Fanfare Review of Manilal Nag Live in Woodstock
"Live in Woodstock" one of best 5 CD's of the year- Fanfare
The art of the Bengali sitarist Manilal Nag continues to represent the summit of North Indian classical music. Nag maintains tradition while subtly incorporating elements from other great lineages he heard and knew, enriching his family's legacy in a way that develops its substance without distortion. His sitar's vocal tone is a marvel. The slow arrhythmic opening alap is given an imposing strength by having a projecting sound and painfully beautiful phrasing. In the jhalla (fast final section in a raga) the repetitive rhythmic patterns never lose their intensity. Nag's new disc is an integral point of contact with this grand culture and instrumental style at its best.
