NEW Alaap - A Discovery of Indian Classical Music

Set of 20 CDs along with a Resource book
(Commentary in English)

A unique creation which serves as an authentic and enjoyable introduction to Indian classical music. The various magical dimensions of Indian Music - the deep truths, the variety and richness, the unity and the diversity, the facts that are stranger than fiction, of the Hindustani and Carnatic styles, are brought together in one comprehensive and fascinating set.

Allap helps you understand and enjoy Indian classical music as a living experience. You share the insights of the great Masters and listen to some of the finest unforgettable music creations of the last 50 years.

20 CD set with book $195.00

Music by Bhattacharyya, Shantanu

The young vocalist, Shantanu Bhattacharyya, believes that Indian Raga Music has the innate power to elevate people to the highest level of psychic consciousness. Shantanu's performances are endowed with this rich and rare attribute; the listeners are bathed in the serenity and spiritual strength of his soulful presentation.

Gifted with immaculate sur, flexibility and range, his singing is characterized by delicate imagination, exquisite creativity and the best of taalim. Groomed in music first by his mother, Shantanu later learned profusely from Pandi Prasun Banerjee, Shrimati Meera Banerjee and Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty. Associating also with other great maestros at Sangeet Research Academy, Calcutta, he has perfected himself into a musician aiming to combine the best of all styles, focusing centrally on the gayaki of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan.

An 'A' graded artiste of All India Radio and Doordarshan, Shantanu was awarded the A.I.R. Gold Medal for winning first prizes in Khayal and Thumri at the A.IR. music competition in 1989, and has since been performing at every major venue such as the ITC Sangeet Sammelan, Sangeet Natak Akademi Festical and the National Programme (Live) for All India Radio.

More than 2000 years ago Patanjali, a sage in India said "Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind". In his work, the Yogasutras, he offers the precepts for the practice of yoga through it's Eight Limbs: 1. Self-restraint, 2. Internal disci pline, 3. Postures, 4. Breath control, 5. Withdrawal of the senses, 6. Concentration, 7. Meditation, 8. Complete Union. The object of the eight limbed path is to lead us to stillness of the mind.

The result is a suite of pieces to find a deeper understanding of the meaning of each limb through pure sound. The twelve pieces are sung by the unaccompanied voices of Prana without text. Instead they use the perfection of harmonic intervals to bring the listener limb by limb to a deeper state of relaxation and peace.

Waking the Cobra
Baird Hersey

The CD opens with a piece called "Atha", a Sanskrit word which means, "May the following have an auspicious beginning and successful end". It is the opening word of Patanjali's Yogasutras.

42 minutes Audio CD $16.00

Hymns and Songs in Sanskrit
by Joy

CD & booklet $20.00

Maa by Jagjit Singh

A collection of 8 soulful and beautifully sung devotional Hindi songs on the Divine as the Mother, with music and voice by the well-known singer Jagjit Singh.

45 Minutes Audio CD $16.00

Mantras Eternal by Arun Amin

CD & booklet $20.00

Rhythm of Unity

Sanskrit devotional songs include: Gayatri Mantra, Satyam Shivam, Naumi Tam, Pranamami Namami, Namami Sri Aurobindam, Pranami Sada, Sundararupam and Divyadehadharni. All with translations and transliterations. Songs composed by Pavitra Kumar.

CD $16.00

Sanskrit Mantras
Amrita Banerji

Santoor: Tarun Bhattacharya
Translations read by Debashish Banerji

CD $16.00