On February 24th, Putumayo World Music will release India, a CD collection showcasing India’s rich musical variety,
from classical and acoustic folk to Bollywood and lounge music. India’s emergence as a global economic power has brought
increased awareness of this extraordinarily diverse country’s multicultural offerings, its music foremost among them.
India’s thriving popular music scene—an adjunct to the country’s immense Bollywood film industry—is highlighted on this
collection. The love ballad “Tere Bina,” from the 2007 blockbuster Guru, was written by acclaimed film composer and Oscar
winner A.R. Rahman, who took home the awards in the Best Score and Best Original Song categories for his work on
Best Picture Slumdog Millionaire. The song also features Chinmayee, the award-winning female playback singer (an artist
who records the songs that actors lip-synch). Rajeshwari Sachdev’s “Maavan Te Tiyan,” is another hit Bollywood song
from the film The Perfect Husband. Guitarist Sanjay Divecha, a Mumbai native who performed Western pop music in Los
Angeles before returning home in search of his roots, contributes “Naino Sey”. The song features vocalist Kailash Kher,
one of the most popular singers in India today thanks to his extensive work in Bollywood and a string of pop hits.
Several stellar musicians display their Indian classical music expertise. Satish Vyas, represented by his song “Homeward
Journey,” is a renowned master of the santoor, or Indian hammered dulcimer. Deepak Ram (“Ganesha”) is a virtuoso of
the bansuri (Indian flute), while Bombay Jayashri (“Zara Zara”) specializes in the Carnatic South Indian vocal tradition.
