Tala (Rhythm) Month continues through April with South Indian music in 9 1/2-, 8-, 14-, 1-, 6-, and 5-beat time cycles. Don't forget to play those numbers in the Lotto.

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:00am

1. Ragam Tanam Pallavi: Ragam Sankarabharanam
28:35
(The intervals of Sankarabharanam happen to match the Western major scale. And you thought everything has been said what could be said in bland ole major! Listen up...)

2. Ragam Tanam Pallavi: Talam: Mahalakshmi Tala - 9 1/2 Beats: Pancha Nadai Pallavi*
31:15
(Ragam Tanam Pallavi is a form in Carnatic (South Indian) music that challenges the musician to show off improvisational skills to the maximum. Shankar, you say? There seems to be some dispute about the merits of this recording.)

Tracks 1-2 (rec. 1989)
Shankar - double violin & vocals; *Zakir Hussain - tabla; *Vikku Vinayakram - ghatam [clay water jug]; Caroline - sruthi [hand-pumped reed organ] & talam [rhythm-keeping?]
Shankar: Pancha Nadai Pallavi
ECM Records, ECM 1407

Set #2 - 9:00am - 10:00am

3. Tayambaka (rec. 1996)
Pugatri Divagara Pooduval - solo chenda [cylindrical wooden drum]; Panjal Velukutty & Chelakara Unnikrishnan - treble chenda; Thrikkur Rajan, Thrikkur Anilan & Cherussery Dashan - bass chenda; Thrikkur Gobi, Thrikkur Manikandan & Chelakara Vijayan - ilathalam [cymbals]
Inde: Percussions rituelles du Kerala Vol.2: Tayambaka
Disques VDE-GALLO, CD-972
71:17
("Tayambaka consists of three main sequences and combines composed and improvised elements. Each sequence illustrates the ever-increasing speed of the piece." In successive 8-, 14- and single-beat rhythmic cycles, shaped formally like an arrow.)

Set #3 - 10:00am - 11:00am

4. Calypso (6 Beats)
18:04

5. Honeymoon (5 Beats)
11:34

Tracks 4-5
T. H. "Vikku" Vinayakram - ghatam
Moon over the Isles
Padmini Music, PN-109