Circular Dance

Female musicians are very rare in the North Indian classical music tradition, and while vocalists are becoming more common, prominent female instrumentalists are virtually unheard of. Which makes sitar virtuoso Krishna Chakravarty a rarity indeed, as on Circular Dance's three extended compositions, she proves herself the equal of any sitarist this side of the great Ravi Shankar. In the slow alap portions of the ragas, she shows an elegant mastery of melody, while her playing on the climactic portions conveys raw emotional power. In tandem with Vinod Gangadhar Lele's complex tabla rhythms, Chakravarty proves herself a nimble force to be reckoned with.