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The Rain | 
 enlarge | Artist: Ghazal
Label: Ecm Records
Category: Music
Buy New: $17.98
New (36) Used (10) from $10.99
Rating:  13 reviews
Sales Rank: 10834
Format: Live
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.1
Dimensions (in): 5.4 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 000096802
UPC: 044006662725
EAN: 0044006662725
ASIN: B00008UAGA
Release Date: August 26, 2003
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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Amazon.com
As on their previous releases, this much-admired Persian/Indian crossover duo have created a separate yet spacious universe that is tranquility incarnate. The musicans, who have named themselves after an ancient form of romantic poetry, perform on sitar (a multi-stringed Indian plucked instrument with a tall fretboard attached to a resonating gourd) and kamancheh (a sonorous but gutty-sounding spike fiddle) and voice, accompanied by a tabla virtuoso (a tuned skin drum commonly played in India and Pakistan). They wander hither and yon, seemingly traveling between dimensions of time, thought, and feeling. People who find Indian classical music too demanding for a beginner and/or have no idea what Persian music sounds like need have no fear. These three extended pieces, called "Fire," "Dawn," and "Eternity," may be somewhat rarified but they are also utterly accessible. Performing live before a respectfully rapt audience, Ghazal is at once sensuous, austere, fiery, and spiritual. --Christina Roden
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| Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
Successful world fusion June 21, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
World fusion music generally involves the merging into one piece of divergent types of music from different countries. Sometimes it succeeds, sometimes not; in this case, it does because the two musics represented here, raga (Indian classical music) and Persian classical music, are from closely neighbouring regions of the world. In fact, it works beyond the musicians' wildest dreams. The Rain is an amazing performance very much in the tradition of Middle Eastern and South Asian music.
Kayhan Kalhor (a master kamancheh player) and Shujaat Husain Khan (a 7th-generation master raga musician) are joined on these three extended pieces by Sandeep Das on the tablas. My only complaint is that no lyrics are included for us to get an idea of what Khan is singing, but this is a minor gripe. The sitar and the kamancheh complement each other quite well, and the tablas are quite possibly the best percussion choice for this music. This CD, too, was the first on Kalhor's contract with ECM; unfortunately, it seems to have been the last for Ghazal--more's the pity, as this particular collaboration works so well. It can only be hoped that Kalhor and Khan will choose to work together again sometime soon. In the meantime, we have The Rain, the culmination, in a live performance, of their three-album collaboration. Definitely worth the price of admission.
 serenity April 8, 2008
The combination of sitar and Persian fiddle captivates your listening attention as the interplay of the two instruments transports you on an aural magic carpet ride. Even though it is a live recording, the audience is so spellbound, that it could easily be in the studio. This is original and authentic music that creates a serene mood. These guys are seriously good musicians and it shows in the deft playing.
Very peaceful indian classical music March 21, 2008
Wow! First ever classical music purchase; music in this CD takes you to another world. Sound quality is superb and never experienced such a nice fusion of indian classical instruments; and gazals are very light (gives you ample time to enjoy the music). Imagine, first timer also enjoyed it. Excellent work!
Not too familiar with classical Persian music, but I loved it! December 2, 2007
This was my first experience with classical Persian. Until I listened to "The Rain", my non-American musical experiences were Bollywood movie tunes and Pakistani pop. One of the other reviewers described this album as having an Indian influence, and I can believe that. In the track "Fire", I felt I could hear some familiar elements from Bollywood, albeit with far more depth and variation.
I'm not sure whether I'd recommend it to everyone, but listeners who enjoy south Asian music will feel like they're hearing the sitar and tabla for the first time.
A trip from the terrestrial to the celestial. March 23, 2007
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
"Gazal": An Urdu word, to me it means: a delicate poem of love and passion.
Pl let me share a few known things. Ustaad Shujaat is a maestro of Sitar, a seven string Indian music instrument, with a big echo box made from a shell of a gourd. He excels in "Gayaki" style where strings are plucked and intonations made to emulate vocal chords. He hums along and renders the words with Sitar as a fiddle, to follow up. He has a deep commitment to the tradition, at the same time is fearless to experiment and improvise. Please listen to his other CD "Lajo" where pristine folk tunes from Punjab, India have been given a rebirth. Amazing, indeed.
Kayhan Kalhor, for me has been an amazing find and gift to Indians; from Persia With Love. I have no words to write about him, but admire his art, vision, virtuosity.
Together they in this CD will enthrall anybody. If you can follow the words, this is ecstatic. Otherwise it is sublime. Listen and enjoy these to take a flight to another planet.
This is very inspiring music, to go on a trip, from the terrestrial to the celestial.
ENJOY.
Anil, Iselin, NJ.
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