Kirwani: Essence Of A Raag

Kirwani: Essence Of A Raag is a studio album featuring sitarist Krishna Bhatt and tabla player Zakir Hussain. The release centers on North Indian classical music, specifically the khayal and instrumental traditions of Hindustani raga performance.

Krishna Bhatt composed and performed the sitar renditions, while Zakir Hussain provided tabla accompaniment. The album was released on compact disc in an unspecified year. The label remains undocumented in available sources.

The recording consists of two tracks. The first track presents Raag Kirwani, a raga associated with the late evening or early night thaat (modal framework) and characterized by its use of komal re (flattened second) and komal dha (flattened sixth) in ascent and descent. The second track features Raag Ahir Bhairava, a morning raga derived from the Bhairav thaat, distinguished by its use of both shuddha re (natural second) and komal re in its phraseology.

The album emphasizes alaap-jor-jhala development in Raag Kirwani, followed by a structured gat-toda section with tabla support. The performance of Raag Ahir Bhairava incorporates slower vilambit and faster drut compositions, showcasing the interplay between sitar and tabla in traditional sawal-jawab (call-and-response) patterns.

Production details, including recording location, engineer, and mastering personnel, are not publicly documented. The release serves as an example of collaborative work between Bhatt and Hussain, both recognized for their contributions to Hindustani classical music in the late 20th century. No additional editions, reissues, or alternate formats have been confirmed.