Fantastic playing from the king of the sub continental slide


SONGLiNES

Debashish Bhattacharya's stunning collaboration with Bob Brozman, Mahima, Brought o the attention of world music fans around the globe. This new album showcases his virtuoso technique solely in the language of the Indian classical tradition, but his innovating sprit is amply evident in the instruments he employs. Bhattacharya has designed around 20 special slide guitars for use in Indian music, and the '3' in this album's title refers to the 'trinity of guitars' featured. On the first track, 'Annandam', a unique slide ukulele (the Anandi) sets up a looping blues-like phrase that could easily fall under the fingers of Ali Farka Toure. Bhattacharya switches to the 14 string Gandharvi for the evening raga 'Tilak Kamod'. Plucked, it sounds like a veena, but played with a slide it takes on the qualities of a Sarangi- a versatility that is employed to its fullest potential in this performance. 

The final thee tracks, which comprise an exposition o "Raga Basant Mukhari', are a delight. They're played on the 29-string Chaturangui guitar, and you can hear each string ringing out with emotion as the rasas (movements of the raga) build from peace to ecstasy. The final section, 'Maha Shakti' (Beyond the Sun), develops into a frenetic cat-and-mouse chase between tabla (played by brother Shubhasis Bhattacharya) and guitar.

This is a chance to hear one of the world's great guitarists using three incredible hybrid instruments to mine a deep seam of spirituality within a 1,000-year-old tradition. Deeply moving and must for anyone with a passion for Indian music.