About Raga Jaunpuri / Raga Mand
Raga Jaunpuri / Raga Mand is a studio album by Indian classical sitarist Nikhil Banerjee, released in 1973 on His Master’s Voice. The recording features two raga performances in the Hindustani classical tradition and was issued as a 12\" vinyl LP with a total of two tracks.
The album opens with Raga Jaunpuri, presented in two sections: a vilambat (slow-tempo) composition followed by a drut gat (fast-tempo) in trital, a 16-beat rhythmic cycle. The second track showcases Raga Mand, performed as a gat in sitarkhani, a 16-beat cycle associated with instrumental virtuosity. The recording captures Banerjee’s intricate tantrakari (string technique) and the improvisational alaap-jor-jhala framework characteristic of his style.
The release date aligns with the album’s official distribution in 1973, though specific recording session details remain undocumented in available sources. His Master’s Voice, a subsidiary of EMI India, produced the vinyl under its classical music catalog. The album exemplifies Banerjee’s mid-career period, marked by technical precision and adherence to the Etah-Bahar gharana lineage he represented.
No additional musicians or accompanying artists are credited in the provided context. The track durations and original liner notes (if any) are not specified. The album’s reception and commercial performance are not recorded in the given material.