Lalith Rao - Raga Bihag, Raga Kedar, Thumri - LP published in India in 1985

We will publish here three LPs by great female voices of the Agra Gharana. We start with the only LP by Lalith Rao (born in 1942). More recent recordings are available on several CDs.

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About the Agra Gharana, a particularly masculine style, see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agra_gharana
http://sahapedia.org/the-agra-gharana-of-hindustani-music/
http://www.nadsadhna.com/Pages/IndianMusic/Gharanas.asp?About=Agra
https://agragharana.wordpress.com/

About Lalith Rao see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lalith_J._Rao

Recently this wonderful box was published in India
(can be ordered from info@raga-maqam-dastgah.com):

Khadim Hussain Khan, Lalith J. Rao a.o. - Agra Gharana – Ek Vatavriksh – The Legacy Continues – An Agra Gharana Heritage Collection, Set of 4 CDs in box, CD 1: Khadim Hussain Khan (Vocal) – Rare Live Concert Recordings: Raga Bhim: Alap & Rupak Tal (1979) (26:58), Raga Bihag: Alap & Dhamar, Vilambit Ektal & Drut Teental (1978) (39:24), Raga Bhairavi: Keherwa (1976) (8:16), CD 2: Lalith J. Rao (Vocal), Purushottam Walawalkar (Harmonium) & Deppak Nerurkar (Tabla) – Volume 1: Raga Shree: Vilambit Teental, Madhyalaya Jhaptal & Drut Teental (1987) (65:32), CD 3: Lalith J. Rao (Vocal), Purushottam Walawalkar (Harmonium) & Deppak Nerurkar (Tabla) – Volume 2: Raga Dhanashri: Vilambit Ektal & Drut Teental (1987) (28:25), Raga Barwa: Alap & Drut Teental (1987) (38:30), CD 4 (MP3): Khadim Hussain Khan (Vocal) – Raga Maluha Kedar (30:33), Raga Darbari Kanhada (10:11), Raga Sajan Sohini (6:13), Lalith J. Rao (Vocal) – Raga Gorakh Kalyan (53:04), Raga Basant – Tarana (19:22), Torch Bearers of the Agra Gharana – Bharathi Prathap (Vocal) – Raga Bageshree Bahar (35:50), Pilu Thumri (11:17), Deepa Karnad (Vocal) – Raga Shuddh Sarang (37:31), Kailash Kulkarni (Vocal) – Raga Malkauns (45:28), Meera Sahasrabudhe (Vocal) – Raga Jog (30:52), Nishant Panicker (Vocal) - Raga Kedar (31:25), Pratima Ganesh (Vocal) - Raga Jaunpuri (35:07), Susheela Mehta (Vocal) - Raga Miyan ki Todi (27:47), Raga Khem Kalyan (11:08), Tara Kini (Vocal) - Raga Bahaduri Todi (36:46), PRAGNYA

Excellent product with wonderful recordings. The prodigiously learned Ustad Khadim Hussain Khan Saheb (1907-1993) was considered to be one of the foremost Agra gayaki singers of his time. Born in Atrauli (in Uttar Pradesh) in 1907, he studied music from his father Altaf Hussain Khan and then went on to receive the rich and varied repertoire of the Agra Gharana from his grand uncle Kallan Khan, both celebrities of their time and court musicians of Jaipur. Young Khadim`s studentship with the latter who was the younger son of Ghagge Khuda Baksh, the gharana`s pioneer was long and arduous: it lasted for 12 hours everyday for over 12 years. 

He was far more widely known as an ideal teacher than as a concert performer. Moreover, his proficiency in Layakari was beyond the comprehension of the uninitiated listener. The number of Khadim Hussain’s pupils is legion and includes well-known artistes of the past and present. Ustad Latafat Hussain (his younger brother) and Lalith Rao were among his disciples who made a name in the field. 

Lalith Rao (born 1942) is an outstanding singer of the Agra Gharna, one of the very rare singers today who still keep alive the magnificient style of the Agra Gharana in all it’s facets. 

Excellent recordings with good sound quality. The MP3-CD (7 hours long) contains next to recordings by the two masters a number of beautiful new studio recordings by students of Lalith Rao, all accompanied on Tabla by Shashibhushan Gurjar or Gurunandan Kallianpur and on Harmonium by Vyasmurti Katti.

Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan - Sitar - Raga Araj & Raga Madhyami - LP published in India in 1973

Another beautiful LP - the 8th posted on this blog - by the great master.

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Ali Akbar Khan (1922-2009) - Sarod - LP published in 1967 in India

Another beautiful LP by the great master - the 10th we post here on this blog. I received this one - which I used to have in the 1970s as a LP, but later only as a copy on CD - recently as an additional free LP when I ordered some LPs in India. The condition of the LP itself and of the cover is not the very best, unfortunately.

Tabla: Shankar Ghosh

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Gangubai Hangal (1913-2009) - Two Soulful Melodies - LP published in India in 1979

Here another great female voice from the Kirana Gharana. See our older posts on Hirabai Barodekar (1905-1989) and Roshan Ara Begum (1917-1982).

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About the artist:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangubai_Hangal
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1913433/Gangubai-Hangal
http://www.parrikar.org/vpl/?page_id=267
https://homes.cs.washington.edu/~mausam/gangubai.html
http://www.gangubaihangalgurukul.gov.in/
http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl2304/stories/20060310000708000.htm
and many more to be found by googling her name.

Nissar Hussain Khan (1909-1993) - LP published in India in 1972

Ustad Nissar Hussain Khan of Rampur-Sahaswan Gharana was one of the greatest singers in mid 20th century. He was an outstanding specialist of Taranas (see here the second side). His best known disciple and nephew Rashid Khan unfortunately didn't keep alive much from this rich heritage. For more details on the artist see: 

http://www.itcsra.org/tribute.asp?id=17

http://www.parrikar.org/vpl/?page_id=460

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissar_Hussain_Khan

http://www.ustadrashidkhan.com/biography_backg.htm

Here the corrected files:

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Chatur Lal (1925-1965) - The Drums of India - LP originally published in the US in 1961

Re-edition from end of 1960s or beginning of 1970s of a LP originally published in 1961.

One of the great Tabla players of the 1950s and 1960s, famous for his accompaniment to greats like Ali Akbar Khan, Ravi Shankar, his younger brother Ram Narayan, Sharan Rani and many great singers.

See here our post of a LP by Ram Narayan and Chatur Lal.

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Sabri Moudallal (1918-2006) - Classical Arab music from Aleppo, Syria - Broadcasts from 1988 & 1989 by WDR, Cologne, Germany

Broadcast of a concert on 6th of february 1988 at Musikhochschule in Cologne, Germany, and studio recordings, probably done around the same time and broadcast in 1989, by the outstanding classical and religious (Sufi) singer from Aleppo, Syria. Music from a very endangered culture. See also our post of a Sufi programme by the same singer here.

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Download wave - CD 2

Download mp3 - CD 2

Many thanks to KF for making the CD covers.

Mahapurush Misra (1932-1987) - Rythmes de l'Inde - French edition of an LP originally published in 1966 in the US

Originally published in 1966 in the US as "Indian Drums" by Connoisseur Society, CS 1466.

With Lahara on Sarod by Ali Akbar Khan.

Unfortunately we only recently noted that the pickup needle was hanging for a moment at one or two spots in the last track. By putting a small weight on the pickup we could get beyond this. Sorry for the inconvenience caused.

Here the corrected files:

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“Pandit Mahapurush Mishra (1932-1987) was a disciple of Pandit Anokhelal Mishra, a revered master of Tabla. Mahapurush was a famous Tabla accompanist to many topmost musicians and a professor at the Ali Akbar College of Music in Calcutta (now Kolkata). He spent most of his time during the late 1960s in USA teaching, recording, and appearing widely in numerous classical music concerts. There are far too few of his Tabla solos in circulation. However, this solo album of Pandit Mahapurush Mishra, a very rare-of-its-kind, is an invariably spectacular display of his virtuosity and musicality, which he is renowned for.

Longtime Tabla master, sideman to the stars, and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan’s main accompanist throughout the better part of three decades until his death, Pandit Mahapurush Mishra has also appeared on the Beatles b-side of Lady Madonna, George Harrison’s The Inner Light (recorded in Bombay in January 1968 with the vocal tracks added in London the next month) as well as on Harrison’s Wonderwall soundtrack.”

See here our posts of performances by his guru Pandit Anokhelal Mishra:

http://oriental-traditional-music.blogspot.de/search/label/Anokhelal%20Mishra%20%281914-1958%29

Nikhil Banerjee (1931-1986) at WDR, Cologne, Germany - Broadcasts recorded 1971, 1975 and 1984

CD 1:

Raga Bageshri (27.11.1971)

This recording was published by Chhanda Dhara on CD:
Nikhil Banerjee - Alltime Classics - CD 1 (SNCD 701/02)
(now no longer available)

Download CD 1 & Scans - wave
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CD 2:

Raga Pilu (17.8.1975)

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CD 3:

Raga Desh (studio recording by WDR on 10.11.1984)

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CD 4:

Raga Mishra Khamaj

Ragas Pilu & Suha Sugharai (10.11.1984)

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CD 5:

Commentaries on Indian music given by Nikhil Banerjee
after the studio recording of Raga Desh (see CD 3)

(studio recording by WDR on 10.11.1984. Moderator: Jan Reichow)

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Many thanks to KF for the recordings and the covers.

Nikhil Banerjee - In Concerts - Set of 2 LPs published in India in 1988

Vol. 1

At the Ali Akbar College of Music, San Rafael, Claifornia, USA on 12.10.1985

Tabla: Swapan Chowdhury

 Vol. 2

At Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Rajasthan, India on 3.2.1982

Tabla: Anindo Chatterjee

Download Vol. 1 & Scans - wave

Download Vol. 2 - wave

Download Vol. 1 & Scans - mp3

Download Vol. 2 - mp3

Afsar Husain Khan & Party - The Famous Qawwal of Lucknow - In Concert - LP published in India in 1983

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Özbekiston Ajoyib San'at Ustalari - Ciqarish 32 - Masters of the art of Uzbekistan - Part 32 - LP published in Uzbekistan

Re-edition - published probably in the 1980s or early 1990s - of some beautiful recordings from 1966 and 1967 by Makom singers F. Baratova, accompanied by a traditional ensemble, and N. Boltayev, accompanying himself on Tor (Tar - a long necked lute) plus A. Ismailov on Doira (a frame drum).

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