Zakir Hussain & Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan - Golden Krithis - Colours (1992)

Format: flac + cue + log

Genre: Fusion, Tabla & Violin Solos, Indian Percussion, Symphonic, Indian Classical, Indian Raga, World Music

Release Date: 1992

Label: HOM Records/Crescendo

About The Album

The album is a fussion of mainly two instruments, tabla and violin. Ustad Zakir Hussain is on the tabla and the violin is played by Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan. The album is a perfect blend of Western, Hindustani and Carnatic classical music..

A. R. Rahman has assisted Ustad Zakir Hussain and Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan on their World tours as Keyboard player. At that time his name was Dileep. Later this concert was converted to album named "Colours-Golden Krithis". C. Jeyasekar was the music director.

Ustad Zakir Hussain (Tabla)

Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan (Violin)

Featuring

A.S. Dilip Kumar, A.R. Rahman (Keyboards)

Sivamani (Drums)

Srinivasan (Mridangam)

Jayasekhar (Conductor, Orchestration)

Kalyan (Viola, 2nd Violin, Cello & Double Bass)

Wildstrings Comments:
Originally recorded in 1991/92, Golden Krithis: Colours is really unusual album of 'Ustad Zakir Hussain' (Tabla) and 'Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan' (South Indian Violin) which is featuring 'A.R. Rahman' on Keyboards under his original name i.e. A.S. Dilip Kumar. This album is perhaps influenced with two early fusion albums of 'Ilaiyaraaja' namely 'How to Name It' (1987) & Nothing But Wind (1988) as the approach, background orchestra are quite similar to Iliayaraaja style (This may perhaps because many musicians featured in this album including Sivamani, Jayasekar and particularly A.R. Rahman has worked as keyboard player for a longtime in Ilaiyaraaja Orchestra). Coming to music of this album, it starts with a short piece called "Quest For Music" composed in 'Raga Maaya Malava Gowla' which is quite symphonic and introduces the artists in a very gigantic style. Next comes, 'Valliya Naayaganae' (Composed In Raga Shanmukha Priya) where you can observe the intro and the entire background score is a kind of blueprint for A.R. Rahman's future style. Next comes Evolution, a kind of experimental track which features the dark, dreamy and Avantgardish intro with maestro Zakir Hussain's woven tabla solo parts which later turns into different approach when Sivamani's drums enters the scene. Next comes, 'Samajavaragamana' a beautiful 'Thyagaraja' song set in 'Raga Hindolam' which incorporated amazing violin and tabla skills of Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan and Zakir Hussain which is the only song of this album done in pure Classical style without featuring any fusion instruments. 'Abharama Bhakti' the last song of the album composed in 'Raga Binduvarali' features the good piece of Orchestration which reminds the glory of 'Maestro Ilaiyaraaja' style and future inventions of A.R. Rahman. IMO, It's not only a Very good album but gives us a chance to look into the early days of A.R. Rahman's career. Very Recommended. Enjoy.