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A meeting by the River....

Sayas here on Audiogon recommended a to me a CD called "A Meeting by the River" featuring Ry Cooder on Bottlenect Guitar and V.M. Bhatt on Vina. I found this recording to be facinating. It's a real cross cultural dialogue through music. Ry plays a bluesy riff and Bhatt compliments it with blues a la vina. Then Bhatt plays a raga and Ry plays that bottleneck like a Vina...complete with drone chord. There is even interesting cross dialogue between Joaquim Cooder, backing his father on dumbek and Bhatt's tabla player. The result culiminates in the incredible track "Ganges Delta Blues." This is really a fanstastic piece and magical playing. My hat off to Sayas and I would like to know if any of you have similar suggestions...not necessarily Indian-American dialogue, but some other cross cultural exchange that is magical. By all means, try this record, unless you can't stand Sitar/Vina...otherwise, I highly doubt that you'll be disappointed...au contraire.
issabre
sean
6,231 posts
 
This is one of the many discs that Bob Harley lists as part of his reference recordings in his "complete guide" book. I bought it along with all of the others listed so that i might have a better feel for where he and other reviewers were coming from. Needless to say, there are some good discs and bad discs in that list, depending on ones' musical tastes and background. Like many of the other "great recordings", much of this music is lacking "body & soul" to me ( although this one in specific is not bad at all). As such, i've found discs that i think work MUCH better than what he lists to judge gear by, but then again, this is more along my tastes and background. Sean
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tsquared
32 posts
 
I agree wholeheartedly. I came across this 4 song CD from Jay Shah who helped produce this. Really nice guy who is an absolute tube and analog nut- in a good way. Wonderful quality of recording, precise imaging, absolutely black background. Overall very well done. I really enjoyed the eastern feel to the music. I have little exposure to eastern music but found it very involving. Anyway, it's a gem and I'm glad you think so too. I'm going to put in in the system right now.

Todd
photon46
1,085 posts
 
A crosscultural exhange I've enjoyed alot is "Cho," by Steve Tibbetts & Choying Drolma.(Hannibal label, HNCD1404) On a visit to their Tibetan Buddhist nunnery,
Tibbetts was smitten by the beauty of the nuns chanting & song. He recorded them-Drolma is the main voice-and then later added his spare & beautiful musical contributions in his studio. He returned, played them the result, and they loved it. This is like no music you've ever heard, very atmospheric and evocative. You can really feel good about buying this one, as proceeds from sales help support the exiled nuns at Nagi Gompi. Will.
issabre OP
120 posts
 
Thanks guys...I'll check some of those recording out and get back to you. I've heard a couple of titles before so I'm sure that they're good. Todd
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