Alap

Raga Yaman (Rudra Veena // Seattle // 15 March 1986) is a live album featuring a solo performance by Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar on the rudra veena. The recording captures a concert held in Seattle on 15 March 1986 and was released posthumously on 1 June 2018 by the label Ideologic Organ in CD format.

The album centers on a single composition in Raga Yaman, a prominent raga in the Hindustani classical tradition. The opening track, titled Alap, spans 34 minutes and 8 seconds and showcases Dagar’s mastery of the dhrupad style. The performance emphasizes the slow, meditative unfolding of the raga through alap, a non-metric improvisational form that explores the raga’s melodic contours without rhythmic accompaniment. No additional tracks or accompanying artists are documented in this release.

Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar (1929–1990) belonged to the Dagarbani gharana, a lineage renowned for its preservation of the rudra veena and dhrupad traditions. His interpretation of Raga Yaman reflects the gharana’s emphasis on deep tonal exploration and sustained phrasing. The recording’s provenance stems from an archival concert tape, later remastered for commercial release. Further details about the venue, recording equipment, or additional performances from the same event remain undocumented.

The 2018 release by Ideologic Organ marks one of the few commercially available recordings of Dagar’s rudra veena performances. The label specializes in archival and experimental music, and this publication aligns with its focus on preserving rare and historically significant recordings. No alternate editions or reissues of this specific performance have been confirmed.