About Great Jugalbandis
Great Jugalbandis is a studio album by Indian classical vocalist Kishori Amonkar. The release dates remain undocumented in widely available sources, but the recording features Amonkar performing in the khayal tradition of Hindustani classical music. The album consists of three tracks centered on Raga Bhoopali, a pentatonic raga associated with the late evening or early night raag cycle.
Amonkar opens the performance with Raga: Bhoopali - Alap, an unmetered improvisational exploration of the raga’s melodic framework. The second track, Raga: Bhoopali Vilambit Teentaal - Pratham Sur Saadhe, introduces a slow-tempo composition in teentaal, a 16-beat rhythmic cycle. The lyrics Pratham Sur Saadhe serve as the textual foundation for the khayal rendition. The album concludes with Raga: Bhoopali Tarana - Teentaal, a faster-paced tarana set to the same 16-beat cycle, characterized by syllabic vocalizations (bol-taan) and intricate rhythmic play.
The recording captures Amonkar’s signature approach to raga development, emphasizing microtonal inflections and prolonged alaap sections. The accompaniment details, including supporting artists or instrumentalists, are not specified in accessible references. The label and original release format also remain unverified in public records. The album’s title suggests a jugalbandi (duet) format, but the available tracklist indicates a solo performance by Amonkar, leaving the collaborative aspect unconfirmed.
Notable for its focus on Raga Bhoopali, the album exemplifies Amonkar’s interpretive depth within the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana, though the recording does not explicitly align with a live concert or a themed series. The absence of liner notes or reissue documentation limits further contextual details about the session’s production or historical placement within Amonkar’s discography.