Each week, World in Stereo examines classic and modern world music while striving for a greater appreciation of other cultures.
Raga Bop Trio: s/t (Abstract Logix, 7/20/10)
Raga Bop Trio: “Tug of War”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Steve-Smith-George-Brooks-Prasanna-Tug-of-War.mp3|titles=TugofWar]Carnatic and Hindustani music, the classical music forms of North and South India, provide the base for the Raga Bop Trio. Saxophonist George Brooks is an established fixture in the Indian fusion scene as a devout student and purveyor of Hindustani music. He has collaborated with India’s most respected artists and his deep understanding of raga is a vital element to the trio’s melodic force. Guitarist Prasanna brings an avant-garde approach to the table by taking the ornamentations and tones found in South Indian Carnatic music and transferring them to the electric guitar. While he is able to mimic the subtle microtones of the sitar, he is also able to incorporate within them modern shape-shifting technology, demonstrated by his 2006 Carnatic/rock tribute to Jimi Hendrix, Electric Ganesha Land.