Ravi Shankar - The Essential Ravi Shankar (2005)

With over 90 albums to his credit, the task for those who wish to investigate the recordings of India's master musician Ravi Shankar can be a daunting one. Therefore, the Legacy/BMG Essential Ravi Shankar fills a welcome place in his catalog and serves as a starting point for the novitiate. There are 20 cuts on these two discs that range over most of the sitarist and composer's shelf, from his early Angel recordings where he played mostly Indian classical music, to his later recordings for Private Music, to his lone Columbia album, The Sounds of India, in 1968. Along the way, Shakar is featured in many settings, from solo to performances with large ensembles of traditional Indian musicians, to his collaborations with violinist Yehudi Menuhin from the gorgeous West Meets East recording, to his recording with George Harrison, to his work with Philip Glass and numerous other musicians on Passages. Through it all, Shankar is consistently in the classical framework, whether he is improvising on ragas or performing other compositions. The sound here has been completely remastered and the liner essay by Hank Bordowitz is both informative and compelling factually. This is the real intro to Shankar that has been needed for such a long time on CD.

Tracklist
CD1: Out of the East
1. An Introduction to Indian Music (05:26)
2. Dadra (10:29)
3. Kafi-Holi (Spring Festival of Colors) (07:10)
4. Raga Des (14:59)
5. Raga Palas Kafi (excerpt) (14:33)
6. Sitar Todi (16:12)
7. Dhun: Fast Teental (excerpt) (05:50)

CD2: Into the West
1. Swara-Kakali (08:47)
2. Discovery of India (02:47)
3. Vandanaa Trayee (04:31)
4. Village Dance (04:07)
5. Raga Miniature (04:13)
6. Sandhya Raga (11:19)
7. Memory of Uday (03:59)
8. Shanti Mantra (06:49)
9. Ragas in Minor Scale (07:36)
10. Chappaqua (02:21)
11. Friar Park (05:56)
12. Vaishnava Janato / Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram (06:19)
13. Offering (09:43)