Mahmud Mirza: Rag Darbari [Tangent TGS 123] An LP recorded and released in the UK in 1976

Here is a delightful LP released on the Tangent Records label from England. Tangent is known more for folk releases, but they did release several albums of music from India as well as "the World of Islam" in the early to mid 1970s.

This is not exactly a super rare LP; several other blogs have featured it. However, I believe my transfer has fewer defects and more mid-frequency warmth than other transfers I have listened to. This is despite two large pressing defects on each side (it looks like 4 tiny wads of cardboard the size of a grain of uncooked rice somehow got mixed into the vinyl at the pressing plant). Naturally, I wouldn't be uploading the transfer if I weren't confident that I had repaired most if not all of the sonic aberrations.

The first Raga, Darbari, is present only in the alap section and this section has been spread out over two sides (see photo of the back cover or of the labels). I have combined the two parts of the Raga in a way that is not perfect but does flow very well.

One interesting aspect of this copy is that the original purchaser has inscribed his full name and postal code on the back cover in blue ink (see photo). Maybe if Mr John Lewis is reading this, he can tell me the story of where and why he bought this LP!

Mahmud Mirza: sitar
Ramzon Khan: tabla (track 2 only)

01 Raga Darbari: Alap, Jor, Jhalla
02 Raga Kafi: gat in teentaal

Equipment used in transfer: 

Preparation: Ultrasonic cleaning for 20 minutes in pure clean water

Turntable:  Audio-technica AT-LP-1240

Cartridge: Shure M97x
Pre-amplification: Vintage refurbished Pioneer SX-780.

Recorder: Sony PCM-M10 at 24bit/96kHz resolution
Software: Audacity, ClickRepair, and xAct. 

24bit, 96kHz high resolution FLAC (996 MB)

(the highest resolution I am capable of producing)

16bit, 44.1kHz FLAC (282 MB) 

(suitable for burning to CD)

320 kbps mp3 (142 MB)

(highest possible quality mp3 file; 

suitable for listening on a portable player)