Music

This Week's Public Picks: Ravi Padmanabha and Brian DeJesus

by / Jan. 3, 2018 5pm EST

Album: O R I G I N by Ravi Padmanabha and Brian DeJesus

Recommended if you like: Ravi Shankar, Harry Manx, Charanjit Singh

Released late in 2017, O R I G I N, the new record by local sitarist Ravi Padmanabha and bassist Brian DeJesus is soaring, mystical, and rhythmic. Making use of minimal studio magic—a description of the six song record reads “unprocessed music in the moment”—the record virtually puts the listener in the room with the two musicians. 

The album opens with the menacing and atmospheric opener “Lost Origins (rag charukeshi),” which builds into chaotic peaks drops down into illuminated valleys throughout its 11 minutes. It’s followed a 1:43 interlude, “Path,” and then into the more ecstatic and joyful “Past and Future lights,” and “Pathos (rag todi).” Another shorter interlude “Killing the False (rag charukeshi)” runs into the album’s closing track, the deep and resonating “Origin, Rejoice (rag bhupali),” which releases much of the tension of the album with a calming and fluid woodwind solo.

 

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