I had wondered why Zakir Hussein had chosen Rakesh Chaurasia to be in his fusion group. I didn’t think that he had the high level of musicianship that Zakir would have required. After hearing Rakesh at the Aundh Mahotsav I understood. He seems to have taken flute to another level. gushing again….. I do not know what Rakesh played as his first item. It was space music. difficult to hear or know where his sa was. As one audience member said something quite loud I thought that here we might have a “Stravinsky moment” (the riot that broke out at the premiere of “Rites of Spring” in Paris). But no, the audience loved it (whatever it was!). So did I! Far out it may have been, but it was supremely creative.
