Ustad Ali Akbar Khan
Journey

After the storm, a bit of calm, and what better way to find inner peace than with good music?
Many other things.

But reviews are made of what's spinning in the player, and in my case, it's an old album by Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, born in 1922, nicknamed the "Indian Bach" (even though he was born in Bangladesh) and above all, a legend of the Sarod.
Thinking that the average Debaser reader (don't get me wrong, this is not a criticism) is more familiar with Fenders and Ibanezs, I add that the Sarod is a 25-string (plucked) instrument, with a sound that resembles the Sitar but also the Dobro, and whose neck is fretless to allow the execution of the typical "glissando" of Indian music.

In "Journey," Ali Akbar Khan plays original pieces, sometimes a bit light but with hints of great class in which his wonderful instrument meets harmonies of undeniable Western origin, in this regard, I point out the work done by the Indian harmonium, discreet and enveloping at the same time.
The rhythm is entrusted, as usual, to the Tabla, on one occasion (luckily) accompanied by a drum set. From time to time, keyboards appear, but without causing horror to the listener.

Not all of the nine episodes on the album can be called "successful," at least a couple surely aren't, but overall, it's a good piece of work. The track "Lullaby" is an authentic wonder; blessed be the day I had the fortune to listen to it for the first time, an ecstasy that repeats with every listen.