Tapes from India -Part 2 Dr. Chittibabu

I think the fact that this sounds so fucked up may be the reason why I like it so much. I found a version of this album on emusic, but I think I prefer this tape hissed out version. I also like that between tracks you can hear the other side of the tape backwards- I think that kind of transfers in the mp3 version. I think this album, "Bells of Joy" is from 1991.

Dr. Chittibabu played the Veena, kind of like a South Indian version of a sitar...I think it sounds more like an acoustic guitar at times. He was a legend in his own lifetime. He passed away on Feb of 1996 of a massive cardiac arrest. He was 59.

At one time I expressed interest to a UNT professor Poovlur Srinivasan in learning the Veena and I was told that women played Veena primarily... at least that's how I remember it! I never got the money together to buy a Veena and that interest faded...

I have another tape that has a Chittibabu leading a Veena Orchestra, I believe 50 veenas playing classical melodies in unison...perhaps the Glenn Branca of Indian Carnatic classical music? maybe a little more like the Rhys Chatham of India... he seems a little less aggro...Let's not get off track and start a ridiculous argument about post-punk minimalism...

time to leave work now.

M.

DR. CHITTIBABU