On their transformative debut album Nakshatra, violinists Trina Basu and Arun Ramamurthy reach both deep into their past and high into the celestial realm, culminating in a lush and spiritual collaboration that bridges traditions and defies genres. A Sanskrit word evocative of constellations, stars, and interconnectedness, nakshatra perfectly encapsulates the album’s expansive sound, which quite surprisingly, is made by just two violins vibrating together in sublime harmony. Profoundly intimate yet bearing a cinematic gravitas, this work five years in the making conveys a feeling of two souls in conversation spanning hundreds of years into the past and the future.

Basu (Karavika) and Ramamurthy (Arun Ramamurthy Trio) are deeply rooted in traditions of South Indian classical music, Western chamber music, and jazz, uniquely positioning them to create a sound that feels ancient, orchestral, and contemporary or as The New Yorker put it, “free-flowing and globe-spanning.” Through the duo’s grounding in tradition paired with their fluency in improvisation, the compositions on Nakshatra have a clear architecture, which allows space for their two violins to be deliciously indiscernible while shining individually. Basu says of the duo’s collaboration, “Our hope for our music is to be a meeting point for the tradition of South Indian classical music—raga music—that Arun comes from and Western classical music and creative improvisation that I come from, and bring these pieces together in a way that creates a sound that reflects who we are, a sound that reflects our multicultural background, and our experiences in this world.”

From the first track, “Offering,” listeners slowly awaken into the shimmering realm of Nakshatra. The duo take turns laying a soothing foundational drone and introducing their personal voices in a supportive and harmonious dynamic which permeates the whole album. This sets the stage for the cosmic jewel of the album, “Tempest,” a ten-minute microcosm of life, death, and rebirth. The heavy influence of South Indian Carnatic music shines in “Sri Kamalambike,” a late 18th century composition by Muthuswami Dikshitar describing the beauty and compassion of the goddess Kamalamba. The lyrical nature of Ramamurthy’s violin is palpable, and the impulse to anthropomorphize it is hard to resist. “Little Road Song” is a reimagination of a Bengali composition by Ravi Shankar, created for Satyajit Ray’s iconic 1955 film Pather Panchali. This arrangement by Karavika, a string ensemble led by Basu and cellist Amali Premawardhana, bursts with folk energy that harkens to Basu’s upbringing in the American South.

The ability to seamlessly traverse these musical geographies is spiritually captured in “Migration,” a tribute to the duo’s ancestors whose sacrifices and journeys brought them to where they are today. The propelling rhythm evokes a sense of perpetual motion—to survive, to explore, to innovate generation after generation. The tension and mystery of uncharted territories is central to “Alterity” (CD and digital versions), a dark and jagged meditation on embracing alternative, radical ideas of the self. In “Healer,” the duo draws deeply from the well of grief over the sacred lives unjustly taken by law enforcement and the raw energy surrounding the Black Lives Matter protests in their Brooklyn backyard. Basu and Ramamurthy specifically wrote the piece in tribute to Elijah McClain, a violinist and healer whose life was taken by the police in Denver in 2019.

The capacity to be vulnerable and truly free in improvisation partly comes from the duo’s long relationship as collaborators and later, husband and wife. They first played together in 2007 and in the last five years have composed, built a home, and raised two children together. The intense recognition of and respect for each other personally and musically gives both Basu and Ramamurthy the room to stretch out and create a singular sound that is hard to believe is coming from just two people. With Nakshatra they have created space for all of their selves to meet each other, over and over in bright bursts—a constellation scattered across the night sky.

Nakshatra Tracklist:

Vinyl Edition

Side A

1. Offering

2. Tempest

3. Migration

Side B

1. Sri Kamalambike

2. Healer

3. Little Road Song

 CD and Digital Edition

1. Offering

2. Tempest

3. Migration

4. Sri Kamalambike

5. Alterity

6. Healer

7. Little Road Song

 Nakshatra was composed, arranged, and performed by Trina Basu and Arun Ramamurthy. The album was  recorded and mixed by Joe Dejarnette in Brooklyn, New York, and mastered by Amy Dragon. The album cover art is by Meera Dugal, photography by Aria Isadora, and layout design by Sally Anne Morgan. Nakshatra was recorded with support from the South Asian Arts Resiliency Fund.

Nakshatra was released January 20, 2023 on vinyl, CD, and digital platforms.