Himalayan Nights

This music written by J. Donald Walters was inspired by "The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam," abut in an entirely different style of his theme-and-variation I, Omar. The first piece, nearly half an hour long, is "The Ancient Ruby," a leisurely invention that balances between the twangy lament of a southern guitar and the Indian alap. Lewis Howard plays tabla. The 25-minute "Ah Fill the Cup" is another slow raga for solo sitar that takes the mind to more abstract places. Lewis is featured on tabla for a short solo, "Music of a Distant Drum." The album ends with the stately "Through the Seventh Gate," undoubtedly a reference to the crown chakra. The piece has a definite rhythm; one could almost march to enlightenment. The pieces do not accelerate into showpieces, and Agni rarely plays more than one note at a time. The album is suitable for relaxation, meditation, or massage.