About Raag Malkauns: Bombay 1968
Raag Malkauns: Bombay 1968 is a live recording of a Dhrupad performance by brothers Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar and Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar, two prominent exponents of the Dagar vani (style) of Dhrupad. The album captures a 1968 concert in Bombay, released officially in 2005 under the label Country & Eastern.
The recording features a single extended track divided into the traditional sections of Dhrupad: Alap, Jor, and Jhala in Raag Malkauns. The performance adheres to the slow, meditative development characteristic of the Dagar brothers’ approach, emphasizing deep tonal exploration and rhythmic precision without accompaniment from percussion instruments.
Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar provided the vocal performance, while Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar accompanied on the tanpura, sustaining the drone that underpins the raga’s structure. The recording format is CD, with the 2005 release marking its first official publication. The original concert date remains documented as 1968, though specific venue details are not widely verified in available sources.
The album serves as a historical document of the Dagar brothers’ collaboration during a period when Dhrupad faced declining mainstream popularity. Their interpretation of Raag Malkauns reflects the raga’s pentatonic scale and its association with late-night performances in the Indian classical tradition. No additional tracks or alternate takes are included in the release.
The label Country & Eastern, known for archival and world music reissues, produced the CD without supplementary liner notes or session details beyond the essential credits. The recording’s fidelity preserves the acoustic nuances of the original performance, though mastering specifics for the 2005 release are not publicly detailed.