Bombay Born Ashwin Batish rocked the airwaves with his debut album Sitar Power 1 in 1986. This album drew rave reviews for it's innovative stance and as one of the pioneering albums in the Worldbeat genre that successfully fused the classical sitar music of India with rock. Sitar Power 2 follows in the footsteps of it's predecessor but stretches out further and blends North Indian classical music with Samba, Jazz, R&B, Country, and Surf! The end result produces some very diverse and rich combinations with the special Ashwin touch! Here are some media reviews: India West, California ....... The chasm between Western popular and the sedate, ponderous world of Indian classical music is not an easy one to bridge, however. Western popular music is geared to meeting the needs of a fast-paced lifestyle: It's immediate, sensuous, and hits the senses with a bang. Dirty Linnen, NY ....... The Frank Zappa of the sitar has finally released his second volume of Sitar Power. It's been nine years and he has gotten even more experimental. India Currents, California ....... If you think that fusion - music that combines the sounds of different traditions - is passe, you need to hear Ashwin Batish's latest. This compact disc contains eight new tracks which breathe new life into the fusion genre.
1) Sitar Mania
2) Hi 5
3) Cowboys and Indians
4) Cerebral
5) Surfing with the Sitarman
6) Misty
7) Tropicool
8) A Tabla for Two