Ragamala Paintings Alive!
Big Round, 2023
8/10
Listen to Ragamala Paintings Alive!
A body of work composed by Phil Scarff and executed by the global-jazz outfit Natraj, the historic work from India is highlighted with plenty of classical ideas.
“Promenade (Raga Malkauns)” begins the listen with Scarff’s animated soprano saxophone and Bertram Lehmann’s playful drums making for an energetic and cultured climate, and “Malkos Raga and Todi Ragini” follows with a warm intimacy thanks to the soulful brass, but then later on gets quite lively via Mike Rivard’s bass acrobatics.
Deeper into the listen, “Kanado Ragini (Raga Darbari Kanada)” is deeply poetic, and unfolds with much emotion before Jerry Leake’s percussive prowess enters the festivities, while “Bhairav Raga” is a rich and melodic album highlight of worldly sensibilities.
“Promenade 4” and “Promenade Reprise” exit the listen, where the former brings some rock focused ideas to the Eastern flow, and the latter is packed with timeless jazz flavor which is complemented by Rohan Gregory’s glowing violin playing.
A listen that spotlights dance, music, spoken word, and projected images, each piece here is enlightening, accessible and artistic via its Indian classical music core.
Travels well with: David Harris- You Loved Me Then; Michael Nix- Aperçu: New Classic Banjo Project