Indo-Prog/Raga Rock

The private, metaphysical relations to oneself, to the other, the symbolism of existence are connected, transfigured by the particular expression of raga, classical India music. The emotion provided by this music is not only “affective”. It’s a real message, an aesthetic of the nature, of the divine, a virtue able to guide the listener to a state of emotional trance. In the mid-60’s with the launch of international success of raga masters as Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan…European and American artists will become more and more captivated by the dynamical relation between mystical emotion, spirituality and music. The emergence of Raga schools from everywhere (still perpetuating the ancestral musical traditions), the travels of our modern classical, jazz and popular composers to India will provoke a growing agitation for this musical universe. The emphasis on repetitive circular rhythms, ornamentation (gamaka), the use of patterns, the sense of long, endless improvisations are the central characteristics of this music in term of practice and form. Emotionally, the function on the listener is hypnotic, voluntary trying to reach him into a higher state of consciousness, modulating his perception of time. The basic conception of “drone” (continuous sound form) will be taken back in popular music and turned into electronic “drone” (for instance by the 70’s Berlin underground electronic scene). After Seventh sons’ first original but rather discreet effort simply called “raga” (1964), famous bands as the Beatles in “Revolver” and Traffic in their album “Mr Fantasy” will be seduced by the sonorities of Indian raga music, occasionally integrated sitar elements to their music. Among the most notorious artists who participate to the original dialogue between rock and Indian music we can quote many jazz musicians influenced by “world” elements (the guitarists Volker Krieger, Steve Tibbetts, the clarinet player Tony Scott). They are often recognised to practice a fusion between jazz rock harmonies and raga’s instrumentations (tabla, sitar…). Among them Collin Walcott and Alberto Marsicano were Ravi Shankar’s pupils. The world of “raga” rock can also include folk bands as Quintessance, Fit & Limo, Flute & Voice which are largely impregnated by mysticism, sonic meditation and sitar.

Philippe Blache

http://www.progarchives.com/subgenre.asp?style=35

Indo-Prog/Raga Rock 20 key studio albums

4.41 SHAKTI WITH JOHN MCLAUGHLIN Natural Elements (1977)	4.87 CLIVAGE, ANDRE FERTIER'S Mixtus Orbis (1979)	4.06 SHAKTI WITH JOHN MCLAUGHLIN A Handful Of Beauty (1977)	4.00 MAGIC CARPET Magic Carpet (1972)
4.50 FLUTE & VOICE Imaginations Of Light (1971)	5.00 MARSICANO, ALBERTO Electric Sitar (2003)	5.00 CODONA Codona 3 (1983)	4.00 CLARK HUTCHINSON A=mh2 (1969)
4.00 CLIVAGE, ANDRE FERTIER'S Regina Astris (1977)	3.90 SATURNIA Saturnia II - The Glitter Odd (2001)	3.62 QUINTESSENCE In Blissful Company (1969)	3.69 KALACAKRA Crawling To Lhasa (1972)
3.77 SEVENTH SONS Raga (1964)	4.00 CALLENDER, BOBBY The Way (First Book of Experiences) (1971)	4.00 CODONA Codona (1979)	4.00 ROBERTSON, DON Dawn (1969)
4.00 ZENDIK, WULF Zendik - The Album (1972)	4.00 CEYLEIB PEOPLE, THE Tanyet (1968)	4.00 CLIVAGE, ANDRE FERTIER'S Kassiopee (1985)	3.83 SATWA Satwa (1973)