Raga Rules

A fine selection of Indian ragas by Debashish Bhattacharya called Calcutta Slide- Guitar. Bhattacharya uses three distinct guitars that are described in detail in the booklet and they are beautiful instruments, guitars yes but customised with additional strings, resonating strings etc. They can approximate the sound of the violin, sitar, sarod, saz, 12 string guitar, flamenco guitar and very occasionally that distinctive blues slide tone cuts through as well. You might ask why bother when those instruments are all available but it enables Bhattacharya to incorporate these sounds into one performance without clumsy changes of intrumentation and as he states, the guitars are just the medium, the message is in the music which retains a classical Indian feel. Accompaniment is provided on tabla and tambura and the whole is a very satisfying recital of ragas of differing moods. The virtuosity is outstanding and there is a refreshing absence of crossover or collaboration with bolted on big name guests.