Press Clipping
12/20/2015
Article
Review

Collaboration between well-known North Indian sitar player, Shujaat Ali Khan, and Iranian vocalist, Katayoun Goudarzi captures the flavors of two cultures – Indian and Persian – which have long been intertwined musically; beautifully performed in the style of Persian classical music with Indian accents and phrasing; the lyrics are from Rumi's ghazals; long instrumental introductions for each piece before Goudarzi begins to sing, broken by musical interludes; really quite exquisite; Track 3 is all instrumental

*1- Adrift –7:58 – begins with flute, sitar and tabla come in; languid at first and then more passionate as Goudarzi's voice comes in with the lovely Indian instruments weaving in and out to form an exquisite tapestry of sound

*2-Clouded -8:36 – lovely fluttering accents of santour; Goudarzi's voice floats along with the sounds of the Indian instruments

*3-Not Taken -8:24 – instrumental; a dialogue among the instruments; kind of an Indian call and response

**4- Whirling Tree – 8:45 – flute and santour trade phrases; then sitar and flute duet; tabla comes in; picks up speed; finally Goudarzi's voice is almost punchy as she parses Rumi above the tabla with the flute floating around and the sitar circling; goes back to instrumental

***5-Bound – 8:14 – more languid beginning with sitar; Goudarzi's voice, correspondingly more legato and lighter, is echoed by the flute