Moksha
Label: Realworld
Rated: NONE
WorkNameSort: Moksha
Khan is no stranger to tradition, but here he compresses the slowly expanding dynamics of a traditional raga into tight compositions that are only about a fourth as long. Though these pieces move toward resolution faster and therefore don’t cast the usual hypnotic spell of improvisation they are in no way deficient. The title piece stands out at a whopping 16 minutes and carries substantially more gravity than shorter, six-to-eight-minute numbers like “Atma” and “Calcutta City,” but even those pieces are virtuosic. Understandably, the sarod takes center stage: Khan’s deft, melodic touch is in top form, coaxing ringing poignance from the strings. But this is a family affair and the presence of his two sons one of whom takes over the sarod for two numbers; the other provides a solid tabla accompaniment on all tracks assures that this centuries-old music is far from being consigned to history.
This article appears in Jun 22-28, 2005.