Music to go with reading Rushdie's "Midnight's Children"?
July 18, 2012 8:21 AM Subscribe
Recommend me some music to go along with reading Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children? While reading the book, it's occurred to me that I like and am interested in Indian music, but don't really have any, and don't really know any artists to look for other than Ravi Shankar. I think I'm mostly looking for the more classical Indian styles, as opposed to the pop/Bollywood stuff, but some of both would be nice maybe. Can anyone suggest other performers or albums? Bonus if they're easily available through Amazon or iTunes.
Rushdie himself has been involved with readings and recordings of his work combined with music. You might get some ideas by checking those out.
posted by BibiRose at 8:31 AM on July 18, 2012
posted by BibiRose at 8:31 AM on July 18, 2012
Otherwise, Mychael Danna might fit your bill, although to me his signature music as heard on Monsoon Wedding and The Sweet Hereafter is kind of quiet and lush for Rushdie.
posted by BibiRose at 8:33 AM on July 18, 2012
posted by BibiRose at 8:33 AM on July 18, 2012
Not Indian but in that direction.. Qawwali music is a favorite of mine, or should I say Nusrat Fateh ali Khan. His music is widely available on Amazon and iTunes.
Here is a SLYT sample from a live concert in London.
posted by snaparapans at 8:47 AM on July 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
Here is a SLYT sample from a live concert in London.
posted by snaparapans at 8:47 AM on July 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Some magic realism: Pandit Pran Nath: Raga Malkauns (buy) / Nikhil Banerjee: Live-to-air broadcast, KPFA, 1967 (buy) / L. Subramaniam: Live at the Freer Gallery of Art, 9/24/09 (free download) / Brij Bhushan Kabra: Indian Slide Guitar (download) .
posted by ryanshepard at 9:05 AM on July 18, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by ryanshepard at 9:05 AM on July 18, 2012 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Smithsonian Folkways' excellent In the Footsteps of Babur is an education in itself.
posted by Currer Belfry at 9:08 AM on July 18, 2012
posted by Currer Belfry at 9:08 AM on July 18, 2012
Best answer: Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia - maestro of the Indian flute! (check out album: Maestro of the Indian Flute)
posted by Captain Chesapeake at 10:07 AM on July 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Captain Chesapeake at 10:07 AM on July 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
Kiran Ahluwalia would be another nice option. She's Indo-Canadian and I think her music is quite beautiful.
posted by Heart_on_Sleeve at 10:27 AM on July 18, 2012
posted by Heart_on_Sleeve at 10:27 AM on July 18, 2012
This is cheating a bit, but U2's "The Ground Beneath Her Feet" was written by Rushdie for his book of the same name (my favorite).
posted by nicebookrack at 10:50 AM on July 18, 2012
posted by nicebookrack at 10:50 AM on July 18, 2012
I found a great introduction to the Indian classical music of the past century to be the Maestro's Choice series. The artists profiled are consistently excellent, though I found myself personally responding by far the most to the shehnai player Bismillah Khan.
posted by metaman livingblog at 8:21 PM on July 18, 2012
posted by metaman livingblog at 8:21 PM on July 18, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by griphus at 8:27 AM on July 18, 2012