Reels to Ragas

The musicians on this disc have great pedigrees. Red Note are one of Scotland’s best contemporary music ensembles, and Kuljit Bhamra, on tabla and percussion, is a doyen of the bhangra scene. The combination of the two makes for some excellent playing and an interesting fusion of, largely, Scottish and South Asian traditions. The backing of tabla to lively Scottish traditional melodies seems a natural mix, and things begin in fine style with ‘Himalaya’ and ‘Always Welcome’. Some of it can sound a little film-music like, especially ‘Love Song’, but then things take off again with the traditional ‘Devil in the Kitchen’ and, especially, ‘Jhalla’, which is a fantastic, almost Balkan, fusion of tabla and impressive string ensemble playing. In general, the slower tracks are less successful than those which get your toes tapping; the standout track, ‘Tihai’, plays on the three-times repetition device used by North Indian musicians.