Pandit Pran Nath

Midnight / Raga Malkauns - 2 CD Set

Midnight is the first new release of full-length raga performances by master vocalist Pandit Pran Nath since the long out-of-print Gramavision release (NY Times "Top Album of 1986"). Two full-CD recordings of Raga Malkauns by Pandit Pran Nath are accompanied by a 20-page enclosed booklet with texts of the vocal compositions (presented in Devanagri script and phonetic English), word-by-word translation and poetic interpretation by Sri Karunamayee, a long-time senior disciple of the Master. This double CD set is the first of many recordings by Pandit Pran Nath scheduled for release on the Just Dreams label. It features an earlier 1971 recording of a live performance of Raga Malkauns that was one of his most intense and powerful, and a 1976 studio performance of the same raga and the same compositions, that is both well-recorded and extremely masterful. Together in one release, the two performances provide a rare opportunity to study, compare and enjoy the range and expressiveness of this great raga and the breadth of musicianship evidenced by the renderings of Pandit Pran Nath. Personnel on the 1971 recording include Pandit Pran Nath (voice), Terry Riley (tabla), Ann Riley (tambura), and Simone Forti (tambura). The 1976 recording features, in addition to Pandit Pran Nath's vocals, K. Paramjyoti (tabla), La Monte Young (tambura) and Marian Zazeela (tambura).

"...almost superhuman control of pitch and overtones. But nowhere has this control been taken to as high an art as in the singing of Indian ragas. A particularly thrilling example of this beauty and control is Midnight / Raga Malkauns, a newly released set of recordings of the late Pandit Pran Nath...."

Chicago Reader, February 2004

"Possibly 2003's most valuable addition to the world of compact discs. Pran Nath inspired and taught the likes of La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Marian Zazeela, Rhys Chatham and Henry Flynt before passing away in 1996. Here, the Kirana Gharana master is finally made available to the rest of us...I've never encountered a subject more worthy of the description 'ineffable'."

Otis Hart, Dusted Magazine, January 2004

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Now available from FreeNote Mail-Order for $36.