Ravi Shankar: Live at the Monterey International Pop Fest

On the best international-music albums you can practically hear the sound of minds opening and of cultural barriers falling; this is one of those recordings. Ravi Shankar (sitar), Alla Rakha (tabla), and Kamala (tamboura) rise admirably to the challenge of presenting essentially classical music to a pop-music crowd. The concert starts with the afternoon raga "Bhimpalasi." Shankar's technique manages to be dazzling without losing an iota of subtlety. He masterfully plumbs sorrowful depths, then rockets upward with flashes of bright exuberance. Rakha takes center stage on the next track, a wonderfully agile and flutteringly rapid solo tabla piece. The group closes the set with an invigorating, light melody from northern India. Though relatively short by CD standards, Monterey features two Indian master musicians at the heights of their considerable powers. It should not be missed. --Jeff Grubb