India

This latest noteworthy compilation from Putumayo features a number of India's most celebrated musicians, including A.R. Rahman, who just received best original score and best song Academy Awards for his musical contributions to the film "Slumdog Millionaire." Several of the artists here have a Bollywood connection, including Bombay Jayashri, a singer raised in the carnatic South Indian vocal tradition. Her song "Zara Zara," a graceful piece, opens the album. Rahman wrote and sings "Tere Bina," from the Bollywood film "Guru," with female vocalist Chinmayee, and it's a powerful and poignant performance. Deepak Ram, a master of the bansuri flute, works a beautifully nuanced piece—"Ganesha"—accompanied by guitarist Eduardo Niebla. This album is a perfect companion for Putumayo's first book publishing effort, also titled "India." —Philip Van Vleck