Indian Sitar Stuff

You started out near the top of the heap! Haven't found anything i dig more than 3 Ragas. For deluxe recording quality you may wanna check out Jonas Hellborg's Good People cd (no sitar, but it's close).

Anoushka Shankar, daughter of Ravi, has a wonderful CD out, titled, if I recall 'Anoushka'. Traditional technique with some of her own compositions. She has the most fluid hands on the instrument I've ever heard. Can be seen on the George Harrison tribute at the Royal Albert Hall. She is also on a terrific live recording with her dad - I'll try to remember to bring the particulars from home.
-paul-

Here it is;

Anoushka Shankar, self-titled 'Anoushka', Angel Records
7 2345-56729-2. (CD)

Try also 'Ravi Shankar, 'Full Circle - Carnegie Hall 2000', Angel Records, 7 22435-57106-2 (CD), an exciting live album with father Ravi and daughter Anoushka dueling sitars.

-paul-

I have a small collection of classical Indian CDs. A sitar on a bad sounding system or badly recorded will send you to the off button quicker than anything. To date, the best sounding CD I have found is:

Imrat Khan (surbahar & sitar)
Shafaatullah Khan (tabla)
Raga Marwas
Nimbus Records

The surbahar is a "bass" sitar. Nice sound!

Nonesuch, Ryko, Water Lilly Acoustics, Nimbus, EMI all offer some great recordings. Will have to check out Connoisseur Society.

I live in San Diego, CA and fortunately Ravi Shankar does too. He plays the local venues between world tours and I've seen him about once a year for 7 years or so. Unfortunately he is ~87 and the last time I saw him he had FINALLY slowed down. Maybe he was just nurturing his shoulder injury.

I don't listen to Ravi much at home, but a live performance is an incredible experience not to miss.

I'm very interested in others selections of Indian and other "world" music on indigenous instruments playing "originals" from the 14th century, or whatever. I'll post some additional favorite recordings soon, but consider:

Hamza El Din (oud / 4 string, fretless lute)
ESCALAY (The Water Wheel).
oud and tabla, a bit of vocals. wow! Nubian, not Indian, but check it out.