Ali Akbar Khan 1964 'Raga Pahadi-Jhinzoti, Raga Mishra-Shivranjani'

[Re-post and new transfer from the January post of this LP]

This vinyl was released in the India in 1964 as a Stereo LP. This record is possible to track down, however was never digitised (to my knowledge), making it valuable and an important part of my preservation efforts. The record looks in very good condition, but the quality of the actual recording sounds a bit sub-standard. If anyone else has a copy of this, please let me know if it sounds the same!

Label: His Master's Voice ‎– EALP 1281

Tracks:
A Raga Pahadi-Jhinzoti - Bilampat Teen Taal
B Raga MIshra-Shivranjani - Roopak, Drut - Teen Taal

FLAC unaltered

FLAC cleaned
MP3 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 Amjad Ali Khan 1967 'Amjad Ali Khan'

Here is Amjad Ali Khan's first LP from 1967. It is possible to find a copy, but still fairly rare. Saregama have re-released the tracks, but you have to hunt for them and their digitisation of track 2 is low quality. Enjoy!

Label: His Master's Voice - EALP 1316 & Odeon S/MOAE. 185

Tracks:
A1 - Raga Desh (Slow And Fast Gats In Teental)
B1 - Raga Kiranranjani (Alap And Gat In Rupak Tala)
B2 - Dhun In Bhairavi

FLAC unaltered

FLAC cleaned

MP3 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 Amjad Ali Khan 1974 'Ustad Amjad Ali Khan'

I posted this in January, but only offered the MP3. I have re-digitised this LP and also spent quite a while restoring the cover on the computer, which was pretty beat up. Record is in fairly good shape but some surface noise. This is a rare LP released in India in 1974. I searched a while for a copy of this in decent condition. To my knowledge it was never re-released in a digital format or CD. I have heard a copy online, however it was not downloadable and the quality wasn't great. I hope you enjoy!

Label: His Master's Voice - EASD 1405

Tracks:
A - Raga Rageshwari - Aochar, Madhya And Drut Gat In Teen Taal
B1 - Raga Kirwani - Aochar & Gat In Rupak Taal
B2 - Bihari - Drut Gat In Teen Taal

FLAC unaltered

FLAC cleaned

MP3 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 Ram Narayan 1970 'Sarangi Recital'

Here is a rare 1970 Indian release of Ram Narayan. These solo Sarangi performances are unique in that the instrument has mainly been sidelined to accompanist status for Vocalists etc. - similar to Harmonium. I find the sound of Sarangi and Dilruba (Ram's father Pt. Nathuji Biawat was an accomplished Dilruba player) hauntingly beautiful. In fact I think I heard a dilruba in a soundtrack for a few minutes in a movie (along with Tabla) when I was a child - which I think was the seed to my interest in India / Indian Instruments much much later.

An interesting fact I was unaware of - Ram Narayan's brother was legendary Tabla maestro Chatur Lal. Chatur Lal was there at the beginning of the Indian Classical LP inception in the 50's accompanying the likes of Ali Akbar Khan. Some of you might be aware of Ali Akbar's first LP the 1955 'Music of India (Morning and Evening Ragas)'.

Back to this LP! On this album we have the evergreen Raga Yaman - a major sounding scale with a raised 4th. On side B we have Rishabh Asavari - an early morning melody creating a mood of pathos and separation.

Label: His Master's Voice ‎– EASD 1361

Tracks:
A1 - Raga Yaman (Teentaal)
A2 - Thumree (Raga Desh - Teentaal)
B1 - Raga Komal Rishabh Asavari (Jhaptaal)
B2 - Dhun (Rupak)

WAV 16/48 unaltered

FLAC cleaned

MP3 320kbps cleaned

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

Jaya Bose & Himangshu Biswas ‎1968 'Sitar & Flute'

Hello Friends, as promised here is the other 1968 album by Jaya Bose (A.K.A Joya Biswas) with Himangshu Biswas on Bansuri (who also played on the LP I posted not long ago with Dulal Roy on Santoor). That's it! Short and sweet. Feel free to comment on the artists or the music - or anything music related :-)

Label: His Master's Voice ‎– ECLP 2372

Tracks:
A1 - Raga Alahia Bilaval (Alap, Jhalla and Gat in Teentaal)
B1 - Raga Desh (Gat In Dipchandi)
B2 - Bhatiali - Dhun

FLAC unaltered

FLAC 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 FLAC, and then separately edited with: Clickrepair (low settings) then slight reduction on surface noise + normalised to -1.5db in Audacity and exported as FLAC and MP3 320kbps.

Rare Sundaram Balachander 1970 'A Homage...'

Here is a 1970 release of S. Balachander on the King of string instruments the 'Been' or 'Veena'. I am not very knowledgeable about South Indian (Carnatic Music), but I really enjoy listening to it. It is quite different to the North Indian Hindustani Classical that I mainly post. To me Carnatic melodic lines are more driving and ornamented (or in my own technical words... Wiggly!). I guess this is what give it the uniqueness and charm. I have a couple of other south Indian LPs I will dig out and post in the future.

Label: His Master's Voice ECSD 2443

Tracks:
A1 - Raagam Sankarabharanam
B1 - Raagam Shanmukhapriya

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.

Hariprasad Chaurasia 1977 'Thumriyan Vol. II'

Here is another lovely flute LP by Hariprasad Chaurasia 1977. Unfortunately there is an ugly sticker on the cover! I got annoyed with it only after I had packaged everything up in ZIPs.. and did a basic cover up in Paint. You can copy the picture from below.

"Thumri can be described as the final phase of the chequered evolution of Hindustani music which began with the massive, dignified dhrupad and dhamar, followed by the ornate, inventive khayal and lilting, racy tappa. Distinctly erotic or devotional in content, it originated from the eastern region of Uttar Pradesh and eventually branched off into two different traditions of Lucknow and Benaras. Although thumri has broadly evolved as a vocal form, many instrumental masters of initiative and vision have successfully given a new elan to its niceties and beauties by their sheer originality and virtuosity".

Label: EMI ‎– ECSD 2781

Tracks:
A1 - Thumri Mishra Khamaj (Roopak Taal)
A2 - Thumri Pilu (Dadra Taal)
B1 - Thumri Pahadi (Kaharwa Taal)
B2 - Thumri Bhairvin (Roopak Taal)

FLAC unaltered

FLAC 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 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.