Zia Mohiuddin Daga, who died soon after recording this two-disc set, was a master of the rudra vina, a large sitar-like instrument which he had modified to produce a more mellow timbre. He is accompanied by Uday Bhwalkar and Yvan Trunzler on tamburas, the high-ringing stringed instrument often heard on Indian classical music. As this is the "purest" form of Indian music, there are no tablas. This omission will make it all the more difficult for a beginner to listen. Each disc is a separate raga. The "Alap" (a slow, non-metrical introduction) to the
Raga Yaman is over 40 minutes. The "Jor," or middle section, is also fairly slow, and the climactic "Jhala," which is fairly exciting even without the tablas, is still on the languid side. The Raga Shuddha Todi on the second disc follows largely the same pattern. The alaps especially will be very difficult for the uninitiated to appreciate, unless they are able to lie back and let the bent notes, drones, and microtones wash over them. Recommended for the advanced collector. ~ Kurt Keefner