Ortofon Red Stylus, recorded as WAV 16/48 in Audacity and saved unaltered (apart from track separation/info tags) as WAV 16/48, and then separately edited with: Clickrepair (low settings) then slight reduction on surface noise + normalised to -1.5db in Audacity and exported as WAV 16/48 and MP3 320kbps.