Pakistani Soul Session - Original 1966 UK Island label 8-track Mono LP

Rare original 1966 Island Records 8-track LP - traditional Pakistani ?soul? music in a slightly more psychedelic and westernised format recorded by a group of touring Pakistani musicians in London?s PYE studios supervised by Island Records? Chris Blackwell ? the ensemble featured top musicians from Pakistan?s classical music scene.

Vinyl has the generic white company labels with deep 2mm centre ring and orange 'Flaming Sun' top-logo, top- and rim text ? otherwise black centre printing. Vinyl is housed in a psychedelic, summer of love ?dove? motif picture cover laminated on front and over the spine. Cover has mid lower back '155 - 157, Oxford St.' and '108 Cambridge Rd' head and sales office addresses.

?The album features the acclaimed Saranghi player Ustad Nathu Khan who it is said was the finest Saranghi (a traditional fiddle like instrument with a breath-taking tonal range) player of his era, after doing some research it would appear apart from this record almost no other recording of his playing exists, (and it would appear many enthusiasts are not even aware of his appearance on this record). It also features famous bansri (flute) player Salamat Hussain, who?s apparently the last classical bansri player left in Pakistan(!).

The album is more of a journey though different soundscapes and needs to be listened through from start to finish to get the most out of it, so it?s hard to pick out individual highlights. The LP opens with Ustad Nathu Khan?s evocative and majestic Saranghi playing on the captivating ?Raag Bagesri?, where he showcases the beautiful range of the Saranghi before tablas join in and Khan takes off on a frenzied, twisting journey. Track 3 on the B side ?Pahari? sees some entrancing and whimsical alghoza (like a wooden flute) playing in the form of a gently repeating raga accompanied by some great mandolin and tabla playing.

Produced by Blackwell himself and legendary Rolling Stones producer and percussionist Jimmy Miller, the recordings retain a wonderful clarity and uncoloured and uncomplicated sound. I can imagine in the dark and murky pre internet days of 1967, the sounds featured on ?Pakistani Soul Session? would be quite a new and sensational experience for the Perfumed Garden?s listeners.? John Peel Centre For Creative Arts

Condition: VG+ (Vinyl and Labels)/VG+ (Cover):
Vinyl has a couple of superficial marks ? far from audible ? combinedwith a light degree of sleeve wear. Labels has less than a handful of somewhat scattered spindlemarks and vinyl is overall graded VG+.
Front and back cover has some small and light wrinkles from edges and along opening ? front ha a thin stripe of discontinued laminate lift along spine - back a touch of ringwear ? otherwise remarkable clean. Edge/seams are solid, spine a little pressurized but clearly readable ? corners has a touch of wear ? next to nothing ? all in all a very nice copy of this very hard to come by Island album.

Tracklisting:

Side 1:
1. Raag Bagesri - Ustad Nathu Khan (Sarangi) & Ustad Allah Ditta Khan (Tabla)
2. Bhatiali - Salamat Hussain Khan (Flute), Abdur Rahman (Flute), Muntaz Ali Khan (Dotara), Yasin Khan (Ektara), Idd Mohammad (Tabla)
3. Taal Trital - Ustad Allah Ditta Khan (Tabla)
4. Raag Pilu - Salamat Hussain Khan (Flute), Abdul Ghafoor (Mandolin), Idd Mohammad (Tabla)

Side 2:
1. Koihari - Ustad Khamisso Khan (Alghoza), Abdul Ghafoor (Mandolin)
2. Raag Lalit - Ustad Nathu Khan (Sarangi) & Ustad Allah Ditta Khan (Tabla)
3. Pahari - Ustad Khamisso Khan (Alghoza), Abdul Ghafoor (Mandolin)
4. Raag Malkosh - Ustad Nathu Khan (Sarangi) & Ustad Allah Ditta Khan (Tabla)