Debashish Bhattacharya • Calcutta Chronicles Indian Slide Guitar Odyssey

 

Review by Chris Nickson
Every so often albums like this come along, serving as timely reminders that it's the musicians, not the instruments, that make different styles of music. Debashish Bhattacharya has long been an iconoclast and innovator, using not only slide guitar in his unique take on Indian music, but also here a slide ukulele (you can hear it on "Sufi Bhakti," which crosses Indian and Sufi music in a thrilling and seamless manner). That he's a master of his art is a given by now, but his genius isn't just in technique, but also in feel. He's as much at home on "Rasika," which conjures up Bengali music as he is with a raga on "Maya." Perhaps the greatest triumph here, however, is "Gypsy Anandi," where you can hear Hawaii -- the home of slide guitar -- along with Andalusia and even Gypsy overtones, apt since they originated in Rajasthan. The Indian classical tradition suffuses this disc, both Hindustani and Carnatic (the two come together on "Kolkata to Kanyakumari"). The playing throughout bathes you in warmth, lulling and delicious, quite spare but never seeming empty. It's a testament to Bhattacharya's art that he brings such brilliance to bear.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/calcutta-chronicles-indian-slide-guitar-mw0000782792

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Reseña de Chris Nickson
De vez en cuando aparecen álbumes como éste, que sirven para recordar que son los músicos, y no los instrumentos, los que hacen los diferentes estilos de música. Debashish Bhattacharya ha sido durante mucho tiempo un iconoclasta e innovador, utilizando no sólo la guitarra slide en su singular versión de la música india, sino también aquí un ukelele slide (se puede escuchar en "Sufi Bhakti", que cruza la música india y la sufí de una manera emocionante y sin fisuras). Que es un maestro de su arte es un hecho, pero su genio no está sólo en la técnica, sino también en el sentimiento. Se siente tan a gusto en "Rasika", que evoca la música bengalí, como con una raga en "Maya". Sin embargo, quizá el mayor triunfo sea "Gypsy Anandi", donde se puede escuchar a Hawaii -el hogar de la guitarra slide- junto con matices andaluces e incluso gitanos, apropiados ya que se originaron en Rajastán. La tradición clásica india impregna este disco, tanto la indostánica como la carnática (ambas se unen en "Kolkata to Kanyakumari"). La interpretación es cálida, relajante y deliciosa, y no parece vacía. Es un testimonio del arte de Bhattacharya el hecho de que aporte tanta brillantez.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/calcutta-chronicles-indian-slide-guitar-mw0000782792

www.debashishbhattacharya.com ...

Tracklist
1 - Sufi Bhakti - 7:10
2 - Amrit Anand (Eternal Joy) - 3:03
3 - Nivedan (Lovers' Cry) - 7:29
4 - Ganga Kinare (A Journey Beyond Time) - 4:54
5 - Gypsy Anandi (Odyssey Of Slide Guitar) - 6:24
6 - Rasika (Entrancement) - 8:19
7 - Aviskaar (Renaissance) - 8:29
8 - Kolkata To Kanyakumari (Journey Of Vivekananda) - 8:45
9 - Maya (Illuslide) - 7:03


Credits:
    Composed By, Arranged By – Debashish Bhattacharya
    Coordinator [Design] – Brad Haynes, Marisa Lassman
    Design – Design Culture
    Ektare [Ektara] – Sanjeevan Acharya
    Liner Notes – Paul Fisher (3)
    Photography By [Front Cover] – Akin Falope
    Recorded By – Bapi Sen, Shuvo Dasgupta
    Rhythm Guitar – Camila Celin
    Slide Guitar [Artist] – Debashish Bhattacharya
    Tabla [Accompanying Artist] – Subhasis Bhattacharya*
    Tambura [Tamboura] – Swati Biswas

Notes:
Recorded, edited and mixed at Studio Prime, Kolkata, India


Label: Riverboat Records ‎– TUGCD1049
Released: 2008
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Indian Classical
https://www.discogs.com/Debashish-Bhattacharya-Calcutta-Chronicles-Indian-Slide-Guitar-Odyssey/release/1444839

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