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Ravi Shankar

Ravi Shankar, the legendary sitarist and composer is India's most esteemed musical Ambassador and a singular phenomenon in the classical music worlds of East and West. As a performer, composer, teacher and writer, he has done more for Indian music than any other musician. He is well known for his pioneering work in bringing Indian music to the West. This however, he did only after long years of dedicated study under his illustrious guru Baba Allaudin Khan and after making a name for himself in India.

Always ahead of his time, Ravi Shankar has written two concertos for sitar and orchestra, violin-sitar compositions for Yehudi Menuhin and himself, music for flute virtuoso Jean Pierre Rampal, music for Hosan Yamamoto, master of the Shakuhachi and Musumi Miyashita - Koto virtuoso, and collaborated with Phillip Glass (Passages). George Harrison produced and participated in two record albums, "Shankar Family & Friends" and "Festival of India" composed by Ravi Shankar. He has composed extensively for films and Ballets in India, Canada, Europe and the United States, including Charly, Gandhi and Apu Trilogy. Ravi Shankar is an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and is a member of the United Nations International Rostrum of composers. He has received many awards and honors from his own country and from all over the world, including fourteen doctorates, the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan, Desikottam, the Magsaysay Award from Manila, two Grammy's, the Fukuoka grand Prize from Japan, the Crystal award from Davos, with the title 'Global Ambassador' to name some. In 1986 he was nominated as a member of the Rajya Sabha, India's upper house of Parliament. His recording "Tana Mana", released on the private Music label in 1987, brought Mr. Shankar's music into the "New age" with its unique method of combining traditional instruments with electronics.

In the period of the awakening of the younger generation in the mid 60's, Ravi Shankar gave three memorable concerts - Monterey Pop Festival, Concert for Bangla Desh and The Woodstock Festival. Mr. Shankar has several disciples whichare now very successful concert artists and composers.

In 1989, he toured Europe and India with Zubin Mehta and the European Youth Orchestra. Shankar also composed and performed in a musical theater piece, Ghanashyam, in Britain in 1989 and India in 1991, and collaborated with Phillip Glass on Passages in 1990. Even into the new millennium, he continued to write, perform, and tour.

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Book Review

Indian Sun: The Life And Music Of Ravi Shankar

Read "Indian Sun: The Life And Music Of Ravi Shankar" reviewed by Ian Patterson


Indian Sun: The Life And Music Of Ravi Shankar Oliver Craske 658 Pages ISBN: 978-0-571-35085-8 Faber & Faber2020 The title of Oliver Craske's fascinating and exhaustively researched biography of Ravi Shankar, one of the greatest artists of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, is something of a misnomer, for music was the Indian sitarist and composer's life--the sun around which he revolved. It ran in his veins, in his heart, and in his ...

16
Album Review

Ravi Shankar: In Hollywood, 1971

Read "In Hollywood, 1971" reviewed by Mark Sullivan


A real treat for fans of legendary sitarist Ravi Shankar, this is not only a live recording of a rare morning concert, but also an “at home" performance Shankar did for some special friends at his residence on Highland Avenue in Hollywood, California. He spoke about his distress over the plight of the people of East Pakistan (later known as Bangla Desh) in the aftermath of Cyclone Bhola. George Harrison was in attendance, so the occasion has the additional distinction ...

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Award / Grant

Grammy 2013 Lifetime Achievement Winners: Ravi Shankar, Lightnin' Hopkins, Carole King and More

Grammy 2013 Lifetime Achievement Winners: Ravi Shankar, Lightnin' Hopkins, Carole King and More

Source: HypeBot

The Recording Academy this morning announced its 2013 Special Merit Awards recipients. This year's Lifetime Achievement Award winners are Glenn Gould, Charlie Haden, Lightnin' Hopkins, Carole King, Patti Page, Ravi Shankar who died yesterday just hours before the nomination, and the Temptations. Trustees Award winners are Marilyn and Alan Bergman, Leonard and Phil Chess, and Alan Livingston. Ikutaro Kakehashi, Dave Smith and Royer Labs are Technical Grammy Award recipients. The Recording Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award “honors performers who have made ...

228

Recording

Dark Horse Records To Release Ravi Shankar George Harrison Box Set On October 19th

Dark Horse Records To Release Ravi Shankar George Harrison Box Set On October 19th

Source: 1888 Media

Los Angeles, CA—Dark Horse Records is set to release a limited edition deluxe box set entitled Ravi Shankar George Harrison Collaborations which honors the sitar master's 90th birthday. Releasing October 19th, Collaborations is a 3 CD and 1 DVD uniquely numbered limited edition box set (the CDs come in replica vinyl jackets). All compositions were composed by Ravi Shankar and produced by George Harrison over a period of 20 years. The DVD is a rare concert performance of the Ravi ...

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Recording

George Harrison and Ravi Shankar: Collaborations out 10/19

George Harrison and Ravi Shankar: Collaborations out 10/19

Source: JamBase

DARK HORSE RELEASE OUT OCTOBER 19 Dark Horse Records announced today the October 19 release of a limited edition deluxe box set from George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, entitled Collaborations. The release honors the sitar master's 90th birthday. Collaborations is a 3 CD and 1 DVD uniquely numbered limited edition box set. All compositions were composed by Ravi Shankar and produced by George Harrison over a period of 20 years. The DVD is a rare concert performance of the Ravi ...

Greg Hatza
organ, Hammond B3
Jatayu
band / ensemble / orchestra
Jacques Bailhé
keyboards

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

In Hollywood, 1971

Northern Spy Records
2016

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The Essential Ravi...

Unknown label
2005

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Tana Mana

Freeworld
1992

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Sitar

Freeworld
1987

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Jazzmine

Freeworld
1980

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