Ashwin Batish: SITAR POWER II - This CD, in from Batish Records, in Santa Cruz, will give you pause... it surely did so for me. My experiences with sitar music were pretty much limited to the brief exposure the Beatles gave to Ravi Shankar, which "conformed" much more closely to the Indian "traditional" forms. Ashwin & company (his father & other players join in on this outing), have somehow managed to blend their musical energies in to a "worldbeat" mode that comes off beautifully. My first listen was in the late afternoon, & I was afraid (from the first two cuts) that it wouldn't be all that enjoyable. Now, sitting here over morning coffee, I must admit, I've a totally different impression. Acoustic & electric guitars, along with some sequencing (no specific instruments mentioned) join together in a variety of musical styles, all the while conveying a group spirit that makes one GLAD to be alive! I'd not listened to Batish family music before (they've a whole LIBRARY of works), but will diligently seek out more of their great work! This is an experience that's HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Contact at 1310 Mission St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060, or via e-mail info [at] batish.com Rotcod Zzaj
