Three Sighs To The Moon

Ivory Ganesh Meets Doctor Drums is a collaborative studio album by pianist Paul Plimley and mridangam artist Trichy Sankaran. The album released on June 23, 1998 under the Canadian label Songlines Recordings in CD format. The recording documents an improvisational fusion of Western avant-garde jazz and Carnatic percussion traditions.

The album features eight tracks that blend Plimley’s prepared piano techniques with Sankaran’s rhythmic patterns on the mridangam and kanjira. Three Sighs To The Moon appears as the fourth track with a duration of 3 minutes and 23 seconds. The composition exemplifies the album’s cross-cultural dialogue through sparse, textural interactions and dynamic shifts. Plimley employs extended piano preparations while Sankaran integrates konnakol vocalizations alongside percussive phrases.

Production credits for the album remain partially undocumented in available sources. The sessions occurred in Vancouver, Canada, with engineering handled by an unnamed team associated with Songlines. The label promoted the release as part of its series on global improvisational music, though specific chart performance or commercial reception data is not widely recorded. The album cover art depicts an abstract fusion of Indian and Western motifs, designed by an uncredited artist.

Critics noted the album for its exploration of microtonal harmonies and polyrhythms, though no formal awards or nominations are verified. Plimley and Sankaran performed selections from the album during a 1998 tour of North American jazz festivals, including appearances at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival. No live recordings from these performances are confirmed as officially released. The album remains in print through Songlines’ catalog as of the latest available updates.