Sangam is an "East meets West" collaboration that combines the talents of Hindi singing legends Rajan and Sajan Misra, mandolinist U. Shrinivas, and English minimalist composer Michael Nyman. This project was initially supported by the Asian Music Circuit and the British Council acting under the umbrella of the Arts Council of England. Nyman is no stranger to Indian classical music, having utilized it before in his String Quartet No. 2 of 1988. In this instance, Nyman traveled to India took seek out collaborators for a relevant work, ultimately settling on the Misras and Shrinivas, co-creating a score with each. The Michael Nyman Band plays a very low-key, restrained accompaniment beneath the Misras' voices on "Three Ways of Describing Rain," and likewise, Shrinivas' contribution is to be found in a half-hour-long work entitled "Compiling the Colors." Like most "East meets West" combinations, the component artists are notably stronger on their own turf and the proceedings represent a sort of compromise. Nonetheless, this is very colorful and non-confrontational music that may appeal to music lovers on either side of the tracks.-
by Dave Lewis, AMGArtist: Michael Nyman
Album: Sangam (Michael Nyman Meets Indian Masters)
Year: 2002
Label: Warner
Runtime: 59:26
Tracks:1. Three Ways of Describing Rain, i Sawan, First Rain (Michael Nyman/Rajan Misra) 9:19
2. Three Ways of Describing Rain, ii Rang, Colour of Nature (Michael Nyman/Rajan Misra) 11:41 (Michael Nyman/Rajan Misra)
3. Three Ways Of Describing Rain: III. Dhyan - Meditation 7:19
4. Compiling The Colours: Samhitha (Michael Nyman/U. Shrinivas) 31:06
Personnel:Michael Nyman (Conductor)
Michael Nyman Band (Orchestra)
U. Shrinivas (Mandolin)
Rajan Misra (Vocals)
Sajan Misra (Vocals)
Ritesh Misra (Vocals)
Rajnish Misra (Vocals)
Sanju Sahai (Tabla)
