Two Improvisations News Today

The raga is a platonic ideal for the guitarists who founded the “Takoma school” and those who have followed in their wake while either donning or forswearing the American Primitive mantel. It’s a form to be aspired to, but not necessarily achieved. Some have delved deep into Hindustani and Carnatic music while acknowledging that they’ll never learn enough to master the tradition, and others have just appended the word “raga” to a song title and maybe recruited someone to drum along o...