For Your Consideration
for
The 63rd Grammy Awards

In the Category: World Music

Music of The Ancients

Ajit Singh - Vichitra Veena
Enayet Hossain - Tabla

The Instrument
The Vichitra Veena is one of the most ancient instruments still being played today. Its development can be traced back over 1,500 years ago in ancient India and is one of the few truly indigenous Indian instruments It is made of a broad, fretless, horizontal arm or crossbar (dand) around three feet long and six inches wide, with two large resonating gourds (tumba), which are inlaid with ivory and attached underneath at either end. The narrow ends of the instrument are fashioned into peacock heads, the national bird of India. The instrument has two resonant gourds and is played sitting down with a two steel plectrums and a glass ball (like a glass paperweight). It is increasingly becoming an extinct instrument and only has a handful of artists who perform this ancient instrument.

The Artists

Ajit Singh is one of the pioneers in establishing the popularity of the Vichitra Veena which is an ancient instrument of India. He has consistantly toured the world playing the veena and conducting numerous demonstrations and lectures on the ancient instrument. He has learned from many well known masters of the instrument and Indian music. Ajit has also taught the instrument at the Doon private school in Dheradun. He is also very well known as the owner of Pratap Music House in Astley Hall which was originally established by his grandfather. One of the most talented and articulate man to play the instrument, he is largely responsible from keeping ths ancient instrument from going into extinction.

Enayet Hossain, a tabla player based in Baltimore, USA has been known as an Indian classical percussionist for many years. He has received many accolades for his playing and has recorded over 50 albums with various companies. He is a versatile percussionist and has played with many genres of music including Indian classical which he is primarily known for and various fusion genres. His Jazz-Fusion group, Melodic Intersect has played in many of the top venues of the world including Jazz @Lincoln Center in New York and the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

Tracks:
[1] Raga: Rageshree (Aalap, Jor & Jhala) - 28:42
[2] Raga: Rageshree (Gat in Vilambit Teental) - 17:39
[3] Raga: Rageshree (Gat in Drut Tental) - 13:02
[4] Raga: Piloo - 10:39
[5] Raga: Desh - 7:28