The strings of the sarod radiate with brilliance through the playing of Bombay-born Brij Narayan. The son of influential sarangi player Pandit Ram Nasrain and the nephew of famed tabla player Chatur Lal, Narayan has taken the sarod to a new level of instrumental mastery. Narayan's musical apprenticeship began at an early age. By the age of seven, he was receiving instruction in the sarod from his father. Although he briefly studied with Ustad Ali Akbar Kahn in Delhi and with his uncle, he returned to Bombay to continue studying with his father following the death of his uncle in 1965. The strict regimen paid off. At the age of 15, Narayan became one of the youngest musicians to be awarded the President's gold medal after placing first in a competition conducted by All-India Radio. After graduating from Bombay University in 1972, Narayan turned his full attention to music. His albums have featured the accompaniment of such top-notch musicians as tabla player Zakir Hussain. ~ Craig Harris