MOON RISE OVER SILK ROAD

This is the third collaboration between Kayhan Kalhor, the Iranian kamancheh (a vertical, four-string fiddle) player, and Shujaat Husain Khan, a sitar virtuoso. Kalhor in particular has made great inroads in Europe and America, bringing the music of Iran to listeners who would never have known about it, in no small part because of Ghazal. The idea behind this duo's work is to bring together two rather disparate classical traditions, Persian and Hindustani. The results are mixed. The casual listener will find this music interesting and approachable. Those who appreciate complex improvisation will find the talents of these two artists irresistible. Those who are well versed in either Persian or Indian music, however, may find that the improvisations wander a bit too much, having solid roots in neither tradition. Many may find Kalhor's solo recording, Scattering Stars Like Dust, to be far more satisfying. --Louis Gibson