AUDIO REVIEW: Yoga Ragas

In his "Thoughts in Solitude" (Shambhala), the American Trappist monk Thomas Merton calls solitude a way to defend the spirit against the "murderous din of our materialism." New Age fans revel in the sound of the Katmandu-born musician Manose Singh's bansuri (bamboo) flute, as heard live and on CDs in collaboration with such stars as Krishna Das and Deva Premal. His latest CD, Yoga Ragas, includes two evening ragas, "Puriya Kalyan" and "Mangal Dhoni," both wistful and haunting, with nighttime clearly encouraging individual meditation. Against a subtle, contemplative background of sitar and percussion, Yoga Ragas makes us feel relaxed and sheltered from intrusive dins of all kind. Concentrating on Manose Singh's refined, individualistic artistry, some listeners may recall the lines of poet W. H. Auden about how we can become more aware of others' existence by spending time alone: "Men of their neighbors become sensible: / In solitude, for company."