Malkauns – Jor Jhala

Raag Malkauns – Ragini Miyan Ki Todi (Bombay 1968) is a 2024 archival release featuring a live recording of the Dhrupad duo Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar and Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar. The album captures a 1968 performance in Bombay and was issued by Black Sweat Records on June 26, 2024, as a 12\" vinyl record.

The release centers on a 25-minute interpretation of Raag Malkauns, titled Malkauns – Jor Jhala and listed as track C on the vinyl. The performance showcases the Dagars’ signature Dhrupad style, characterized by deep vocal resonance, intricate melodic development, and rhythmic precision. The recording preserves the brothers’ collaborative approach, with Zia Mohiuddin Dagar handling the primary vocal phrasing and Zia Fariduddin Dagar providing harmonic and rhythmic support.

The album’s source material originates from a private recording session in Bombay, though the exact venue and recording conditions remain undocumented. Black Sweat Records remastered the original tapes for this vinyl release, retaining the analog warmth of the 1968 capture. No additional musicians or instrumental accompaniment are credited on the release.

Raag Malkauns – Ragini Miyan Ki Todi (Bombay 1968) marks one of the few commercially available documents of the Dagar brothers’ mid-career work. The vinyl’s packaging includes liner notes detailing the historical context of Dhrupad in 20th-century North India, though the text does not specify an author. The release follows Black Sweat Records’ pattern of reissuing rare Indian classical recordings on high-fidelity formats.