Radio Eclectus #104: Ali Akbar Khan (Apr. 14, 2022)

Radio Eclectus celebrates the centenary of Ali Akbar Kahn (1922–2009) with a special three-hour retrospective of the career of this iconic master of Indian classical music. We begin with several shorter tracks, some in a traditional vein, and some exploring less orthodox couplings with jazz, movies and and poetry. We then savor two longer performances: a famous one with fellow luminaries Ravi Shankar and Alla Rakha, and an obscure one with Indranil Bhattacharya and a teenaged Zakir Hussain that has only recently come to light. Along the way we use examples of Khan’s playing to introduce his instrument, the sarod, and key concepts of Hindustani music. Finally, we close with a contemplation of Khansahib’s legacy in India and the West.

Annotated playlist and photo credits with Comments. Radical new music with host Michael Schell.