js “Sitar Power” is an odd independently produced instrumental album from California based Indian sitar master Ashwin Batish. Released during the height of world beat’s popularity in the mid to late 80s, Ashwin backs his stellar sitar playing on here with a very 80s sounding drumulator to create some very 80s sounding, but actually very pleasant, Indian rockin groove music. Lots of fusion and world beat artists from Miles Davis to Herbie Hancock were using the new programmable drum machines at this time, so “Sitar Power” fit right in.

The music on here is generally light and fun instrumental Indo-rock with a slight 80s techno flavor. Most songs open with an upbeat melody followed by Batish’s virtuoso solos on the sitar which are occasionally mixed with some added solo notes on the electric guitar. Over dubbed live tabla playing helps make the beats more interesting, while subtle added keyboards and occasional psychedelic effects help vary the sound texture. Although Batish is a seriously accomplished performer, much of the music on here probably has more appeal to fans of exotic ambience than fans of real Indian music. Many of today’s serious world fusion fans might be turned off by the drum machine and the one man ‘dog and pony show‘, but collector’s of interesting background music and instrumentals will find much to enjoy here.

This album is probably fairly hard to find. I bought my copy from Ashwin himself at a world music festival in California where he made for an odd spectacle sitting next to his drum machine and mixer, playing his sitar and wearing his trade mark baseball cap that makes him look like an American trucker.