Sitar and Tabla from Mender Banah

The Mastertoaster Recordings netlabel released some real gems over the years.

One that is in regular play is a release featuring the sitar and tabla. This instrumental album by Mender Banah, Bab Rag Terra,  was released with little fanfare and little description, but it remains among our top 1000.



Music License: Creative Commons license: Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0

Planet Hopping Week: Guyanese: Terry Gajraj

We are continuing on our globe-trotting adventure! The sixth stop on our Planet Hopping Week is Guyana in South America.

Our sixth artist is East Indian Guyanese singer Terry Gajraj. His album Phagwah in Guyana celebrates the Hindu Festival of Color (Holi, Phagwah, Dol Jatra, Basantotsav).

About 45% of Guyana is East Indian, so the Indian culture thrives in this South American nation, as in several Caribbean island nations.

Terry makes this album available for free on his website where you can hear songs from and purchase his many other albums.

Official Website | YouTube | Facebook

Music License: All Rights Reserved
Artist Location: Guyana

Planet Hopping Week: Indian: Jaipal Sahota

Welcome to the 21st week of 2013. Let's have a globe-trotting adventure! The first stop on our Planet Hopping Week is India.

Our first artist is Punjab pop star,  Jaipal Sahota. His album Shabab is shared at last.fm.



Music License: all rights reserved
Artist Location: India

An Evening with Zakir Hussain

Zakir Hussain is today appreciated both in the field of percussion and in the music world at large as an international phenomenon -- Moment Records

Here is "a rare up-close-and-personal evening with Indian tabla phenomenon and world-music trailblazer Zakir Hussain (bio). The percussion maestro plays and discusses some of his all-time favorite recordings and shares anecdotes from his long and storied career—from his early days studying with his father, the legendary Ravi Shankar accompanist Ustad Allarakha; to his membership with jazz guitarist John McLaughlin in the pioneering global-fusion band Shakti; to his Grammy-winning work with the Grateful Dead’s Mickey Hart in Planet Drum."

Part I: Zakir Hussain discusses studying under father Ustad Alla Rakha; improv in rock; his first public performances with Ali Akbar Khan, Hariprasad Chaurasia and Shivkumar Sharma

Part II: Zakir Hussain discusses supporting fellow Indian musicians; the chilla; influence of jazz on his personal style.

Part III: Zakir Hussain discusses working in Bollywood and the fusion of western and Indian musical styles; impact of hearing Blind Faith and Mahavishnu Orchestra

Part IV: Zakir Hussain discusses the SF Bay Area as a melting pot of world percussion styles and musicians; collaborating with Mickey Hart; composing and performing with John McLaughlin; practice ethic as a young musician

total time: 01:39:46 | brought to you by SFJazz

Also, in their biography of Zakir Hussain, DrummerWorld.com offers two mp3s of his work. The first is a live traditional complete tabla solo (10:39), and the second is a jazz piece with Steve Smith, George Brooks, Fareed Haque and Kai Eckhardt titled "Mad Tea Time" (3:48).

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