Korla pandit was rumoured to be an Indian prince, where many others insisted he was Hispanic! Anyhoo, this collection of two previously released albums is very good. THE thing to have playing in your car when investigating odd, offbeat cultural neighborhoods off the beaten path.

I can see how Ray Manzorack (spl?) of the "Doors" was infuenced by this Organist. He exudes the same mystery from the organ keyboards. This CD is the combination of two of Korla Pandits ealier vinyl albums. It isn't just another organists music, it's meditative at times and mysterious at others. Some of the tracks are reminiscent of theater organs during the silent film era. Super.

Kinder commentators would just say Korla Pandit was truly intuitive in his approach to the organ.

Even in Pandit's heyday, accomplished ensemble musicians (even adjusting for divergent taste) decried his sloppy technique and his inconsistent control of tempo. One can't help noticing that these criticisms are well-founded (Tale of the Underwater Worshippers in particular goes fast and slow, enough to make you dizzy, and it sounds entirely unintentional), but this album made me insanely happy, just from the big, over the top emotional quality and the rich sounds of the theatre organ, recorded in a very natural early stereo. (Pretty good date music, too, if your date can get that far out.) No one with impeccable taste ever went for Korla Pandit, but those folks don't go for a lot of stuff that gets me. ("That was real good. Now play me something I dig." -Miles Davis)

Some parts of the more melodic second half of the CD can sound a little like music from the mechanical organ at the carousel (except for the tempos, as I say), but it's pretty doggone charming. If this record doesn't make you smile, you're too serious for me.

It is very easy to review this disc: If you enjoy pipe organ music, or that branch of Lounge music regared as "Exotica", then you should definitely shell out the bucks for it; if you don't, then stay away. As a big fan of the ubiquitous "Misirlou," I happened to be scanning the on-line music store for different versions of it when I came across Korla Pandit--someone whom I had never heard of before, but who was apparently a semi-celebrity in the 1950s. This disc is a combination of two albums put out in that decade---the first 8 tracks are exotic (e.g., Song of India, Misirlou, and several that Korla composed), and the other 12 tracks are all Latin-flavored (e.g., Espana, Orchids in the Moonlight). To repeat: Most lovers of Lounge music will enjoy this immensely and praise it, while those who do not have PAN'DIT.