Shivkumar Sharma
Hundred Strings of Santoor “Live” Raga Mishra Khamaj
Chhanda Dhara (Germany) 1986
SP 11286 (LP)
sleeve : EX(wear on corner, light and small wrikles.)
media : EX-/VG+(some slightly noise caused by small scratches. side B has one pressing-error.)
This album, released in 1986, is by Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, one of the leading santoor players representing North Indian classical Hindustani music since the 1960s. He is joined by tabla maestro Zakir Hussain—who has also released masterpieces on ECM—and tampura player Shefali Nag. The album features a recording of a concert held in Stuttgart, Germany, where they perform an evening raga titled Raga Mishra Khamaj.
The delicate and beautiful melodies of the santoor, shimmering like a kaleidoscope, intertwine with the vibrant and rich beats of the tabla, creating an exquisite soundscape lasting just over 27 minutes across both sides. The recording quality is also outstanding. Highly, highly recommended.
There is a minor pressing flaw in the first half of Side B, where a faint "pffft" sound can be heard a few times, but it is barely noticeable.