Putumayo World Music

India, with its population of more than one billion people, 23 major languages and 1,600 dialects, nine major religions, and countless cultures, has become a major player on the world stage. This CD is a wide-ranging sampler of the music of India’s myriad cultures, with the inclusion of songs by some of the country’s best film composers, including A.R. Raman, who has been called “the Mozart of Madras” and who wrote the score for the films Guru and Slumdog Millionaire (for which he was recently awarded two Oscars).

Masters of Indian traditional instruments and song who bring their world-renowned talents to this album include Susheela Raman, a singer-songwriter whose first album (Salt Rain, 2001) earned her the Best Newcomer Award from BBC Radio 3, and Satish Vyas, an internationally renowned master of the santoor whose traditional, jazz, and world music fusion styles have made him a favorite on concert stages worldwide.

Vocalist Uma Mohan explores Indian spirituality through music, religion, and philosophical texts, creating devotional music in several Indian and foreign languages; her song to Shiva, with its synthesizer and acoustic string instrumentation, is both intense and contemplative.