Vidyadhar Vyas

Vidyadhar Vyas Artist: Pandit Vidyadhar Vyas
Label: India Archives
Category: Music



Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1


UPC: 731838101729
EAN: 0731838101729
ASIN: B000001653


Release Date: 1996-06-28

Related Categories:

India India
Related | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music
General General
Related | International | Styles | Music
General General
Related | Pop | Styles | Music
General General
Related | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music
General General
Related | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music

Tracks:

  1. Raga Malgunji: Vilambit Bandish in Ektal
  2. Raga Malgunji: Drut Bandish In Tintal
  3. Raga Malgunji: Tarana In Tintal
  4. Raga Bhairavi: Bhajan By Surdas In Dipchandi Tal

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Phenomenal CD.......2006-10-24

Vidyadhar Vyas is easily one of the best vocalists alive today in the North Indian Classical tradition.

This CD is certainly a testament to that. The other reviewer decided to scare everyone by name dropping and declaring the Gwalior gharana dead. Although the second note is arguably true, it is not relevant to the appreciation of this CD .There is absolutely no reason why even an unassuming listener cannot love this CD.

Malgunji is an ancient raga - and does have hints of Rageshree, although its chalan (development), approach and exposition is very different from any other raga. There are very few recordings of this raga, so for someone who is wanting to attain knowledge on the hindustanti music system, this may be an essential CD. (Nikhil Banerjee has a recording he did in Munich in 1980).

3 out of 5 stars Tabla: Bhai Gaitonde.......2002-12-06

The Gwalior gharana has been counted as defunct for years now - of course, there are still a few singers around who claim various degrees of links to it. Vidyadhar Vyas is the son of Narayanrao Vyas who was a student of Vishnu Digambar Paluskar (if you don't recognise that name, buy another CD?).

This is a solid CD, but not better than can be expected, and certainly not top-level. As always with India Archive Music, the recording and production are perfect (hour-long unbroken performance in three tracks). Vyas's singing, though, is average-y. Not average if you count everyone in "classical music" and their mama; it's better than that. But among comparable singers, it's as can be expected, and on this CD it can not compare with the masters of yore. One problem is his gamak tAns. Never mind that I'm not crazy about the raga (which is Malgunji, a sankeerNa with mostly Bageshree & Rageshree), but his tAns - it's not the ragadari, it's the technique I feel isn't up to par. I've heard he hasn't really concentrated on classical singing until comparatively late in his career.

What I like best about the album is actually the tabla, by one of my favourites, Bhai Gaitonde. His old-world style feels increasingly unique, and even if you compare with recordings of the past generation Bhai has a personal style that doesn't really sound like anyone else. And it's absolutely no-nonsense!

To round off: For a better "Gwalior after death" experience, look to Makar Records and their CD of Jal K Balaporia. He sings Yaman, with a fabulous tarana and some unique Gwalior details (the likes of which this listener at least cannot make out in a raga like Malgunji).

Music CD:

  1. Fiesta ~ Raffaella Carra
  2. Lemonada: Arabian Latin Chillout Experience ~ Lemonada
  3. Essential ~ Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
  4. Oriental Fever, Vol. 6 ~ Various Artists
  5. Zafa Funky Grooves of Yemen ~ Zafa
  6. Bouldani: Live ~ Fairouz
  7. Tout un Jour ~ Isabelle Boulay
  8. De Lave et de Sève ~ Elsa
  9. Segments of the Soul ~ Segments of the Soul
  10. Raga Bhimpalasi ~ Amjad Ali Khan

Music CD

Music CD

Music CD

Gang Lingo ~ Juice with Soul

Fragile ~ Yes

Empire of Dark Salvation ~ Gothminister

Body and Soul ~ Joe Jackson

Sick of Lies ~ Virus

Blue Egypt ~ Pharaohs

Trouble With ~ Harry

No New York

UFO Robo Grendizer ~ Japanimation

Sturm ~ Sturm