Pran tries unusual ensemble

Warner Main Space hosted a sizeable audience Wednesday to witness a performance by the Seattle-based duo, Pran, who play music typical of sixth century Dhrupad music of north India. Pran is comprised of trombonist and classical Indian music specialist Greg Powers, and dijeridu player Stuart Dempster, who lists, among his many other titles that of "Sound Gatherer."

The trombone and dijeridu lend themselves more naturally to the Indian music genre than one might expect. The dijeridu, a long tubular Australian Aboriginal instrument - made, in this case, of brass - closely approximates the drone of the tambura that is a common feature of classical Indian music. The trombone is probably the western instrument most adept at playing the semitones and slurs the genre demands. Throughout much of the slow alap that opened the piece, its timbre resembled that of the traditional qawwali vocal style, probably the result of Powers having begun his training in Indian music with the voice.

While incense burned, and the audience listened from mats on the floor, Pran began the raga with a slow, lengthy exposition in which Powers's trombone wove a lamenting series of slurred notes around the continuous drone of Dempster's dijeridu, often returning to the tonic. This section - which lasted at least half of the program's 90 minutes - was perhaps too long for the audience, many of whom showed signs of wilting, and many left during the piece. However, a large number also seemed enthralled, and some were compelled to improvise an ethereal dance.

Very subtly, the raga moved from this non-rhythmic meander to a gat of pulsating intensity. Dempster gradually quickened the beat to a feverish pace, while Powers developed more apparent melodic phrases, if they can even be called that. Unfortunately, the trombone, due to the increased pace and volume, became a bit too obviously a trombone. Classical Indian music tends not to sound so, well, brassy.

Eventually, the raga returned to the slow pace of its beginning, and ended on a long sustain of the drone on both instruments. Some audience members were roused from their slumber by the enthusiastic applause of the others as the musicians bowed gratefully and shook hands. Pran should undoubtedly be praised for breathing new life to an ancient musical genre, but unfortunately, much of their audience were rather lifeless.