Anourag

1	Shuddha Sarang 12:43
2	Puriya Dhanashri 11:32
3	Hamsadhwani Tabla Duet 3:57
4	Yaman Kalyan 7:52
5	Swarna Jayanti 5:56
6	Pancham Se Gara 11:52

Barnes & Noble

There's no arguing with her pedigree: 19-year-old Anoushka Shankar is not only daughter to Ravi, but also the sitar maestro's only student. By all accounts, Anoushka does her Baba proud on her gorgeous second album, a collection of ragas adapted or composed by the elder Shankar. While the study of this music requires rigorous, prolonged effort before even making a dent in the rich tapestry of the Indian classical tradition, Anoushka's gotten something of a head start; she's already been heralded by the popular press as a prodigy, and her father (biased indeed but unsentimental when it comes to music) has praised her openly. In his autobiography, Shankar admitted reservations about having his daughter debut at such a young age, but swayed by her talent and the realities of modern living, he's reconciled to the fact that the tortuous apprenticeship of Indian tradition may be on its way out. Appearing on one track, "Pancham Se Gara," Ravi engages in a pyrotechnic duet with his daughter, who's already displayed her sensitivity and spirit on the album's four previous ragas. Most notable is Anoushka's take on "Swarna Jayanti," her father's composition to celebrate India's 50th anniversary as an independent state, where her rhythmic verve easily matches the tandem percussion of Bikram Ghosh and Tanmoy Bose. While well-hyped young practitioners of classical music are in vogue these days, Anoushka makes it clear that she's in this for the long haul. In addition to performing solo and with her father, she's trained in piano and Western music and has taken up conducting. Indeed, Anourag is serious, meditative music performed by a growing artist whose many talents are just beginning to bloom. Mark Schwartz

All Music Guide

On Anourag, Anoushka Shankar's follow-up to her North American debut, she shows how much she has matured under the tutelage of her father, sitar master Ravi Shankar. The elder Shankar adapted six ragas for his daughter to play on this album, and the selection of music suits her very well. Sitar can take a lifetime to master, but she shows that she is well on her way, especially on the album's final track, "Pancham Se Gara," where she duets with her famous father. ~ Stacia Proefrock, All Music Guide