About Morning Ragas Volume 2
Morning Ragas Volume 2 is a compilation album featuring performances of North Indian classical music. The release showcases three raga interpretations by sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, vocalists Pandit Jasraj and Shruti Sadolikar. Music Today issued the album on cassette in an unspecified year during the label’s active period in the 1980s or 1990s. The exact release date remains undocumented in available sources.
The album comprises three tracks. Amjad Ali Khan performs Raga Bhattyar on sarod, a morning raga associated with the Bhairav thaat. Pandit Jasraj presents Raga Vibhas, a rare raga of the Vibhas thaat traditionally rendered in the early hours. Shruti Sadolikar interprets Raga Mian Ki Todi, a complex morning raga from the Todi thaat known for its emotive depth and intricate melodic phrases. Each track adheres to the alap-jor-jhala structure in instrumental renditions and the vilambit-drut khayal format in vocal performances.
Music Today produced the album as part of its Morning Ragas series, which aimed to document classical compositions suited for performance in the early hours of the day. The cassette format reflects the label’s distribution strategy during an era when physical media dominated the Indian music market. No digital remaster or reissue details are confirmed for this volume. The accompanying liner notes, if originally included, are not archived in public records.
The album contributes to the discography of its featured artists during a period of heightened recording activity for Indian classical music. Amjad Ali Khan’s inclusion aligns with his reputation for sarod innovations, while Pandit Jasraj and Shruti Sadolikar represent the Mewati and Jaipur-Atrauli gharanas respectively. The selection of ragas emphasizes technical virtuosity and adherence to the time-theory (raga samay) tradition in Hindustani classical music.