Classical Indian music duo Absolute Focus performed this past weekend at the Norton Simon Museum in the lead up to the Festival of Tabla (Aug 3 & 4 in Norwalk’). Kamaljeet Ahluwalia plays the Santoor, a hammered dulcimer from Kashmir. Her husband Jas Ahluwalia plays the Tabla, North Indian drums. They performed “Raga Yaman” and “Raga Mishra Pahad.” “Raga” is a Sanskrit word meaning to dye or color. In musical terms, a “Raga” colors the mind. Improvisation is part of the performance which makes this a unique experience with every single performer and performance. The Santoor has 100 strings and is played with light wooden mallets called “mezrab.” The Tabla keeps the mesmerizing beat and the Santoor takes you on the colorful journey.
2 Replies to “What is a Raga, And When Do You Clap?”
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I love classical Indian music but don’t know the artists. Do you know any good websites offering demo tracks?
Hi Sue, a fantastic resource is the Music Circle https://www.musiccircle.org/ this is a classical music organization here in LA that does regular concerts at Occidental College. If you want to learn about the artists, this is a great place to go.