[RICK RIEKERT]

Taking a step off the beaten track, if by 'classical music' we include non-western music (and why not?), then certainly one of the greatest musicians to play a lute-type instrument, the sarod, is Ali Akbar Khan. Raga Chandranandan is one of countless examples of Ali Akbar Khan's genius. Another great musician, Julian Bream, expresses his admiration.

 

[RICK RIEKERT]

Mandryka, thanks for telling me about Toyohiko Satoh's latest release. He's a great player as well as a tea master of the first water. I owe my introduction to the lute music of the French Baroque to his 2 LP set Französische Lautenmusik des Barock. I suppose the concept of iki is sufficiently elastic to comprise certain characteristics of Style Brisé, but on that score I defer to Satoh-san.