About Shenai & Violin
Shenai & Violin is a 1968 studio album featuring a jugalbandi collaboration between shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan and violinist V. G. Jog. The recording captures a fusion of North Indian classical traditions, with Khan performing on the shehnai and Jog on the violin. His Master’s Voice released the album on a 12\" vinyl format.
The album contains three tracks. The first track presents Raga Todi, a morning raga known for its intricate melodic phrases and emotional depth. The second track features Raga Durga, a raga associated with devotion and often performed in the late evening. The final track is a Dhun, a lighter classical or semi-classical composition that contrasts with the structured ragas.
The recording session and release occurred in 1968 under the His Master’s Voice label, a prominent Indian record company of the era. The album represents a documented collaboration between two leading instrumentalists of their time, though specific details about the recording location, production team, or live performance context remain unverified in available sources. The jugalbandi format highlights the interplay between the shehnai’s reed-based timbre and the violin’s bowed strings, a combination less common in classical Hindustani recordings of the period.
No reissues or digital remasters of Shenai & Violin have been officially confirmed in public records. The original vinyl release remains the primary format for this work, with no additional liner notes or extended documentation accompanying the album.