COMPOSERS: Rashid Khan
LABELS: Navras
WORKS: Morning Mantra
PERFORMER: Rashid Khan (vocals), Ramesh Mishra (sarangi), Yogesh Samsi (tabla)
CATALOGUE NO: NRCD 0163
Cymbals and horns, deep ones and trumpeting ones, supply spectacular interludes in these slow-moving, heartfelt and unexpectedly dramatic ceremonies. Their host region does well by Navras, and a batch of vocal releases keeps the label’s reputation up to scratch.
Rashid Khan is prominent in the generation of singers now establishing themselves, here recorded eight years ago in a fully representative half-recital, MORNING MANTRA.
He is a family product, in the old tradition of musical training, but in the contemporary way takes musical ideas from other schools of learning and creates a fine balance of virtuosity and expression, the former serving the latter.
The disc offers the recital’s second half, growing lighter through a half-hour elaboration and two shorter ones, supported by soft-toned tabla and discreetly recorded sarangi. In the main elaboration, flourishes over a slowish pulse begin to speed up until the tempo is doubled.
The others are well contrasted in pace and mood, prolifically fast at the end.